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Comparing China's 2006 and 2015 Africa policies, this article reveals how China's political discourse has become more confident, practical, and depoliticised. In particular, this paper shows how education is allocated, promised, and embedded in China's 'shared' agenda, which is centred on development co-operation and mutual learning. It then reflects on the extent to which China may move towards traditional donors. This paper concludes that, despite fragmented convergences in the discourse and an increased recognition of a Chinese model, China maintains its distinctive role and position in the post-2015 era.PuP

Regional landscape ecological risk (LER) assessment is of great significance for coordinating the relationship between land use and ecological environment, and for promoting the rational allocation of resources, and it is the basis and guarantee for achieving sustainable development. By assessing the landscape ecological risk of the Huaihe River ecological and economic zone, it can promote the development of ecological risk assessment theory, provide a scientific basis for the formulation of ecological civilization construction planning and policies, and help to strengthen environmental monitoring, planning and management, and promote the construction of ecological civilization. Based on the remote sensing image data of land use from 1985 to 2020, the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of land use and LER in the Anhui section of the Huaihe River Ecological and Economic Belt in China were explored. The results showed that: (1) The construction land showed an increasing trend, with an increased area of 4753.35 km2, whereas the cultivated land showed a negative growth trend, with a reduced area of 4487.58 km2. (2) During the past 35 years, the ecological risks in the research area showed a decreasing trend as a whole, with medium-low and medium-risk areas ranking as the main; medium-high and high-risk areas are mainly distributed on both sides of the Huaihe River and in the northern-central part of Suzhou City. (3) Moran's I values of LER in each period were showing significant spatial autocorrelation and tending to converge spatially. In the future, the ecological security pattern should be optimized for local high-risk deterioration areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are the high‐risk group for COVID‐19, and in need of vaccination. However, humoral and cellular immune responses of COVID‐19 vaccine remain unclear in vaccinated children. To establish the rational immunization strategy of inactivated COVID‐19 vaccine for children, the immunogenicity of either one dose or two doses of the vaccine in children was evaluated. A prospective cohort study of 322 children receiving inactivated COVID‐19 vaccine was established in China. The baseline was conducted after 28 days of the first dose, and the follow‐up was conducted after 28 days of the second dose. The median titers of receptor binding domain (RBD)‐IgG, and neutralizing antibody (NAb) against prototype strain and Omicron variant after the second dose increased significantly compared to those after the first dose (first dose: 70.0, [interquartile range, 30.0–151.0] vs. second dose: 1261.0 [636.0–2060.0] for RBD‐IgG; 2.5 [2.5–18.6] vs. 252.0 [138.6–462.1] for NAb against prototype strain; 2.5 [2.5–2.5] vs. 15.0 [7.8–26.5] for NAb against Omicron variant, all p < 0.05). The flow cytometry results showed that the first dose elicited SARS‐CoV‐2 specific cellular immunity, while the second dose strengthened SARS‐CoV‐2 specific IL‐2+ or TNF‐α+ monofunctional, IFN‐γ+TNF‐α+ bifunctional, and IFN‐γ−IL‐2+TNF‐α+ multifunctional CD4+ T cell responses (p < 0.05). Moreover, SARS‐CoV‐2 specific memory T cells were generated after the first vaccination, including the central memory T cells and effector memory T cells. The present findings provide scientific evidence for the vaccination strategy of the inactive vaccines among children against COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium-rich rice samples of 52 brands were bought from supermarkets on line in China and analysed for Se with ICP-MS. The Se concentration of Se-rich rice in China ranged from 0.012 ± 0.001 to 0.558 ± 0.057 mg/kg with an average of 0.090 ± 0.092 mg/kg. Rice samples with Se concentrations below 0.04 mg/kg accounted for 36.5% of the total samples. Se concentrations between 0.04 and 0.3 mg/kg accounted for 61.6%. Taking the upper tolerable limit of 400 μg/d as the risk standard, the risk of selenium intake by selenium-rich rice was low and the risk index was far less than 100%. With the upper intake limit of 100 μg/d and the adequate intake of 70 μg/d as the risk standard, the maximum intake risk index was higher than 100%, indicating a certain risk in the consumption of selenium-rich rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tong sheep is a kind of famous fat-tailed sheep in China, which no longer meets market demands because of the large amount of fat deposition in tail. Fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene regulates fatty acid transport and fat metabolism to affect obesity and is also reported to regulate phenotypic traits in healthy animals. To identify the insertion/deletion (InDel) variations of the FTO gene and evaluate their effects on fat-tail measurements and growth traits, 166 healthy individuals from Tong sheep were identified and analyzed. Herein, 10 novel InDel polymorphisms were founded in the Tong sheep FTO gene, which displayed intermediate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) and were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p >.05). Correlation analysis of 78 Tong sheep phenotypic traits data and InDel polymorphisms showed that eight InDel loci were significantly associated with partial growth traits (p <.05), four InDel loci were significantly correlated with fat-tail measurements (p <.05). In particular, individuals with genotype DD showed better phenotypic traits than individuals with other genotypes at male sheep InDel 5 and InDel 8 loci, which had small tail-fat dimensions while having good growth traits. These results confirmed potential usefulness of FTO gene in marker-assisted selection programs of Tong sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing China's 2006 and 2015 Africa policies, this article reveals how China's political discourse has become more confident, practical, and depoliticised. In particular, this paper shows how education is allocated, promised, and embedded in China's 'shared' agenda, which is centred on development co-operation and mutual learning. It then reflects on the extent to which China may move towards traditional donors. This paper concludes that, despite fragmented convergences in the discourse and an increased recognition of a Chinese model, China maintains its distinctive role and position in the post-2015 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the combined effects of thermal, acoustic and visual comfort in open spaces, this study selected five typical spaces on a university campus with five common sounds (broadcasting music, running water & birdsong, wind (a gentle breeze) & insects, crowds, and machines) in a cold region of China. 418 volunteers were asked to complete a subjective sensory questionnaire in a randomly combined audio-visual environment while meteorological measures were taken on-site. Four primary outcomes emerged. First, broadcasting music improved individual subjective thermal comfort votes (TCV). Under the moderate heat stress (0.5 ≤ thermal sensation vote [TSV] ＜ 2.5), a comfortable acoustic environment helped reduce individuals' subjective TSV and increase TCV. Second, the subjective acoustic comfort vote (ACV) of broadcasting music, wind & insect sound and machine noise decreased with the increase of Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI); respondents perceived crowds, machines and wind & insects louder when TCV = 2 and −2. Third, under no thermal stress (−0.5 ≤ TSV ＜ 0.5)/moderate heat stress (0.5 ≤ TSV ＜ 2.5), TSV increased with increasing illumination intensity (LUX). Under the strong heat stress (2.5 ≤ TSV ≤ 3), there was no significant difference in TCV among subjective visual comfort vote (VCV) levels. Finally, when the LUX class was neutral/slightly bright, respondents felt darker in thermo-neutrality. Additionally, VCV and TCV were positively correlated under each LUX class. [Display omitted] • Combined effects of outdoor visual-acoustic-thermal comfort were investigated in Xi'an, China. • Broadcasting music was conducive to improving individual TCV. • Crowd and machine noise were louder when people felt thermally comfortable or uncomfortable. • Visual comfort did not affect TSV and TCV in a hot environment. • Respondents felt darker in thermo-neutrality when LUX was neutral/slightly bright. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium is receiving widespread attention due to its remarkable biological qualities in preventing bone resorption and fostering osteogenesis. However, the chemical processes behind strontium's dual activities on bone cells are not yet fully understood. This study used the metabolomic technique to identify and examine potential biomarkers between strontium exposure and osteoporosis (OP) risk. A total of 806 participants were recruited for the detection of plasma strontium content via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Plasma metabolites were profiled in 254 participants through an untargeted metabolomics technique. Generalized linear models were primarily used to analyze associations among plasma strontium, metabolites, and OP. The mediating effects of metabolites on the strontium-OP association were further investigated. A total of 31 differential metabolites were observed, 10 of which were upregulated and 21 were downregulated in the OP group compared with the non-OP group. Five metabolites (3-phenoxybenzoic acid, Cer (t18:0/16:1), HexCer(t16:1/12:1(2OH)), HexCer(t14:2/18:1(2OH)), and TG(16:0-18:1-24:4)) were selected as potential mediators based on their significant association with OP risk and with femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD). Moreover, all except TG(16:0-18:1-24:4) were involved in the OP discrimination model with excellent power combined with several traditional variables. 3-Phenoxybenzoic acid and Cer(t18:0/16:1) had significant indirect effects on the strontium-OP association. The five candidate metabolites mediated 83.79 % of the strontium-OP association. Plasma strontium level was associated with reduced OP risk in the Han population in Wuhan. Thus, plasma metabolite profiling revealed five BMD/OP-associated metabolites that acted as mediators in the strontium-OP association. Our findings provided evidence of the mediating role of host plasma metabolites in strontium's effect on OP pathology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thermal comfort and environmental health in scenic open spaces, a communication bridge between tourists and their environment, are prerequisites for tourism activities. In this study, scenic open spaces in an urban area of Xi'an, China were selected. Thermal perception (thermal sensation, comfort and acceptability) of residents and tourists were investigated through meteorological measurement and questionnaire survey. Physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was used to determine thermal benchmarks of all visitors to the site. Variables that influence individual thermal perception assessment (physical, individual, society and psychology) were measured and compared. Finally, a series of strategies and suggestions were proposed based on meteorological characteristics and influencing factors of thermal perception from perspectives of designers and scenic spot managers. Results show that: 1) Neutral PET (NPET) of respondents were 17.3 °C (residents) and 15.5 °C (tourists). Neutral PET ranges (NPETR) were 8.9-25.8 °C (residents) and 7.2-23.8 °C (tourists). Preferred PET values were 20.1 °C (residents) and 19.7 °C (tourists). Thermal acceptability ranges (TAR) were 6.3-37.8 °C (residents) and 0.5-39.9 °C (tourists). 2) In winter, physical factors were primary influencers of residents' thermal perception, followed by social factors, while tourists' thermal perception was mainly influenced by physical factors. In spring, physical factors were still the primary influencers for residents, followed by individual factors. Physical factors were also dominant for tourists, followed by psychological. In summer, physical factors were the major influencing factors for residents and tourists' thermal perceptions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Four obligatory anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile and rod-shaped organisms (HF-1365 T , HF-1362, HF-1101 T and HF-4214) were isolated from faecal samples of healthy Chinese subjects. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that these isolates belong to the genera Enorma (strains HF-1365 T and HF-1362) and Eggerthella (strains HF-1101 T and HF-4214), closest to Enorma massiliensis (both 98.6 %) and Eggerthella sinensis (98.0 and 97.8 %), respectively. The whole genome sequences of strains HF-1365 T and HF-1101 T were 2.3 and 4.2 Mb in size with 61.7 and 66.2 mol% DNA G+C content, respectively. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values indicated that strains HF-1365 T and HF-1101 T represent novel species in the genera Enorma and Eggerthella . Major fatty acid constituents (>10 %) of strains HF-1365 T and HF-1362 were C 12 : 0 (24.7 and 23.9 %), C 14 : 0 (21.9 and 20.6 %) and summed feature 1 (C 15 : 1 iso H/C 13 : 0 3OH; 12.8 and 10.8 %); those of strains HF-1101 T and HF-4214 were C 18 : 1  ω 9c (32.4 and 33.1 %) and C 16 : 0 (13.9 and 14.0 %). Strain HF-1365 T had phospholipid, glycolipid, lipid and phosphoglycolipid without any known quinones, while strain HF-1101 T had diphosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipid and MK-7 (80.7 %) as the predominant quinone. On the basis of their phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics, strains HF-1365 T and HF-1101 T represent two distinct species, respectively, in the genera Enorma and Eggerthella , for which the names Enorma shizhengliae sp. nov. (type strain HF-1365 T =CGMCC 1.17435 T =GDMCC 1.1705 T =JCM 33601 T ) and Eggerthella guodeyinii sp. nov. (type strain HF-1101 T =CGMCC 1.17436 T =GDMCC 1.1668 T =JCM 33773 T ) are proposed.