Search

In the context of globalization, the integration of cultural elements into scientific research, particularly through the incorporation of traditional Chinese cultural motifs in scientific illustrations, represents a novel frontier in enhancing the universality and appeal of scientific discoveries. This paper explores the innovative practice of embedding traditional Chinese cultural elements into scientific paper illustrations, highlighting its significant role in augmenting the global appeal of research findings, promoting diversity and innovation in scientific inquiry, and facilitating cross-cultural understanding. Through a series of case studies, including symbolic representations of ancient myths and the use of traditional themes to elucidate complex scientific phenomena, we demonstrate how this cultural integration not only makes scientific content more accessible and engaging but also fosters a deeper appreciation of Chinese heritage among international audiences. This approach not only bridges the gap between science and culture but also contributes to a more inclusive and interconnected global scientific community, underscoring the importance of cultural diversity in enriching scientific exploration and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misallocation of land resources is an important factor restricting the high‐quality development of China's economy. Based on the perspective of supply and demand matching, this study proposed a measurement method for the spatial misallocation of land resources and constructed two models for the testing and decomposition of factors affecting land resource spatial misallocation. We used this measurement method and these two models to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics and determinants of the spatial misallocation of land resources in China from 2000 to 2018 with the aim of providing policy recommendations for the correction of land resource misallocation in China and other developing countries. The results showed that the spatial misallocation of land resources in China showed an upward trend with evident spatial differentiation and the proportion of cities with high and severe misallocation increased. Industrial isomorphism and market misallocation are the main driving factors of land misallocation. Government misallocation and factor market abnormal development aggravate land resource misallocation. Extensive economic development and excessive factor agglomeration have a small effect on land resource spatial misallocation. Therefore, strengthening the land supply‐side reform, and implementing differentiated land allocation policies are effective pathways to control land resource misallocation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diameter of the ostial and proximal left main coronary artery can be greater than 5.0 mm. However, the diameters of the mostly available coronary drug-eluting stents (DESs) are ≤ 4.0 mm. Whether high-pressure dilatation can increase the diameter of stents from 4.0 to 5.0 mm and whether post-dilatation leads to longitudinal stent deformation (LSD) of 4.0-mm-diameter stents have rarely been studied. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate LSD and stent malapposition of six types of commercially available 4.0-mm-diameter stents in China in a 5.0-mm-diameter artificial blood vessel model by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in vitro. Methods: The left main coronary artery was simulated by a truncated cone-shaped silicone tube. The internal diameters were 4.0 mm at one end of the silicone tube and 5.0 mm at the other end. Six different types of coronary stents widely used in China were selected for this study. Each stent was respectively implanted into the simulated blood vessel and dilated to a diameter of 4.2 mm according to the stent-balloon pressure compliance table. The stents were subjected to post-dilatation with a 5.0 × 15-mm noncompliant balloon. The LSD ratio of the longitudinal axis of each stent and stent malapposition were measured through OCT, and any fractures of the stents were determined. Results: None of the six types of stents fractured following post-dilatation. The longitudinal axes of the BuMA and Excrossal stents were slightly shortened, while the other stents were elongated after high-pressure post-dilatation. All stents expanded to a diameter of 5.0 mm without incomplete stent apposition, except for the Nano Plus stent, which remained malapposed after high-pressure post-dilatation. Conclusion: All 4.0-mm-diameter stents can be expanded to a diameter of 5.0 mm by noncompliant balloon post-dilatation without stent strut fracture. Most stents were found to be well apposed after high-pressure post-dilatation. However, LSD was observed after post-balloon dilatation. Stent malapposition might be positively correlated with the percentage change in stent length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the relationship between the composition of urinary stones and various influencing factors in the Enshi region. We used FT-IR to examine the composition of 1092 stone samples. Combined with the relevant clinical materials, the data were analyzed using both one-dimensional statistical methods and multivariate statistical methods. The study included 1092 stone samples, classified as follows: 457 (41.8%) with a single component, 453 (41.5%) with two components, 149 (13.6%) with three components, and 33 (3.0%) with four components. Stones were categorized into five types: Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) (76.4%), carbapatite (CaP) (9.3%), Struvite (ST) (8.3%), Uric Acid (UA) (4.9%), and Others (1.0%). Age, gender, urinary tract infection (UTI), family history of urinary stones (FH), hyperuricemia (HUA) and stone location were significantly associated with stone type. Logistic regression revealed that females and UTI were relative risk factors for predicting CaP and ST, while FH and HUA were relative risk factors for predicting UA. Our study indicates that the overall composition of urinary tract stones in the Enshi region is consistent with that of the entire China. Additionally, the predisposing factors for stone formation vary in terms of gender, age, FH, UTI, hyperuricemia HUA, and stone location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The lumbar plexus originates from multiple segments of the spinal cord. Both single-level lumbar plexus block (LPB) and transmuscular quadratus lumborum block (TQLB) are commonly used to provide analgesia for the patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, neither of them can completely cover the lumbar plexus. Multiple-level LPB is also not recommended since this expert technique involves more potential risks. To achieve a better anesthetic effect and avoid risks, we propose to combine ultrasound-guided LPB with TQLB with Shamrock approach. We aim to assess the anesthetic efficacy of this combination technique and expect it will be an ideal alternative for conventional LPBs in THA. Methods and analysis: In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 84 patients schedule for THA will be enrolled. The patients will be randomly assigned at a 1:1:1 ratio to receive LPB at L3 level (P group), T12 paravertebral block combined with LPB at L3 and L4 levels (TP group), or LPB combined with TQLB at L3 level (PQ group). Each method will be evaluated in terms of the successful rate of sensory blockade, postoperative pain, performance time of block, requirement for intraoperative sufentanil, cumulative doses of intraoperative vasoactive medications, and adverse events. Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol has been approved by the institutional review board (IRB) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, China (No.2020–031). The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and the ClinicalTrials.gov registry. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04266236. Registered on 10 February 2020. ClinicalTrials.gov PRS: Record Summary NCT04266236. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Our aim was to investigate the association between gene polymorphisms in catalase (CAT), a well-known oxidative stress regulator, and susceptibility to idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) or responses to steroid therapy in a Chinese pediatric population. Methods We analyzed 3 CAT single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNVs; rs7943316, rs769217, and rs12270780) using multi-polymerase chain reaction combined with next-generation sequencing in 183 INS patients and 100 healthy controls. Results For the allele and genotype frequencies of the CAT SNVs, no significant differences were observed between INS patients and controls. Patients with C allele of CAT rs769217 had a higher risk of developing steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome than the steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome patients (P = 0.018; odds ratio = 1.76). Conclusion Our data suggests that genetic variations in CAT were unlikely to confer susceptibility to INS in Chinese children, whereas the C allele of the CAT rs769217 polymorphism showed a strong association with steroid-dependent responses in Chinese INS children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of carbapenem and colistin co-resistant Escherichia coli poses a huge challenge to infection control. The purpose of this study was to clarify the mechanism of the carbapenems and colistin co-resistance in E. coli strains. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by agar dilution methods and colistin resistance was confirmed by broth microdilution methods. Whole genome sequencing was carried out, and resistance genes, sequence types and virulence genes of carbapenems and colistin co-resistance E. coli isolates were analyzed. Results: The results showed that among the 176 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains, 5 multidrug resistant E. coli strains exhibiting coresistance to carbapenem and colistin. The main mechanism of 5 E. coli strains in this study was generating carbapenem. Four E. coli strains were mcr-positive, while one mcr-negative strain had a new MgrB mutation. The blaNDM-5, blaCTX-M-65, blaOXA-10, blaTEM-1 and mcr-1.1 genes were simultaneously detected in E. coli 20IR1127 strain belonging to ST156 lineage. Other antimicrobial resistance genes encoding aminoglycosides-, sulfonamide-, chloramphenicol-, tetracyclines- and macrolides resistance were also detected. Conclusion: The main mechanisms of carbapenem and colistin resistance were encoded by blaNDM and mcr1.1, meanwhile mgrB mutations also contribute to colistin resistance. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report of E. coli ST156 strain in which the blaNDM-5, blaCTX-M-65, blaOXA-10, blaTEM-1 and mcr1.1 genes coexist. In addition, there is also an E. coli ST457 strain, which carries blaTEM-1, blaNDM-9, blaCTX-M-199 and is positive for mcr1.1 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise prevention and control measures have been adopted to impede the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in China. This study was performed to investigate the effect of protective measures on gastrointestinal infection in children during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The data on the rotavirus and adenovirus antigen tests were collected in outpatient children due to gastroenteritis from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020, at the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. According to age and month distribution, the positive number and rate of rotavirus and adenovirus in 2020 were compared with 2019. A 3.8‐fold and 4‐fold reduction in the number of rotavirus‐ and adenovirus‐positive patients in 2020 were found, respectively. The overall positive rate of rotavirus and adenovirus infection was drastically decreased in 2020 (rotavirus 2020: 18.18% vs. 2019: 9.75%, p < 0.001; adenovirus 2020: 3.13% vs. 2019: 1.58%, p < 0.001). The proportions of rotavirus and adenovirus in all age groups in 2020 decreased compared with those in 2019. The highest frequency of rotavirus infection occurred among children aged 1–3 years both in 2019 and 2020 (2019: 27.95% vs. 2020: 17.19%, p < 0.001), while adenovirus infection was detected in children aged 3–5 years, which had the highest percent positivity (2019: 8.19% vs. 2020: 4.46%; p < 0.001). An obvious peak prevalence of rotavirus incidence was found during December–April, and the percent positivity of rotavirus significantly decreased in 2020 (December 2019: 24.26% vs. 2020: 8.44%, p < 0.001; January 2019: 40.67% vs. 2020: 38.18%, p < 0.05; February 2019: 40.73% vs. 2020: 15.04%, p < 0.001; March 2019: 31.47% vs. 2020: 7.88%, p < 0.001; April 2019: 15.52% vs. 2020: 4.78%, p < 0.001). The positive rate of adenovirus distributed throughout 2019 was 1.91%–4.86%, while the percent positivity during 2020 in the same period was much lower (0.00%–3.58%). Our results confirmed that the preventive and control measures adopted during the COVID‐19 pandemic and the collateral benefit of these interventions have significantly decreased the transmission of rotavirus or adenovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We hypothesize higher air pollution and fewer greenness exposures jointly contribute to metabolic syndrome (MetS), as mechanisms on cardiometabolic mortality.Methods: We studied the samples in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We included 1755 participants in 2012, among which 1073 were followed up in 2014 and 561 in 2017. We used cross-sectional analysis for baseline data and the generalized estimating equations (GEE) model in a longitudinal analysis. We examined the independent and interactive effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) on MetS. Adjustment covariates included biomarker measurement year, baseline age, sex, ethnicity, education, marriage, residence, exercise, smoking, alcohol drinking, and GDP per capita.Results: At baseline, the average age of participants was 85.6 (SD: 12.2; range: 65-112). Greenness was slightly higher in rural areas than urban areas (NDVI mean: 0.496 vs. 0.444; range: 0.151-0.698 vs. 0.133-0.644). Ambient air pollution was similar between rural and urban areas (PM2.5 mean: 49.0 vs. 49.1; range: 16.2-65.3 vs. 18.3-64.2). Both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis showed positive associations of PM2.5 with prevalent abdominal obesity (AO) and MetS, and a negative association of NDVI with prevalent AO. In the longitudinal data, the odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval-CI) of PM2.5 (per 10 μg/m3 increase) were 1.19 (1.12, 1.27), 1.16 (1.08, 1.24), and 1.14 (1.07, 1.21) for AO, MetS and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. NDVI (per 0.1 unit increase) was associated with lower AO prevalence [OR (95% CI): 0.79 (0.71, 0.88)], but not significantly associated with MetS [OR (95% CI): 0.93 (0.84, 1.04)]. PM2.5 and NDVI had a statistically significant interaction on AO prevalence (pinteraction: 0.025). The association between PM2.5 and MetS, AO, elevated fasting glucose and reduced HDL-C were only significant in rural areas, not in urban areas. The association between NDVI and AO was only significant in areas with low PM2.5, not under high PM2.5.Conclusions: We found air pollution and greenness had independent and interactive effect on MetS components, which may ultimately manifest in pre-mature mortality. These study findings call for green space planning in urban areas and air pollution mitigation in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs), emerging as significant pollutants, have been consistently detected in aquatic environments, with the Yangtze River experiencing a particularly severe level of microplastic pollution, exceeding all other watersheds in China. Polypropylene (PP), the plastic most abundantly found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin, has less comprehensive research results into its toxic effects. Consequently, the present investigation employed zebrafish as a model organism to delve into the toxicological impacts of polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs) with a diameter of 5 μm across varying concentrations (300 mg/L and 600 mg/L). Using histopathological, microbiota profiling, and transcriptomic approaches, we systematically evaluated the impact of PP-MPs exposure on the intestine and liver of zebrafish. Histopathological analysis revealed that exposure to PP-MPs resulted in thinner intestinal walls, damaged intestinal mucosa, and hepatic cellular damage. Intestinal microbiota profiling demonstrated that, the richness, uniformity, diversity, and homogeneity of gut microbes significantly increased after the PP-MPs exposure at high concentration. These alterations were accompanied by shifts in the relative abundance of microbiota associated with intestinal pathologies, suggesting a profound impact on the intestinal microbial community structure. Concurrently, hepatic transcriptome analysis and RT-qPCR indicated that the downregulation of pathways and genes associated with cell proliferation regulation and DNA damage repair mechanisms contributed to hepatic cellular damage, ultimately exerting adverse effects on the liver. Correlation analysis between the intestinal microbiota and liver transcriptome profiles further highlighted significant associations between intestinal microbiota and the downregulated hepatic pathways. Collectively, these results provide novel insights into the subacute toxicological mechanisms of PP-MPs in aquatic organisms and highlight the need for further research on the ecological and health risks associated with PP-MPs pollution. • Polypropylene microplastic induced significant damage on gut and liver of zebrafish. • Polypropylene exposure led to Cetobacterium decrease and Rhizobiales increase in intestine. • Hepatic transcriptome analysis clarified molecular mechanisms of liver injury. • Correlated linkage between gut microbes and hepatic altered pathways was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideal air brake system is to provide accurate brake pressures, which ensures the normal braking performance of high-speed trains. For the high-speed trains in China, a univariate monitoring strategy has been adopted to monitor the state of each brake cylinder of the air brake system separately. In practice, this kind of strategy is effective for faults with large amplitude, but it is always ineffective for all kinds of incipient faults with small amplitude. Due to nonstationary and multimode properties inherent in air brake systems, conventional detection methods are difficult to be used. In this article, we develop novel detection strategies for three kinds of incipient faults in the air brake systems, including sensor deviation fault, leakage fault, and brake cylinder component fault. Starting from the characteristics of actual data from air brake systems, some variables with high level of consistency are selected. Then, a linear data transformation is conducted to obtain approximate stationary properties, and all the data in multiple modes are mapped into a compact domain. In addition, a fault-to-signal ratio (FSR) is proposed to reflect the sensitivity of the proposed detection statistic to the fault. In particular, the multistage control limits and sliding window strategies are integrated into the detection statistic, which effectively lowers the control limits and enhances robustness to noise, respectively. Finally, experiments on the braking test platform are provided to show the effectiveness of our proposed strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catering enterprises gather in densely populated areas, whose pollutant emission has an important impact on human health and environmental quality. This study investigated detailed information of 5456 catering enterprises in a typical city, and analyzed PM 2.5 and VOCs components of 15 catering cuisines and different scales. Based on the measured emission factors, the basic information of nationwide catering enterprises and the population density, this study established the national catering pollutant emission inventory with the spatial resolution of 0.1° × 0.1°. As the results showed, alkanes, alkenes and oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) were the main components in VOCs of most catering cuisines, accounting for 36.6%–96.7%, while organic carbon (OC) was the dominant component in PM 2.5 , accounting for 55.4%–68.6%. The same cuisine of different scales also presented certain differences in emission characteristics. The total emissions of the ozone formation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosols formation potential (SOAFP) were 1737.8 kt and 76.4 kt, respectively, with alkanes and OVOCs being the main contributors, contributing 27.5% and 22.3%, respectively. Acetaldehyde, ethylene, propylene and the other top ten VOC species contribute 81.0% of the total OFP emissions, while toluene contributed much more to total SOAFP emissions than other VOC species, contributing 35.9%. The air pollutant emissions showed the highest correlation with the population, and the regions with prominent emissions were mainly concentrated in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region and coastal cities. This study is a systematic understanding of air pollutant emission characteristics of the catering industry in China, which has important supporting value for pollutant emission reduction planning in the catering industry. [Display omitted] • VOCs and PM 2.5 components of different cuisines were systematically tested. • Multi-cuisine emission factors were measured for the emission inventory. • OFP and SOAFP emissions were estimated for different cuisines. • The main cuisines showing high environmental impacts were identified. • Emissions from small-scale catering enterprises were more prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative ion air purifiers (NIAPs), as a less costly alternative to the HEPA filtration, have been increasingly deployed in China and potentially elsewhere. While reducing indoor concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), NIAPs generate massive amounts of negative ions that may be of health concern. We performed week‐long interventions with NIAPs in the dormitories of 56 healthy college students living in Beijing. In a randomized order, each student underwent a true and a sham NIAP session. Cardiorespiratory outcomes were measured before and after each session. The use of true NIAPs reduced indoor PM2.5 concentrations significantly, while notably increased negative ion levels. Increases in PM2.5 and negative ion (NI) exposure were independently associated with increased urinary concentration of malondialdehyde, a biomarker of systemic oxidative stress, resulting in a null net effect of NIAP on malondialdehyde. Likewise, no significant net effects of NIAPs were observed for other outcomes indicative of lung function, vascular tone, arterial stiffness, and inflammation. Our findings suggest that negative ions, possibly along with their reaction products with the room air constituents, adversely affect health. The downsides do not support the use of NIAPs as a health‐based mitigation strategy to reduce PM2.5 exposure, especially in residences with PM2.5 concentrations that are not extremely high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assimilation serves as a significant part during magma's evolution. Because of rapid cooling of mafic–ultramafic magma, assimilation between mantle‐derived magma and crustal rocks (wall rocks) is often neglected. The Beidaihe diabase dyke in North China Craton suggests that assimilation of the rapidly cooled mantle‐derived magma cannot be ignored. The diabase dyke is very thin (~1 m in width) with chilled margin. The dyke centre is porphyritic texture while the chilled margin is aphanitic texture, suggesting a rapid crystallization process. From the centre to margin of the dyke, contents of SiO2 (from 48.12–49.94 wt.% to 38.29–46.63 wt.%), MgO (from 7.46–9.17 wt.% to 3.39–4.71 wt.%), Ni (from 91.5–118 ppm to 6.5–45.8 ppm), and Cr (from 243–306 ppm to 1.7–80.5 ppm) are obviously decreased, but contents of Fe2O3T (from 8.71–9.39 wt.% to 9.21–12.30 wt.%), CaO (from 5.67–7.08 wt.% to 6.91–10.26 wt.%), and CO2 (from 0.25–1.92 wt.% to 4.52–6.58 wt.%) are distinctly increased. The dyke intruded discordantly into Ordovician limestone. Limestone far away from the dyke mainly consists of micro calcites with low MgO (0.55–0.77 wt.%) and FeO (0.07–0.09 wt.%) but high CaO (53.82–55.51 wt.%) and CO2 (44.46–45.02 wt.%) contents. Limestone close to the dyke metamorphosed into marble, which mainly comprises of recrystallized calcite/dolomite and diopside, with high MgO (1.85–2.35 wt.%) and FeO (0.17–1.36 wt.%) but relatively low CaO (52.30–54.15 wt.%) and CO2 (38.77–41.04 wt.%). All these suggest an assimilation process of the mantle‐derived magma with wall rocks limestone. Based on the chemical balance at the interface between the diabase and limestone, CO2 exchange model is used to estimate the degree of assimilation. The calculated assimilation degree is about 8–12% at the dyke margin. There is obvious elements exchange between magma and wall rocks, and the transfer ability of Mg is greater than that of Ca. Meanwhile, Fe oxides quickly precipitated at the margins of the dyke for the increase of fO2. Therefore, even for mantle‐derived magma which chilled rapidly, it may also be obviously influenced by assimilation, especially when wall rocks are carbonate sediments. Simultaneously, this study provides a possible explanation for some mantle‐derived rocks in carbonate areas with high LOI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera), as an important woody tree species producing edible oils in China, has attracted enormous attention due to its abundant unsaturated fatty acids and their associated benefits to human health. To reveal novel insights into the characters during the maturation period of this plant as well as the molecular basis of fatty acid biosynthesis and degradation, we conducted a conjoint analysis of the transcriptome and proteome of C. oleifera seeds from Hainan Island. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology and shotgun proteomic method, 59,391 transcripts and 40,500 unigenes were obtained by TIGR Gene Indices Clustering Tools (TGICL), while 1691 protein species were identified from Mass Spectrometry (MS). Subsequently, all genes and proteins were employed in euKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG) classification, Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis to investigate their essential functions. The results indicated that the most abundant pathways were biological metabolic processes. There were 946 unigenes associated with lipid metabolism at the transcriptome level, with 116 proteins at the proteome level; among these, 38 specific proteins were involved in protein-protein interactions, with the majority being related to fatty acid catabolic process. The expression levels of 21 candidate unigenes encoding target proteins were further detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Finally, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was carried out to determine the fatty acid composition of C. oleifera oil. These findings not only deepened our understanding about the molecular mechanisms of fatty acid metabolism but also offered new evidence concerning the roles of relevant proteins in oil-bearing crops. Furthermore, the lipid-associated proteins recognized in this research might be helpful in providing a reference for the synthetic regulation of C. oleifera oil quality by genetic engineering techniques, thus resulting in potential application in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to provide novel laboratory indexes for infectious mononucleosis (IM) in pediatric patients. In the present prospective study, a total of 141 pediatric patients with IM and 146 healthy subjects were enrolled. The white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), uric acid (UA), urea, creatinine, total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in peripheral blood were evaluated. WBC, ALT, AST, GGT, UA, TG, MPV and the MPV/PLT ratio in the patients were significantly higher compared with those in the controls (P<0.01), while RBC, HB, urea, TC, PLT and PDW were significantly lower in the patients (P<0.05 for PDW and P<0.01 for others). Regression analysis under stepwise adjustment indicated that PLT and MPV/PLT were significantly associated with IM (P<0.01). Furthermore, MPV/PLT was positively correlated with ALT, AST, GGT, UA and TC (P≤0.01). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, a sensitivity of 83.7% and specificity of 76.0% regarding the prediction of IM in pediatric patients using the MPV/PLT ratio was achieved at the cutoff of MPV/PLT(%)=3.42. In conclusion, the MPV/PLT ratio may be a novel diagnostic indicator for pediatric IM and indirectly predict damage to liver function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the interplay of product development strategy, knowledge utilization, and product innovation performance in the context of Chinese subsidiaries of multinational companies. When firms strive to develop highly innovative products (breakthrough focus), the amount of resources allocated has a U-shaped relationship to subsequent product innovation performance (i.e., market rewards of new products). When the aim of product development activity is to reinforce and maintain moderately innovative products (platform focus), increased resource allocation shows a positive relationship to product innovation performance. The amount of resources allocated to minor revisions (incremental focus) shows no significant relationship to product innovation performance. Knowledge utilization is an important predictor of the benefits of developing highly and moderately innovative products. Moreover, it helps to mitigate the drawbacks of a breakthrough focus and strengthens the positive impact of a platform focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xiamen is a pilot city in China for hierarchical diagnosis and treatment reform of non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes. Since 2012, Xiamen has implemented a program called the "three-in-one", a team-based care model for the treatment of diabetes, which involves collaboration between diabetes specialists, general practitioners, and health managers. In addition, the program provides financial incentives to improve care, as greater accessibility to medications through community health care centers (CHCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of these policies in shifting visits from general hospitals to CHCs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Method and Materials: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted using Xiamen's regional electronic health record (EHR) database, which included 90% of all patients registered since 2012. Logistic regression was used to derive the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for patients shifting from general hospitals to CHCs. Among patients treated at hospitals, Kaplan-Meier(KM) curves were constructed to evaluate the time from each policy introduction until the switch to CHCs. A k-means clustering analysis was conducted to identify patterns of patient care-seeking behavior.Results: In total, 89,558 patients and 2,373,524 visits were included. In contrast to increased outpatient visits to general hospitals in China overall, the percentage of visits to CHCs in Xiamen increased from 29.7% in 2012 to 66.5% in 2016. The most significant and rapid shift occurred in later periods after full policy implementation. Three clusters of patients were identified with different levels of complications and health care-seeking frequency. All had similar responses to the policies.Conclusions: The "three-in-one" team-based care model showed promising results for building a hierarchical health care system in China. These policy reforms effectively increased CHCs utilization among diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has become the largest electricity consumer in the world. Existing studies focus on the direct electricity use of industrial sectors and investigate the factors that influence direct electricity consumption. However, the critical sectors that play important roles as final consumers or primary suppliers and indirectly drive up the electricity use of upstream or downstream sectors are not identified. This study comprehensively quantifies the electricity footprint of the industrial sectors using consumption-based and income-based accounting methods The key drivers of changes in the consumption-based and income-based electricity footprints are also investigated using structural decomposition analysis (SDA). The results show that the accounting of the electricity footprint using consumption-based and income-based methods is quite different from that of the production-based method (i.e., direct electricity use). Moreover, the change in the energy structure (i.e., the percentage share of electricity in total energy consumption, also known as electrification level) of industrial sectors is a major driver of the increment in electricity use in addition to the final demand level and primary input level change. Improvement in the energy efficiency of sectors is the dominant factor that reduces electricity use. However, changes in the production input/output structure, final demand structure, and primary input structure are not found to have significant effects on reducing electricity use. This indicates that the role of structure change should be explored further. China can implement policies that further stimulate structural transformation, such as encouraging the consumption of less energy-intensive products and promoting primary inputs and production allocation to less energy-intensive sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame retardants are widely used in consumer products to reduce their flammability. Previously used flame retardants have been sequentially banned due to their environmental and human toxicity. Currently, tris(1,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) are among the most commonly used flame retardants. TDCIPP and TPHP are reproductive toxins and have carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and endocrine-disrupting properties. Although high levels of TDCIPP and TPHP have been found in drinking water, seawater, and office air in China, data regarding human exposure are lacking. In this study, we assessed the level of urinary TPHP and TDCIPP metabolites (DPHP and BDCIPP, resp.) in a cohort of pregnant women (N = 23) from Shanghai, China, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DPHP were detected in 100% urine samples, while only four urine samples had detectable level of BDCIPP in this cohort (17% detected). Geometric means of DPHP and BDCIPP concentrations were 1.1 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.6, 1.5 ng/mL) and 1.2 ng/mL (IQR: 0.6, 2.2 ng/mL), respectively. In this small cohort, urinary DPHP and BDCIPP levels were not significantly correlated with miscarriages, neonatal birthweight, gestational diabetes, or maternal age. These data suggest that exposure to TPHP is widespread, and they demonstrate the feasibility of using urinary biomarkers to measure exposures to modern flame-retardant chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggested that interleukin-17 and Th17 cell play an important role in the pathogenesis of childhood Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). The purpose of our study is to elucidate whether the IL17A and IL17F gene polymorphisms are susceptibility genes for the development of HSP in Chinese children. A total of 148 HSP patients and 202 controls were enrolled for analyzing the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of IL17A (rs2275913, rs8193037 and rs3819025) and IL17F (rs763780 and rs9463772). TaqMan Real-Time polymerase chain reaction method was used in SNP genotyping. Compared to the healthy controls, the IL17A rs2275913 variant allele A showed a significant association with HSP [odds ratio (OR) 0.70; 95 % CI 0.51-0.94, P = 0.018]. Genotyping analysis demonstrated rs2275913 was associated with a decreased HSP risk (G/A vs. G/G: OR 0.56; 95 % CI 0.33-0.95; A/A vs. G/G: OR 0.46; 95 % CI 0.24-0.86; P = 0.032). Also, our findings showed that the A allele of IL17A rs3819025 was associated with a higher risk of HSP nephritis (OR 1.61; 95 % CI 1.00-2.58; P = 0.047). In addition, a risk haplotype of IL17A (GGA) was found (OR 1.84; 95 % CI 1.17-2.88; P = 0.008). However, no significant differences between HSP patients and healthy controls were observed when comparing genotype, allele or haplotype frequencies of the IL17F rs763780 and rs9463772 polymorphisms. In this study, we confirmed that the rs2275913 polymorphism of the IL17A gene was associated with susceptibility to HSP in Chinese children. However, there was no relationship between IL17F rs763780 and rs9463772 polymorphisms and HSP susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), a common allergic hemorrhagic disease, occurs frequently in children affecting kidney, joint and skin. While interleukin-8 (IL-8) plays an important role in inflammation, the association between IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism and HSP remains unclear. Interleukin-8, an important chemokine related to the initiation and amplification of acute inflammatory responses, has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether IL-8 gene +781 C/T (rs2227306) polymorphism has an influence on susceptibility and clinical manifestations of patients to HSP. This hospital-based case-control study comprised 192 patients with HSP and 202 healthy controls. The genotypes of IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism were identified using PCR-TaqMan method. All genotype frequencies of both groups (patients and controls) conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies of IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism were observed between patients with HSP and controls (p=0.98, χ2=0.000 and p=0.49, χ2=1.432, respectively). When patients were stratified for the presence of joint, gastrointestinal and renal manifestations, genotype frequencies of IL-8 gene polymorphism were found no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). Our findings do not support that IL-8 gene +781 C/T polymorphism has an effect on the susceptibility to HSP in Chinese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the degree of airport capacity utilization of 239 China's civil airports in 2019. Our database is unique and very detailed in that we combine actual operation and scheduled flight data. We are particularly interested in the list of capacity constrained airports, their characteristics, and future development. To this end, we develop a classification matrix to investigate capacity constrained airports. We then forecast the demand and capacity of these airports under three scenarios and use the data as inputs for Monte Carlo simulation, to predict the capacity utilization trends of these airports in 2025 and 2035. Our research shows that: (1) There are significant differences between airports in terms of airport congestion status, and over 85% of airports in China experience no overload; (2) Big spatial differences are observed in the distribution of airports with less spare capacity and can be summarized as "more in eastern China and less in western China"; (3) Ten airports stand out as seriously capacity constrained and all of them serves as international or regional hubs; (4) Airport location, airport orientation, and linkage to the local economy are closely related to airport capacity constraints; (5) As most constrained airports are going to increase capacity in the future, as well as the outbreak of COVID-19 negatively affected aviation demand, most airports will have sufficient capacity reserves in the future. However, Shenzhen Bao'an and Xi'an Xianyang International Airport will face heavy capacity pressure. We also provide several recommendations to improve airport capacity utilization and relieve capacity shortages. • a new classification method is developed to identify capacity-constrained airport. • Big spatial differences are observed in terms of airport spare capacity. • Airport location and positioning, politics and economics significance are closely related to capacity utilization. • Only Shenzhen Bao'an and Xi'an Xianyang Airport will face heavy capacity pressure in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have reported decreased birth weight associated with increased air pollutant concentrations during pregnancy. However, it is not clear when during pregnancy increases in air pollution are associated with the largest differences in birth weight. Objectives: Using the natural experiment of air pollution declines during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, we evaluated whether having specific months of pregnancy (i.e., 1st…8th) during the 2008 Olympics period was associated with larger birth weights, compared with pregnancies during the same dates in 2007 or 2009. Methods: Using n = 83,672 term births to mothers residing in four urban districts of Beijing, we estimated the difference in birth weight associated with having individual months of pregnancy during the 2008 Olympics (8 August-24 September 2008) compared with the same dates in 2007 and 2009. We also estimated the difference in birth weight associated with interquartile range (IQR) increases in mean ambient particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations during each pregnancy month. Results: Babies whose 8th month of gestation occurred during the 2008 Olympics were, on average, 23 g larger (95% CI: 5 g, 40 g) than babies whose 8th month occurred during the same calendar dates in 2007 or 2009. IQR increases in PM2.5 (19.8 μg/m3), CO (0.3 ppm), SO2 (1.8 ppb), and NO2 (13.6 ppb) concentrations during the 8th month of pregnancy were associated with 18 g (95% CI: -32 g, -3 g), 17 g (95% CI: -28 g, -6 g), 23 g (95% CI: -36 g, -10 g), and 34 g (95% CI: -70 g, 3 g) decreases in birth weight, respectively. We did not see significant associations for months 1-7. Conclusions: Short-term decreases in air pollution late in pregnancy in Beijing during the 2008 Summer Olympics, a normally heavily polluted city, were associated with higher birth weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the shallow dish cross-section roadside ditch was designed, based on highway 304 line from Yanchi to Hongjing of Ningxia Province. The hydraulic calculation of the shallow ditch obtained the corresponding water outlet distance of the ditch with the width of 1.5 m or 2 m suitable for local use under different groove longitudinal slope conditions. And the key roadside ditch construction techniques and suitable grass species were introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weihai migmatite in the Sulu ultra-high-pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane, eastern China, underwent partial melting in the Late Triassic during its exhumation. The primary partial melts experienced a decompressional fractional crystallization (DFC) process to produce plagioclase (Pl)-rich leucosome crystallized under eclogite to granulite facies conditions and K-feldspar (Kfs)-rich pegmatitic veins crystallized under amphibolite-facies conditions. In this study, our results demonstrate that the DFC process can cause decoupling between whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopes. The Pl-rich leucosome has εNd(t) values (–10.4 to −15.0) and initial (87Sr/86Sr) ratios (0.708173–0.712476) very similar to those of the melanosome, but the Kfs-rich pegmatitic veins have homogeneous εNd(t) values (−14.8 to −15.2) and significantly high initial (87Sr/86Sr) ratios (0.713882–0.716284). Our results also suggest that the DFC process can change zircon176Yb/177Hf and176Lu/177Hf isotopic ratios, with no effect on176Hf/177Hf ratios or εHf(t) values. Zircon176Yb/177Hf and176Lu/177Hf ratios increase dramatically from the Pl-rich leucosome to the Kfs-rich pegmatitic veins, but zircon176Hf/177Hf ratios (Pl-rich leucosomes = 0.282330 ± 0.000017; Kfs-rich pegmatitic veins = 0.282321 ± 0.000026) and εHf(t) values (Pl-rich leucosomes = −10.9 ± 0.6; Kfs-rich pegmatitic veins = −11.6 ± 0.8) remain almost unchanged. We propose that the isotopic decoupling between the Pl-rich leucosome and Kfs-rich pegmatitic vein might be caused by melt fractional crystallization occurring too rapidly to allow complete equilibrium between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triassic granodiorites in South China (SC) provide an opportunity to examine crust–mantle interactions that may have been caused by a mantle plume. Here we present a combined study of chronological, geochemical, and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions for Dashenshan granodiorites. These are high-K, calc-alkaline, I-type granodiorites that yield a U–Pb zircon age of 211 ± 3 Ma. They are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous (A/CNK < 1.1), with 3.04–3.89 wt.% Na2O and 3.24–3.86 wt.% K2O, and Na2O/K2O ratio ranging from 0.79 to 1.11. These granodiorites contain 67.7–72.6 wt.% SiO2but show moderate Mg#values (44.2–57.8) and variable contents of Ni (3.6–29.9 ppm) and Cr (7.6–53.5 ppm). They exhibit light rare earth element (REE) enrichment and flat, heavy REE patterns with negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.52–0.87). They also display strongly negative Ba, Sr, Nb, Ta, P, and Ti anomalies and positive Rb, Th, K, and Pb anomalies. Dashenshan granodiorites have high whole-rock initial87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7121–0.7172), negative εNd(t) values (–8.8 to –6.8), and negative zircon εHf(t) values (–6.6 to –3.3). These results suggest that the Dashenshan granodiorites were generated by a mixing between crustal melt and mantle-derived magma in an extensional setting. We conclude that generation of the Dashenshan pluton may reflect an interaction between a mantle plume and the overlying SC crust. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to constrain temperature during subduction and subsequent exhumation of felsic continental crust, we carried out a Ti-in-zircon thermometer coupled with zircon internal structure and U-Pb age on migmatitic gneisses from the Weihai (威海) region in the Sulu (苏鲁) ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane, eastern China. The Weihai migmatitic gneisses are composed of intercalated compositional layers of melanosome and plagioclase (Pl)-rich leucosome and K-feldspar (Kfs)-rich pegmatite veins. Four stages of zircon growth were recognized in the Weihai migmatitic gneisses. They successively recorded informations of protolith, prograde metamorphism, decompressional partial melting during early stage exhumation and subsequent fractional crystallization of primary melt during later stage cooling exhumation. The inherited cores in zircon from the melanosome and the Pl-rich leucosome suggest that the protolith of the migmatitic gneiss is Mid-Neoproterozoic (∼780 Ma) magmatic rock. Metamorphic zircons with concordant ages ranging from 243 to 256 Ma occur as overgrowth mantles on the protolith magmatic zircon cores. The estimated growth temperatures (625-717 °C) of the metamorphic zircons have a negative correlation with their ages, indicating a progressive metamorphism in HP eclogite-facies condition during subduction. Zircon recrystallized rims (228±2 Ma) in the Pl-rich leucosome layers provide the lower limit of the decompresssional partial melting time during exhumation. The ages from 228±2 to 219±2 Ma recorded in the Pl-rich leucosome and the Kfs-rich pegmatite vein, respectively, suggest the duration of the fractional crystallization of primary melt during exhumation. The calculated growth temperatures of the zircon rims from the Pl-rich leucosome range from 858 to 739 °C, and the temperatures of new growth zircon grains (219±2 Ma) in Kfs-rich vein are between 769 and 529 °C. The estimated temper atures have a positive correlation with ages from the Pl-rich leucosome to the Kfs-rich pegmatite vein, strongly indicating that a process of fractional crystallization of the partial melt during exhumation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Craton destruction is a complex process involving both chemical and physical interactions between the crust and the mantle. Several mechanisms, including thermo-chemical erosion, delamination, lithosphere extension and subducting slab dehydration, have been proposed to explain the destruction of the North China Craton (NCC). We present constraints extrapolated directly from laboratory melt–peridotite reaction experiments, which demonstrate that the reaction between eclogite-derived melt and peridotite can lead to crystallization of low-Mg# pyroxenite and generation of high Mg# andesite, which is consistent with natural observations of the melt–peridotite reactions in the NCC. However, this reaction is a sluggish process under dry and hydrostatic conditions. It can be promoted significantly on a relatively large scale by the formation of melt-filled cracks/veins (melt+clinopyroxene) in peridotite under axial compression conditions or by the production of shear enhanced reaction zones (low Mg# olivine+orthopyroxene) under simple shear conditions. Our results also reveal that the lower crust of the NCC has a viscosity much lower than the upper crust and the unaltered dry upper mantle. These results suggest that 1) vertical tectonic deformation can facilitate large-scale melt–peridotite reaction and mantle refertilization; 2) weakening of the upper mantle by water is a prerequisite for eclogitilized lower crust to sink down through the otherwise strong lithospheric upper mantle. We propose a long-period, small-scale delamination model as a possible mechanism for the destruction of the interior of the North China Craton. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new tabanid Laiyangitabanus formosus gen. et sp. nov. and a new athericid Sinocretomyia minuscula gen. et sp. nov. are described based on two female impressions from the Lower Cretaceous of the Laiyang Formation in Laiyang, Shandong, China. The systematic positions for “Allomyia”ruderalis, Eopangonius pletus and Palaepangonius eupterus are reassessed. These should belong respectively to Archisargidae, subfamily uncertain of Tabanidae and Athericidae rather than to the Tabaninae and Pangoniinae of Tabanidae. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Toad Venom, called chansu (CS) in China, is an anti-inflammatory drug used in small doses for the treatment of various types of inflammation in China. Its use is hampered by the cardiotoxicity of bufadienolides derived from Toad Venom. Bezoar Bovis is another frequently used drug in Toad Venom preparations for the treatment of inflammatory or cardiovascular diseases in Asia. We explored whether Bezoar Bovis could protect against CS-induced acute toxicity in mice. Toxicity was assessed by the general features of poisoning, electrocardiography (ECG), and levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and calcium ions (Ca2+) in cardiac tissues. Toad Venom (90mg/kg) caused opisthotonus, ventricular arrhythmias, and increases in cardiac levels of Ca2+, CK and LDH. Pretreatment with Bezoar Bovis (120, 240 and 480mg/kg) significantly reduced the prevalence of opisthotonus and mortality, and prevented cardiotoxicity in CS-treated mice as evidenced by decreases in the scores of arrhythmias and cardiac levels of CK, LDH and Ca2+. Furthermore, the bilirubin, and taurine derived from Bezoar Bovis offered marked protection against the arrhythmias induced by CS or bufalin in vivo and in vitro. An anti-inflammatory study showed that Bezoar Bovis did not compromise the anti-inflammatory activity of Toad Venom on concanavalin-A (ConA)-stimulated proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results suggested that Bezoar Bovis elicited protective and anti-arrhythmic effects against Toad Venom intoxication in mice, and is a novel antidote in combination with Toad Venom therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the results of a study that examines whether the restricted air pollution emissions during the June 2-October 30, 2008 Beijing Olympics in China affect the markers related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The CVD pathophysiological pathways are biomarkers for systemic inflammation and thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate. The study concludes that changes in the levels of air pollution during the 2008 Olympics were associated with significant changes in biomarkers of inflammation and thrombosis as well as measures of cardiovascular physiology in healthy young adults.

Abstract: Two new species of fossil snipe flies (Rhagionidae) from the Daohugou Formation of Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (northeastern China) are described as Palaeoarthroteles jurassicus nov. sp. and P. pallidius nov. sp. They are the first record of the genus Palaeoarthroteles Kovalev and Mostovski beyond Siberia, which have implications for stratigraphic correlation of the formations in which they are found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT With the rapid economic development occurring in the last decade in many countries of Asia, the level of air pollution has increased from both industrial and motor vehicle emissions. Compared with Europe and North America, the potential health effects of this increasing air pollution in Asia remain largely unmeasured. Recent data published by the Health Effects Institute from some major cities in India and China reveal that a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with an increase in mortality of 0.6% in daily all-natural cause mortality, with higher risks being found at extremes of high temperatures and in the lowest economically advantaged population. Other Asian studies have confirmed the link between hospital admissions for the worsening of COPD and the increase in asthma prevalence to levels of outdoor air pollutants. Although potential health effects appear to be similar to already-published Western data, it is important that further studies be carried out in Asia that will inform the public and the authorities of the necessity to curb levels of outdoor air pollutants to acceptable levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underpressured reservoirs are widespread in the Huatugou (花土沟) oilfield of the western uplift in Qaidam basin, western China. At depths between 462 and 1 248 m, the pressure of Neogene reservoirs in the Huatugou oilfield is only about 40% to 80% of hydrostatic pressure. Based on a study of the geological characteristics of these underpressured reservoirs, this work used fluid inclusion analysis and numerical simulation to investigate the mechanism creating these abnormal pressures and to evaluate the characteristics of the hydrocarbon distribution. The results show that the underpressured reservoirs are all well-sealed by undercompacted and thick mudrocks. The large-scale tectonic uplift in the late Himalayan plays an important role in the generation of underpressure in the Huatugou oilfield. At the beginning of this movement, the field was overpressured due to episodic petroleum accumulation. Later, structural uplift and erosion led to porous rebound and a temperature decrease, which produced the underpressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three nearly complete male specimens of kovalevisargid flies are described as Kovalevisargus macropterus sp. nov., K. brachypterus sp. nov. and Kerosargus sororius sp. nov. (family Kovalevisargidae) from the Callovian-Oxfordian Daohugou biota in Inner Mongolia, China. These extend the range of the family Kovalevisargidae outside of Central Asia for the first time, reveal new morphological details about kovalevisargid flies and offer new evidence for the biostratigraphic correlation of nonmarine sedimentary strata of both the Karabastau and Daohugou Formations. Close similarities in the composition of insect taxa from both entomofaunas imply not only the geological age but also the sedimentary environment at that time being the same, or nearly so. Familial and generic diagnoses of kovalevisargid flies are supplemented based on information derived from these new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing rise in consumer spending and economic power in Asian societies, it is increasingly important to explore the implications of these developments on consumer culture. This cross-cultural study first discusses the rise of materialism and conspicuous consumption in post-revolution China then examines differences in these phenomena between young adult consumers, aged 18-35, living in urban China and the United States. Utilizing survey data from over 600 respondents, significant differences were found in both materialism and conspicuous consumption, with Chinese young adults scoring higher in both variables. The findings show, that compared with past comparative studies, it appears both materialism and conspicuous consumption are on the rise among urban Chinese consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new genus and new species, Sinaxymyia rara gen. et sp. nov., is described. Juraxymyia gen. nov. is proposed for Psocites fossilis Zhang, 2004. The genus and species, Psocites pectinatus (Hong, 1983), is redescribed based on new axymyiids from the Jurassic of China. The systematic positions for Crenoptychoptera decorosa Hao, Dong et Ren, 2009, Crenoptychoptera vulgaris Hao, Dong et Ren, 2009, and Crenoptychoptera vicina Hao, Dong et Ren, 2009 are reassessed, these do belong rather to Axymyiidae than to Eoptyehopterinae, Ptychopteridae. All the impressions of male axymyiid files are the first description in the geological records of Axymyiidae. Establishing homologies between the sclerites of the male genitalia of the Jurassic species described here and recent species of the family is difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing stakeholders is an important managerial aspect of corporate social responsibility. Employee stakeholder is one of the primary stakeholders that are critical to a company. Previous studies have shown inconclusive findings regarding the performance impact of managing this stakeholder, with some identifying little impact while others finding a positive association. This study further explores this issue in the context of foreign companies' subsidiaries in China. A potential mediating mechanism (i.e., customer orientation) between employee stakeholder orientation and performance (both financial performance and innovation performance) was proposed; a sample of 103 Chinese subsidiaries of foreign companies which have new product development responsibilities was used to test hypotheses. A subsidiary's employee orientation was found to show a significant positive relationship with its product innovation performance, but no significant relationship with its financial results. Moreover, employee orientation showed a significant indirect relationship with both performance outcomes through customer orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an overview on recent developments in studies of chemical and physical processes of lithospheric delamination with respect to destruction of the North China Craton. It is emphasized that the pyroxenite source resulting from interaction between eclogite-derived melt and peridotite is a direct consequence of delamination. The pyroxenite source thus formed has unique mineralogical and geochemical features, which characterize Mesozoic basalts of the North China Craton. Melt-peridotite interaction played an important role in refertilization of cratonic lithospheric mantle, leading to density increase, weakening and final destabilization of the North China Craton. The nature of the melt is the key to distinguish mechanisms of destructing this craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new species of wasp from the Laiyang Formation in Shandong, China is described and named Cretaproscolia asiatica sp. nov. It is the second record of the genus Cretaproscolia Rasnitsyn and Martínez-Delclòs, 1999, and extends the distribution of the genus from the Lower Cretaceous of South America into the upper Mesozoic of East Asia. The diagnosis of Cretaproscolia is emended based on the new material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An extinct new family of lace bugs, Ignotingidae, with one new genus and species, Ignotingis mirifica, is described from the Laiyang Formation (terminal Jurassic or basal Cretaceous) in Laiyang, Shandong, China. The homology of hemelytral veins in Tingoidea and the position of the superfamily within Cimicomorpha are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The rapid increase in energy consumption resulting from rapid economic growth in the past decade or so has produced high stress on China''s urban air quality. A variety of approaches (e.g., the nationwide Blue Sky Program) directly or indirectly related to energy infrastructural and technology interventions have, consequently, been implemented to improve urban air quality. It is important to assess the effectiveness of these approaches in improving air quality and ultimately public health. In this paper, we use the data, collected as part of an epidemiological study of air pollution health effects, to examine long-term changes in air pollution levels and in respiratory morbidity prevalence in the four Chinese cities of Chongqing, Guangzhou, Lanzhou, and Wuhan. Over four urban and four suburban districts of the four cities, outdoor concentrations of total suspended particles (TSP) were reduced by 58 μg/m3 or 16.5 % from the 1993-1994 level to the 1999-2000 level, those of sulfur dioxide (SO2) were reduced by 42 μg/m3 or 39 % from the 1993-1994 level to the 2002-2003 level, those of PM10 were reduced by 32 μg/m3 or 21 % from the 1995-1996 level to the 2002-2003 level, and those of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were reduced by 14 μg/m3 or 17 % from the 1993-1994 level to the 1998-1999 level. These pollutant concentration changes were “translated” into morbidity prevalence changes, using the concentration-response relationships observed across the eight districts in the epidemiological study. Our estimates indicate that the overall reductions in TSP and PM10 concentrations led to ~30 % and ~50 % reductions in school children''s prevalence rates of persistent phlegm and bronchitis, respectively, and a ~30 % reduction infemale adults'' prevalence rates of wheeze and persistent phlegm. In male adults, the TSP reduction generated the largest morbidity prevalence reductions, up to 50 % for bronchitis, among all the pollutants. The SO2 reduction was only found to bring in prevalence reductions in adults for a few morbidity outcomes. When interpreting these results, however, an important caveat needs to be added, which is that our estimates of current prevalence rates used the average values of all confounding factors at the 1993-1996 levels. Changes in many of these confounding factors have expectedly occurred in the four cities, which may moderate or magnify health effects associated with changes in air pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Three extinct new species of scoliid wasps referable to the genus Cretoscolia Rasnitsyn, 1993 within Archaeoscoliinae, Scoliidae have been recovered from the Laiyang Formation in Laiyang, Shandong, China: Cretoscolia formosa, C. laiyangica and C. rasnitsyni. The diagnosis of Cretoscolia is emended based on these new species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The field data collection of an air pollution epidemiologic study was carried out from 1993 to 1996 in four Chinese cities of Lanzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, and Guangzhou. In each city, an urban district and a suburban district were selected. Ambient concentrations of total suspended particles (TSP), size-fractionated particulate matter including PM2.5, PM2.5–10, and PM10, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were measured in these districts. The results indicate the presence of wide inter-city and intra-city gradients in long-term ambient levels of these measured pollutants. Across the eight districts, the 1993–1996 4-year means of TSP, SO2, and NOx ranged from 198 to 659 μg/m3, from 14.6 to 331 μg/m3, and from 31.5 to 239 μg/m3, respectively, and the 1995–1996 2-year means of PM2.5, PM2.5–10, and PM10 ranged from 51.5 to 142 μg/m3, from 29.2 to 107 μg/m3, and from 80.7 to 232 μg/m3, respectively. These pollution ranges substantially extended the upper end of the pollution ranges of previous air pollution epidemiologic studies conducted in North America and Europe. In each district, significant correlations among the measured pollutants were observed for daily concentrations. However, the gradient patterns in long-term means of different pollutants were different across the eight districts. (e.g., PM2.5–10 and TSP were highest in the Lanzhou urban district, PM2.5 and PM10 were highest in the Guangzhou urban district, SO2 was highest in the Chongqing urban district, and NOx was highest in the Guangzhou urban district). In general, seasonal variations were present in the ambient concentrations with high levels often occurring in winter months. The eight... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the preliminary results of the quantitative analysis of water concentrations in UHP eclogites from the Dabie Mountains in China. Electron microprobe analyses of Dabie UHP eclogites; Sample preparation for infrared spectroscopy; Summary of infrared spectra analytical results on water contents in five monominerals.

ABSTRACT. During the winter of 1988-1989, parents of 2,789 elementary-school students completed standardized questionnaires. The students were 5-14 y of age and were from three urban districts and one suburban district of three large Chinese cities. The 4-y average ambient levels of total suspended particles in the three cities differed greatly during the period 1985-1988: Lanzhou, 1,067 Mu g/m[sup 3]; urban Wuhan, 406 Mu g/m[sup 3]; Guangzhou, 296 Mu g/m[sup 3]; and suburban Wuhan, 191 Mu g/m[sup 3]. The authors constructed unconditional logistic-regression models to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for prevalences of several respiratory symptoms and illnesses, adjusted for district, use of coal in the home, and parental smoking status. There was a positive and significant association between total suspended particle levels and the adjusted odds ratios for cough, phlegm, hospitalization for diseases, and pneumonia. This association was derived from only the 1,784 urban children and, therefore, the authors were unable to extrapolate it to the suburban children. The results also indicated that parental smoking status was associated with cough and phlegm, and use of coal in the home was associated only with cough prevalence (a = 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate melts play an essential role in the deep carbon cycle between Earth's surface and interior. Most previous studies proposed that the source of carbonate melt resulted from the recycling of subducted oceanic slabs. Recent studies on orogenic rocks show that continental subduction may also deliver carbonate sediments into the deep mantle. However, these rocks usually have undergone complex geological processes and strong modifications during exhumation. Here we report evidence of continental subduction-triggered carbonate metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle from a suite of mantle xenoliths entrained by the Cenozoic Qixia basalts from the southeastern North China Craton (NCC). Both petrological (the same variation of mineral modal content as in carbonate melt-peridotite reaction experiments, the replacement of olivine and orthopyroxene by clinopyroxene, and the presence of apatite) and geochemical (high Ca/Al, La N /Yb N , and low Ti/Eu ratios in clinopyroxene) evidence show mantle xenoliths record obvious signals of carbonated silicate melt metasomatism. The high 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7094–0.7100 in clinopyroxene of these xenoliths indicate that the carbonated silicate melt was derived from subducted continental crust rather than oceanic crust and asthenosphere mantle. The carbonated silicate melt could be produced by carbonate dissolution during continental subduction or resulted from the partial melting of the diapiric carbonate-rich sediments. An estimation suggests a carbon input flux of 14 ± 7 Mt yr−1 associated with the Yangtze continental subduction, approximately 20–50% of the estimated total carbon input flux of the global oceanic subduction. It is therefore important to include the contribution of continental subduction when deciphering deep carbon recycling and its effects. • Qixia mantle xenoliths from North China Craton suffered carbonate metasomatism. • Carbonated silicate melt was derived from the subducted Yangtze Block. • Continental subduction plays an essential role in the deep carbon cycle. • Input flux of 14 ± 7 Mt. C yr−1 is estimated during Yangtze continental subduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT. The authors examined potential associations between air-pollution exposures and respiratory symptoms and illnesses of 4 108 adults who resided in 4 districts of 3 large, distinct Chinese cities. Data on respiratory health outcomes and relevant risk factors for parents and children were obtained via standardized questionnaires in the winter of 1988. (The effects in children were described previously.) The yearly averages of ambient levels of total suspended particles in the 4 districts for the years 1985-1988 differed greatly. The authors constructed logistic-regression models to assess the respiratory health parameters of parents of the children. The results revealed significant and strong effects, by district, on prevalence rates of cough, phlegm, persistent cough and phlegm, and wheeze for both the mothers and the fathers. In addition, the odds ratios increased as ambient total suspended particle concentration increased across the 3 urban districts. Other local within-city risk factors, however, may have confounded the total suspended particles-effects association, especially for asthma prevalence. Findings for adults were similar to those found for their children. A strong adverse effect of active tobacco smoking on the fathers' respiratory health was observed. The children appeared to be more strongly affected by passive smoking exposure received in their homes than their mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]