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Hongcun traditional dwellings are representative of Huizhou architecture in China, with distinctive cultural and architectural characteristics in terms of layout, material, decoration and other features. Research on Hongcun traditional dwellings has been a matter of ongoing interest in academic circles in China, but there has been no specific focus on the phenomena of decay affecting these structures, even though research on this aspect has the most direct impact on the conservation of traditional dwellings. In this study, abundant and comprehensive fieldwork was carried out to investigate the building information, materials and especially preservation status of traditional dwellings. Furthermore, the decay phenomena of traditional dwellings were identified and described in detail in the Masonry Components and Wooden Components sections, which are based on the collected information and the relevant guidelines. Moreover, the restoration and actual conservation practices for traditional dwellings, which were specifically both government-led and private projects, were examined. In these analyses, the main problems related to the decay phenomena investigation and intervention are systematically summarized, and corresponding solutions are proposed to ensure that optimized conservation strategies are applied to traditional dwellings in Hongcun village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), quantifying the amount of aerosol in the atmosphere, is widely regarded as a crucial indicator for research on atmospheric physics and regional air quality. At present, the inversion of AOD from observation of satellite remote sensing sensors has become the main technology for large-scale monitoring of aerosol load. The Huaihai Economic Zone is the connecting belt of two key areas of atmospheric governance (the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China), and it has been suffering from air pollution for many years and few studies of AOD focus on this region. Therefore, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the AOD are explored using MODIS AOD data and AVHRR AOD data in this region during the period from 1982 to 2021 in this study. The correlation coefficients between the AOD of satellite observation and actual air pollution were analyzed by combining PM2.5 pollutant concentration and air quality index (AQI) data. The results showed that the AOD is higher in the northwest than in the southeast, and it is different from season to season. The annual variation of AOD in the Huaihai Economic Zone is a W-shaped trend from 1982 to 2011, while the trend of annual AOD is decreasing after 2011. In terms of seasons, the whole differences in AOD are evident, exhibiting AOD values in summer > those in spring > those in autumn > and those in winter. Furthermore, it indicated that the quarterly and monthly variation of the AOD tends to be flat in recent years. Since 2015, the concentration of PM2.5 has continued to decline, the same as that of AQI. Meanwhile, the quarterly and monthly differences in PM2.5 are still obvious, with higher PM2.5 in winter and lower PM2.5 in summer. However, it also represented that PM2.5 is significantly higher in spring than in autumn from 2015 to 2018, which is the opposite for 2019 to 2021. Lastly, the correlation between AOD and PM2.5/AQI is also given; i.e., the correlation coefficients of AOD with PM2.5/AQI are 0.84/0.82, with the highest correlation coefficient in autumn (R = 0.86/0.91) and the lowest in winter (R = 0.46/0.48). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chrysanthemum is one of the most important and popular ornamentals over the world. Chrysanthemum drink is a type of traditional healthy drink like Chinese tea. Owing to the differences in the chemical compositions, different chrysanthemum varieties have different medicinal effects on human health. Thus, the identification of different chrysanthemum varieties is very important and necessary. This study aims to distinguish seven chrysanthemum varieties that are widely used in China. First, total lipids were obtained from chrysanthemums. After that, lipid profiles were characterized using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography hyphenated with a Q Exactive™ high resolution–accurate‐mass mass spectrometer. RESULTS: A total of 163 lipid molecular species from 17 types of lipid classes in seven varieties of chrysanthemums were determined. Principal component analysis indicated that three lipid molecules, lysophosphatidylethanolamine(18:2) (LPE(18:2)), LPE(16:0), and phosphatidic acid(18:2/18:3) (variable importance in projection >3, P < 0.001), can be used as potential biomarkers to distinguish seven chrysanthemum varieties. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the lipid molecular profiles of 'Gongju' were most similar to 'Jinzijianju', followed by 'Huaibaiju', 'Boju', 'Hangbaiju', 'Chuju', and 'Fubaiju'. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive analysis provided a new method to identify chrysanthemum varieties through the perspective of lipidomics combined with chemometrics. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to test whether monoamine oxidase A ( MAOA) gene polymorphism was a marker of the genetic vulnerability model or the differential susceptibility model by investigating the interaction of MAOA gene polymorphism with maternal parenting on externalizing and internalizing problems and social competence among Chinese children. Participants were 290 children and their parents in China. MAOA genotypes were ascertained by polymerase chain reaction amplification. Mothers reported their parenting stress and engagement in parent-child activities when the child was 6 months old. Children's behavioral problems and social competence were rated by mothers and fathers at 48 months old. The results showed that MAOA genotypes interacted with maternal parenting stress in predicting boys' internalizing problems. Also, MAOA genotypes interacted with maternal engagement in parent-child activities in predicting boys' social competence. The analyses of regions of significance and the proportion of interaction index indicated that boys with the low-activity genotype were at risk for (a) high internalizing problems under high maternal parenting stress and (b) low social competence if mothers displayed a low level of maternal engagement. No significant interaction effects were found among girls. The results suggested that the MAOA gene might be a marker of the genetic vulnerability model among Chinese boys. Highlights We evaluated whether MAOA gene was a marker of the genetic vulnerability model or the differential susceptibility model by investigating the interaction of MAOA gene polymorphism with maternal parenting on behavioral problems and social competence among 4-year-old Chinese children., The results of regions of significance and the proportion of interaction index indicated that boys with the low-activity genotype were at risk of high internalizing problems or low social competence with high maternal parenting stress or low engagement. No significant interaction effects were found among girls., The results indicated that MAOA gene might be a marker of the genetic vulnerability model rather than the differential susceptibility model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free amino acids (FAAs) are essential for fruit flavor and function. In this study, mature fruits of 129 germplasms grown in China were employed to fully comprehend the variability in the FAA composition of peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch). A brief sample preparation process, based on formic acid/water/methanol extraction, was performed. Using the HSS T3 column, 24 FAAs were successfully separated. These FAAs were analyzed using LC-MS/MS without derivatization. A total of 20 FAAs were detected in peaches. Asparagine was the most abundant FAA (368.04–6090.79 μg/g FW) in peach fruit, followed by aspartic acid (29.00–409.51 μg/g FW), glutamic acid (45.33–290.13 μg/g FW), alanine (22.39–805.21 μg/g FW), glutamine (12.05–322.62 μg/g FW), serine (17.81–323.35 μg/g FW), and threonine (10.9–109.04 μg/g FW). Other proteinaceous amino acids, including arginine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, cis-4-hydroxy-proline, and a specialized non-proteinaceous amino acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, were identified and quantified in the peach germplasm. By comparing the FAA content of various germplasms, middle- and late- maturing peaches were found to possess more asparagine, proline, and cis-4-hydroxy-proline than early-maturing peaches. These essential results could markedly augment peach breeding programs and provide a comprehensive understanding of the peach germplasm resources. • Analytical procedure without derivatization step using RPLC–MS/MS was developed. • FAA samples were easily prepared with formic acid/water/methanol solution. • There are significant differences in the FAA content of the 129 peach germplasm resources. • Mid- and late-maturing peaches has higher levels of Asn, Pro, and 4-OH-Pro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study seeks to extend previous research on family stress, parenting, and child adjustment to families with adopted Chinese children. In doing so, we also seek to strengthen inferences regarding the experiential underpinnings of previously obtained relationships among these variables by determining if they also occur in families where parents and children are not biologically related. Participants were families of 133 preschool-age adopted Chinese girls (M age =5.2 years, SD =0.7; M ageatadoption =12.8 months, SD =4.1). Data on family stress, parenting styles, and children''s behavioral adjustment were collected from the adoptive mothers with the Social Problem Questionnaire (SPQ), Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) respectively. Results showed that adoptive mothers reported relatively mild family stress, frequent authoritative parenting, and few behavior problems in their children. Nonetheless, family stress, authoritarian and permissive parenting styles positively correlated with children''s behavioral problems. Finally, authoritarian parenting mediated the effect of non-child-related family stress (NCR-stress) on the adopted Chinese girls’ CBCL internalizing and overall problems, even after controlling for corresponding CBCL scores from 2 years earlier. Our results showed that the overall pattern of relationships found in non-adoptive families is also seen in families with adopted Chinese children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]