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A seismic-induced landslide is a common geological catastrophe that occurs in nature. The Wangjiayan landslide, which was triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake, is a typical case in point. The Wanjiayan landslide caused many casualties and resulted in enormous property loss. This study constructs a simple surficial failure model based on the upper bound approach of three-dimensional (3D) limit analysis to evaluate the slope stability of the Wangjiayan case, while a traditional two-dimensional (2D) analysis is also conducted as a reference for comparison with the results of the 3D analysis. A quasi-static calculation is used to study the effect of the earthquake in terms of horizontal ground acceleration, while a parametric study is conducted to evaluate the critical cohesion of slopes. Rather than employing a 3D analysis, using the 2D analysis yields an underestimation regarding the safety factor. In the Wangjiayan landslide, the difference in the factors of safety between the 3D and 2D analyses can reach 20%. The sliding surface morphology as determined by the 3D method is similar to actual morphology, and the parameters of both are also compared to analyze the reliability of the proposed 3D method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the continued advancement of the green economy transition, the proactive pursuit of carbon emissions reduction and the early attainment of carbon neutrality goals have emerged as essential components in promoting high-quality economic development. Not only does it contribute to the creation of a community of human destiny, but it is also vital to the realization of sustainable development for human civilization. A dynamic evolutionary game model, which encompasses the interactions among government, enterprises, and the public, was constructed to examine the inherent impact mechanisms of the behavior of three players on the development of a green economy under the context of energy saving and emission reduction subsidies. The results showed that the incentive and punishment mechanisms served as effective tools for harmonizing the interests of system members. Within the mechanisms, the public demonstrated a higher sensitivity to rewards, while enterprises exhibited greater responsiveness to fines. Consequently, the government could influence the behavior of enterprises by incentivizing the public to serve as a third-party inquiry and oversight body. Simultaneously, the government could encourage enterprises to expedite green technology innovation by employing a combination of incentive and punishment mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gross primary productivity (GPP) is a reliable measure of the carbon sink potential of terrestrial ecosystems and is an essential element of terrestrial carbon cycle research. This study employs the diffuse fraction-based two-leaf light-use efficiency (DTEC) model to imitate China's monthly GPP from 2001 to 2020. We studied the trend of GPP, investigated its relationship with climatic factors, and separated the contributions of climate change and human activities. The findings showed that the DTEC model was widely applicable in China. During the study period, China's average GPP increased significantly, by 9.77 g C m−2 yr−1 (p < 0.001). The detrimental effect of aerosol optical depth (AOD) on GPP was more widespread than that of total precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation. Areas that benefited from AOD, such as Northwest China, experienced significant increases in GPP. Climate change and human activities had a primary and positive influence on GPP during the study period, accounting for 28% and 72% of the increase, respectively. Human activities, particularly ecological restoration projects and the adoption of advanced agricultural technologies, played a significant role in China's GPP growth. China's afforestation plan was particularly notable, with the GPP increasing in afforestation areas at a rate greater than 10 g C m−2 yr−1. This research provides a theoretical foundation for the long-term management of China's terrestrial ecosystems and helps develop adaptive ecological restoration tactics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female sex workers (FSWs) are considered a high-risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, limited data exist on the prevalence and trends of HIV, syphilis and HCV among FSWs in the Sino-Vietnam border area. To determine the prevalence, trends and correlates of STIs among Chinese local FSWs (CL-FSWs) and cross-border migrant FSWs (CM-FSWs), we conducted consecutive cross-sectional surveys from 2016 to 2021, recruiting 7747 CL-FSWs and 932 CM-FSWs. The overall HIV, syphilis and HCV prevalence declined from 1.0%, 8.8% and 1.7% to 0.1%, 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively. There was no significant downward trend in the overall HIV and syphilis prevalence. However, HCV prevalence showed a decreasing trend among CL-FSWs. CM-FSWs had higher HIV prevalence (2.5% vs. 0.6%). Similarities and differences in STIs-related factors existed between CM-FSWs and CL-FSWs. For instance, receiving HIV-related services in the last year reduced the risk of HIV infection (for CM-FSWs: aOR = 0.234, 95% CI: 0.055–0.993; for CL-FSWs: aOR = 0.182, 95% CI: 0.058–0.567). Serving male clients at least 50 years old increased the risk of syphilis infection (for CM-FSWs: aOR = 4.277, 95% CI: 1.535–11.917; for CL-FSWs: aOR = 1.404, 95% CI: 1.087–1.815). Moreover, CM-FSWs with past-year STIs history had a higher risk of HIV (aOR = 34.976, 95% CI: 5.338–229.176) and HCV infection (aOR = 17.649, 95% CI: 1.846–168.846), both of which were associated with multiple factors in CL-FSWs. It is therefore necessary to develop effective, accessible, high-quality and targeted interventions for CM-FSWs and CL-FSWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the influence of income level on fertility intention of migrant women in China, and to provide theoretical support for the formulation and implementation of supporting measures to enhance the fertility intention of migrant women. Methods Based on the survey data of health and family planning of floating population in 2018, the influence of income level on fertility intention of migrant women was analyzed by ologist regression model, and robustness test and heterogeneity test were carried out. Results The results of ologist model regression analysis showed that the income level had a significant positive effect on the fertility intention of migrant women (OR = 1.182, 95% CI: 1.096-1.274, P < 0.01). The robustness test and heterogeneity test showed that the positive effect of income level remained stable. Conclusion Migrant women with higher income levels have higher fertility intention, and income levels have a positive effect on the fertility intention of migrant women. This suggests that a variety of measures including raising the income level on all fronts could be taken to enhance the fertility intention of migrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in lakes, as a regulatory agent and light-absorbing compound, is a key component of the global carbon cycling in lacustrine ecosystems. Hence, continuous monitoring of the DOC concentration in arid regions is extremely important. This study utilizes the QAA-CDOM semi-analytical model, which has good accuracy in retrieving the CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter) concentration of Lake Ebinur. We chose to invert the CDOM time-series data from May to October during the 2018–2022 period. A DOC estimation model was then established using the linear regression approach based on the CDOM inversion data and the field DOC measurements. In general, the DOC concentration in Lake Ebinur exhibited an increasing trend from 2018 to 2022, typically lower in May and higher in June. When comparing the average values of DOC in Lake Ebinur for the same months across different years, it can be observed that the month of September exhibits the greatest variability, whereas June shows the least variability. In sum, this study successfully retrieved CDOM concentrations for a saline lake within an arid region and developed a DOC estimation model, thereby providing a reference for investigating carbon cycling in typical lakes of arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is an important physical variable used to characterize atmospheric turbidity for the management and control of air pollution. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the spatial and temporal variability in AOD across the arid region of Northwest China (ARNC) using MODIS Aqua C006 aerosol product data from 2008 to 2017. In terms of natural and socioeconomic factors, the correlation coefficient (R) was used to identify the most influential factor in the AOD changes. The results show that AOD values in spring and summer were much higher than those in autumn and winter, especially in spring. In general, AOD had an insignificant decreasing trend, with a small overall changing range. Spatial analysis revealed a significantly decreasing trend, mostly across the Gobi Desert area, which is located in the western region of the ARNC. From the perspective of natural factors, AOD was positively correlated with air temperature (AT), wind speed (WP), land surface temperature (LST), and the digital elevation model (DEM) and negatively correlated with precipitation, relative humidity (RH), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The greatest positive correlation, with a maximum R value of 0.8, was found between AOD and wind speed. By contrast, AOD and relative humidity had the strongest negative correlation, with R values of −0.77. In terms of anthropogenic factors, gross domestic product (GDP), secondary industry, and population density were the three major anthropogenic factors that influenced the changes in AOD changes in this region. In general, the effects of anthropogenic factors on AOD are more significant in areas with high urban population densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the spatial-temporal change pattern and underlying factors in production-living-ecological space (PLES) of Nanchong City, China, over the past 20 years using historical land use data (2000, 2010, 2020). A land use transfer matrix was calculated from the historical land use maps, and spatial analysis was conducted to analyze changes in the land use dynamics degree, standard deviation ellipse, and center of gravity. The results showed that there was a rapid spatial evolution of the PLES in Nanchong from 2000 to 2010, followed by a stabilization in the second decade. The transfer of ecological-production space occurred mainly in the Jialing and Yilong River basins, while the reduction of production space and the increase of living space were most prominent in the intersection of three districts (Shunqing, Jialing, and Gaoping districts). The return of production-ecological space was observed in the south and northeast of Yingshan, and there was little notable transfer of other types. The distribution of production space in Nanchong evolved in a north-south to east-west trend, with the center of gravity moving from Yilong to Peng'an County. The living space and production space expanded in a north-south direction, and the center of gravity position was in Nanbu, indicating a more balanced growth or decrease in the last 20 years. The changes in the spatial-temporal pattern of PLES in Nanchong were attributed to the intertwined factors of national policies, economic development, population growth, and the natural environment. This study introduced a novel approach towards rational planning of land resources in Nanchong, which may facilitate more sustainable urban planning and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumer price index (CPI) is an important indicator to measure inflation or deflation, which is closely related to residents' lives and affects the direction of national macroeconomic policy formulation. It is a common method to discuss CPI from the perspective of economic analysis, but the statistical principles and influencing factors related to CPI are often ignored. Thus, the impact of different types of CPI on China's overall CPI was discussed from three aspects: statistical simulation, machine learning prediction and correlation analysis of various types of influencing factors and CPI in this study. Realistic data from the National Bureau of Statistics from 2010 to 2022 were selected as the analysis object. The Statistical analysis showed that in 2015 and 2020, CPI had a fluctuating trend due to the impact of education and transportation. Four types of statistical models including Gauss, Lorentz, Extreme and Pearson were compared. It was determined that the R2 fitted by Extreme model was higher (R2 = 0.81), and the optimal year of simulation was around 2019, which was close to reality. To accurately predict the CPI, the results of Support Vector Machine, Regression decision tree and Gaussian regression (GPR) were compared, and the GPR was determined to be the optimal model (R2 = 0.99). In addition, Spearman matrix analyzed the correlation between CPI and various influencing factors. Herein, this study provided a new method to determine and predict the changing trend of CPI by using big data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) is essential for understanding ecosystem functioning and the global carbon cycle. Utilizing meteorological and The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) remote sensing data, this study employed the Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) and the Geostatistical Model of Soil Respiration (GSMSR) to map a monthly vegetation NEP in China from 1982 to 2020. Then, we examined the spatiotemporal trends of NEP and identified the drivers of NEP changes using the Geodetector model. The mean NEP over the 39-year period amounted to 265.38 gC·m−2. Additionally, the average annual carbon sequestration amounted to 1.89 PgC, indicating a large carbon sink effect. From 1982 to 2020, there was a general fluctuating increasing trend observed in the annual mean NEP, exhibiting an overall average growth rate of 4.69 gC·m−2·a−1. The analysis revealed that the majority of the vegetation region in China, accounting for 93.45% of the entirety, exhibited increasing trends in NEP. According to the Geodetector analysis, precipitation change rate, solar radiation change rate, and altitude were the key driving factors in NEP change rate. Furthermore, the interaction between the precipitation change rate and altitude demonstrated the most significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pear black spot disease, caused by Alternaria alternata, is a devastating disease in pears and leads to enormous economic losses worldwide. In this investigation, we isolated a Streptomyces odonnellii SZF-179 from the rhizosphere soil of pear plants in China. Indoor confrontation experiments results showed that both SZF-179 and its aseptic filtrate had excellent inhibitory effects against A. alternata. Afterwards, the main antifungal compound of SZF-179 was identified as polyene, with thermal and pH stability in the environment. A microscopic examination of A. alternata mycelium showed severe morphological abnormalities caused by SZF-179. Protective studies showed that SZF-179 fermentation broth could significantly reduce the diameter of the necrotic lesions on pear leaves by 42.25%. Furthermore, the potential of fermentation broth as a foliar treatment to control black leaf spot was also evaluated. Disease indexes of 'Hosui' and 'Wonwhang' pear plants treated with SZF-179 fermentation broth were lower than that of control plants. Overall, SZF-179 is expected to be developed into a safe and broad-spectrum biocontrol agent. No studies to date have evaluated the utility of S. odonnellii for the control of pear black spot disease; our study fills this research gap. Collectively, our findings provide new insights that will aid the control of pear black spot disease, as well as future studies of S. odonnellii strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change profoundly shapes the population health at the global scale. However, there was still insufficient and inconsistent evidence for the association between heat exposure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: In the present study, we studied the association of heat exposure with hospitalizations for cause-specific CKD using a national inpatient database in China during the study period of hot season from 2015 to 2018. Standard time-series regression models and random-effects meta-analysis were developed to estimate the city-specific and national averaged associations at a 7 lag-day span, respectively. Results: A total of 768,129 hospitalizations for CKD was recorded during the study period. The results showed that higher temperature was associated with elevated risk of hospitalizations for CKD, especially in sub-tropical cities. With a 1 °C increase in daily mean temperature, the cumulative relative risks (RR) over lag 0–7 d were 1.008 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003–1.012] for nationwide. The attributable fraction of CKD hospitalizations due to high temperatures was 5.50%. Stronger associations were observed among younger patients and those with obstructive nephropathy. Our study also found that exposure to heatwaves was associated with added risk of hospitalizations for CKD compared to non-heatwave days (RR = 1.116, 95% CI 1.069–1.166) above the effect of daily mean temperature. Conclusions: Short-term heat exposure may increase the risk of hospitalization for CKD. Our findings provide insights into the health effects of climate change and suggest the necessity of guided protection strategies against the adverse effects of high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to understand the factors and mechanisms influencing the spatio-temporal changes of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains. The MOD13Q1 product data between June and September (peak of plants growing) during the 2001–2020 period was incorporated into the pixel dichotomy model to calculate the vegetation cover changes. Then, the principal component analysis method was used to identify the primary driving factors affecting the change in vegetation cover from the natural, human, and economic perspectives. Finally, the partial correlation coefficients of FVC with temperature and precipitation were further calculated based on the pixel scale. The findings indicate that (1) FVC in the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains ranged from 0.37 to 0.47 during the 2001–2020 period, with an obvious inter-annual variation and an overall upward trend of about 0.4484/10 a. Although the vegetation cover had some changes over time, it was generally stable, and the area of strong variation only accounted for 0.58% of the total. (2) The five grades of vegetation cover were distributed spatially similarly, but the area-weighted gravity center for each vegetation class shifted significantly. The FVC under different land use/land cover types and elevations was obviously different, and as elevation increased, vegetation coverage presented a trend of a "∩"-shape change. (3) According to the results of principal component analysis, human activities, economic growth, and natural climate were the main driving factors that caused the changes in vegetation cover, and the cumulative contribution of the three reached 89.278%. In addition, when it came to climatic factors, precipitation had a greater driving force on the vegetation cover change, followed by temperature and sunshine hours. (4) Overall, precipitation and temperature were correlated positively with FVC, with the average correlation coefficient values of 0.089 and 0.135, respectively. Locally, the correlations vary greatly under different LULC and altitudes. This research can provide some scientific basis and reference for the vegetation evolution pattern and ecological civilization construction in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang is an important arid region in the northwest of China and plays an important role in the field of ecological security protection in China. Because of its aridity, the identification of critical areas for ecological protection and the optimization of ecological space structure in Xinjiang are of great significance for promoting the harmonious development of the oasis economy, enhancing the ecological environment, and improving human well-being. This study applied an ecological security evaluation from the three dimensions of habitat quality, ecosystem service value, and soil-water conservation to identify the basic situation of the ecological security pattern. The core "source" area of ecological protection was extracted using the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) method, while the ecological corridor and important ecological nodes were identified using the minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR). The "point-line-plane" three-dimensional ecological network structure was then constructed, providing a case for the development of the ecological security and construction in the oasis. The results showed that in the arid regions of Xinjiang, the ecological land is extremely fragmented and is mainly distributed in the mountains and waters distant from human activities. Overall, there is a substantial geographical disparity with a low level of ecological security, particularly in the ecological marginal areas. The ecological network framework of Xinjiang is characterized by an uneven distribution of "sources", broken corridor structure, and a low degree of networking. Therefore, this study proposed an ecological space layout system consisting of "7 ecological subsystems, 51 source areas, 87 ecological corridors, and 33 ecological nodes" by combining the regional physical and geographical characteristics with the overall development plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is a viral haemorrhagic disease found in domestic and wild boars caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). A highly virulent strain was used to evaluate the efficacy of newly developed vaccine candidates. The ASFV strain SY18 was isolated from the first ASF case in China and is virulent in pigs of all ages. To evaluate the pathogenesis of ASFV SY18 following intraoral (IO) and intranasal (IN) infections, a challenge trial was conducted in landrace pigs, with intramuscular (IM) injection as a control. The results showed that the incubation period of IN administration with 40–1000 50 % tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) was 5–8 days, which was not significantly different from that of IM inoculation with 200 TCID50. A significantly longer incubation period, 11–15 days, was observed in IO administration with 40–5000 TCID50. Clinical features were similar among all infected animals. Symptoms, including high fever (≥40.5 °C), anorexia, depression, and recumbency, were observed. No significant differences were detected in the duration of viral shedding during fever. There was no significant difference in disease outcome, and all animals succumbed to death. This trial showed that IN and IO infections could be used for the efficacy evaluation of an ASF vaccine. The IO infection model, similar to that of natural infection, is highly recommended, especially for the primary screening of candidate vaccine strains or vaccines with relatively weak immune efficacy, such as live vector vaccines and subunit vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Element mobility and chemical mass transfer are evaluated in the formation of Cu—Fe exoskarn deposits and endoskarn and minor porphyry‐style alteration in the Tonglushan quartz monzodiorite (QMD) system, eastern China. Endoskarn formation involved the migration of Ca into the QMD from the exoskarnification of carbonates (now marble) xenoliths and wall rocks, addition of Fe and Mn by magmatic‐hydrothermal fluids emanating from the interior of the QMD, and removal of alkali elements due to the replacement of feldspars and mica by prograde skarn minerals. Zirconium, Hf, U, and rare earth elements (REE) were added by hydrothermal fluids which were able to carry these often poorly mobile high field strength elements (HFSE) due to elevated F activity. Additions of Al were likely from Na‐rich fluids that also caused sodic alteration. Several factors favored mineralization within the exoskarns rather than endoskarns and QMD. The endoskarns were relatively oxidizing, as evidenced by a significant addition of Fe3+, which caused Cu to remain in magmatic‐hydrothermal fluids until they entered and precipitated sulphides in the more reducing environment of the exoskarns. Fluid migration from the QMD through the endoskarns and into the exoskarns was favored due to decarbonation of wall rock carbonates and related upwards migration of CO2 to produce a self‐sustaining chimney effect, which drew further fluids towards the carbonates to form, alter and mineralize the exoskarns. The higher porosity and permeability of the endoskarns compared with the QMD further promoted the lateral flow of Cu‐bearing fluids towards the exoskarns and limited porphyry‐style alteration and mineralization within the QMD. This proposed mechanism is only likely to be relevant for porphyry‐type systems developed predominantly within carbonate host rocks. Its significance for exploration models is that relatively poorly mineralized porphyry stocks in this setting may be associated with more substantive exoskarn deposits on their margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysanthemum morifolium is a well‐known edible medicinal plant in Asia and some other regions. Content of selenium in Se‐enriched C. morifolium (SeCM) is significantly higher than that in traditional C. morifolium (non‐Se‐enriched C. morifolium, TCM). In order to understand health effects of SeCM, its chemical composition, lifespan‐prolonging activities, and impacts on antioxidant defense‐related gene expressions of model organism D. melanogaster were systematically studied. A total of eight phenols, including luteolin‐7‐O‐glucoside, linarin, luteolin, apigenin, diosmetin, acacetin, 3‐caffeoylquinic acid and 4,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid, were identified in SeCM extract. Compared with TCM, SeCM exhibited superior antioxidant properties. Intake of SeCM dramatically reduced malondialdehyde level and increased activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes in fruit flies. SeCM was able to upregulate gene expressions of Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase, Mn‐superoxide dismutase and hydrogen peroxide catalase, and extend lifespans of fruit flies. Comparatively high antioxidant capacities and lifespan‐prolonging activities of SeCM might be attributed to its abundant phenols and selenium, which probably ameliorated accumulation of free radicals and susceptibility to oxidative stress. These findings provide clues on further exploitation and utilization of Se‐enriched C. morifolium. Practical applications: Chrysanthemum morifolium has been used for nutraceutical and curative purposes in China for thousands of years. Se‐enriched C. morifolium typically contains more selenium than traditional C. morifolium, and is widely consumed in Asia and some other regions. Selenium is an essential micronutrient for humans, and selenium deficiency may result in several diseases such as myocardial infarction. SeCM is one of important selenium supplements. In this study, SeCM was found to upregulate gene expressions of Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase, Mn‐superoxide dismutase, and hydrogen peroxide catalase, and extend lifespans of experimental animals. These results provide supporting information for developing SeCM‐based functional foods with distinct health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species distribution models (SDMs) based on fine-scale environmental data may reduce the uncertainty in predicting species distributions. However, many scientists have also projected the robust potential distributions of species using environmental data of different scales and found that the potential distributions modeled using SDMs are scale dependent. This may be due to the impact of the scale effect on species richness (as well as on multi-species distributions). To eliminate the impact of the scale effect, we aim to develop an improved method to integrate different scales into species distribution models. We use protected areas as the study regions and propose the hypothesis that there is a spatial element to the threat of invasive species for protected areas under climate change. We use Maxent to compute the current and future invasion ability and invasion inequality of invasive species for protected areas based on the potential distributions of species across different scales to evaluate the risk of invasive species. We find that an increase in the number of present records could reduce the accuracy of SDMs. There is a significant linear relationship between the fine-scale and coarse-scale risk of invasive species of alien plants in protected areas, and an appropriate scale should thus be selected to assess species risk based on this linear relationship of invasive risk. There is a significant relationship between the potential of IAPS to invade protected areas and the invasion inequality of IAPS in protected areas across all scales, and 5.0 arcminutes is the most appreciate scale to evaluate the risk of IAPS for protected areas under climate change based on principal component analysis. We provide new insights into the use of species distribution models coupled with different spatial scales to analyze the regional risks associated with species and to assess regional biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability in the quality of water that runs along the course of a river, flowing out of a mountain pass, through an agricultural oasis and into a lake, has been a key topic of research in recent years. In this study, the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) along the river flow, and its relationship with water quality, were analyzed using the Canadian water quality index (CWQI), parallel factor (PARAFAC) and self-organizing map (SOM). The study results include: (1) The conclusion of field sampling along the lower reaches of the Kaidu River and laboratory measurements of water quality parameters, using CWQI to determine the water quality index of the lower Kaidu River, ranging between 59.58 and 93.47. The water quality of the lower reaches of the Kaidu River generally ranges between moderate and good, and can meet the water use requirements of Class II water function standards. (2) The DOM composition of the river predominantly contained three fluorescence components, while the three fluorescence indices of the water body varied less in different river sections. Based on the SOM training model, the fluorescence intensity of the C1 component was larger among the three fluorescence components, followed by the C2 component, and the smallest fluorescence intensity of the C3, which was dominated by humic-like substances, with a high authigenic origin and humification degree. (3) The fluorescence index and fluorescence components were correlated with water quality parameters, and it was found that C1, C2 and C3 were negative and correlated significantly with SO42- and Total-dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations; FI, HIX and BIX showed strong positive correlations with SAL and Cu and negative correlations with dissolved oxygen (DO). This study provides a scientific basis for surface water quality monitoring and water quality pollution management in the Kaidu River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August-September 2021, the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) showed significant anomalies, with some areas between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China suffering from heavy rainfall and flooding, while extreme heat occurred in Southern China. Using the 6 h reanalysis data of NCEP/NCAR and the daily precipitation observation data, this paper studied the abnormal characteristics and the thermal mechanism of the three-dimensional ridge of the WPSH during the seasonal transition from late summer to early autumn in August-September 2021, and explored its connection with the precipitation in the areas between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China during the same period. The results showed that, in August-September 2021, the three-dimensional ridge of the WPSH appeared to be southward at the lower troposphere and tilted northward with height. According to the diagnosis of the atmospheric heat source, it was found that the center of atmospheric cold source in the low latitudes at 850 hPa enhanced the surface high pressure, corresponding to the WPSH ridge shifting southward at the lower troposphere, which led to more water vapor convergence and more precipitation between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins. The latent heat of condensation released by the increased precipitation between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China heated the middle and upper troposphere, increasing the intensity of the high pressure in the upper troposphere, corresponding to the WPSH ridge northward at the upper troposphere. This anomalous tilt of the WPSH ridge in August-September 2021 and the intense precipitation processes between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China during the same period established a reciprocal feedback mechanism through diabatic heating. Further studies also showed that the anomalous tilt of the WPSH ridge is one of the important modes of its three-dimensional structural anomalies, and that, in years when the ridge tilts from south to north with height anomalously in August-September, the areas between the Yangtze and Yellow River basins are characterized by high precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated prevalence trends and identified the associated factors of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among pregnant women in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi), Southwest China. Methods: Serial cross-sectional surveys were performed annually among pregnant women in Guangxi from 2009 to 2018. Blood specimens were collected to test the prevalence of HIV, syphilis and HCV. Cochran–Armitage analysis was used to assess the trends of HIV, syphilis and HCV prevalence, as well as the sociodemographic and behavioural data. In this study, we used zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression models to identify factors associated with HIV, syphilis and HCV infection. Results: A total of 23,879 pregnant women were included in the study. The prevalence of HIV, syphilis and HCV was 0.24%, 0.85% and 0.19%, respectively. There was a decrease in HIV prevalence from 0.54% to 0.10%, a decrease in HCV prevalence from 0.40% to 0.05% and a decrease in syphilis prevalence from 1.53% to 0.30%. The findings based on the ZINB model revealed that pregnant women who had a history of STI had significantly increased risks of HIV (OR 6.63; 95% CI 1.33–32.90) and syphilis (OR 9.06; 95% CI 3.85–21.30) infection, while pregnant women who were unmarried/widowed/divorced were more likely to have HIV (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.20–6.54) and HCV (OR 58.12; 95% CI, 3.14–1076.99) infection. Furthermore, pregnant women whose husband had a history of STI (OR 5.62; 95% CI 1.24–25.38) or drug use (OR 7.36; 95% CI 1.25–43.43) showed an increased risk of HIV infection. Conclusions: There was a relatively low prevalence of HIV, syphilis and HCV among pregnant women. Although decreasing trends in HIV, syphilis and HCV infections were observed, effort is needed to promote STI testing in both premarital medical check-ups and antenatal care, especially targeting couples with a history of STI or drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The act of balancing simultaneous rapid development of urbanization and ecological environmental protection is an increasingly important strategic agenda of national importance. While focusing on the principle of sustainable development, this paper calculates and analyzes the extent of coupling coordination degree (CCD) between the new urbanization quality (NUQ) and eco-environmental carrying capacity (EECC) of 246 prefecture level and above cities in China. The gravity center moving trajectory, Moran's I and LISA are employed to perform exploratory spatial analysis, and the differences among cities are analyzed by variation coefficient (CV) method. Based on simulation by the NUQ and CCD, results obtained show a continuous growth trend at similar rate among the cities. Meanwhile, the mean value of EECC showed a fluctuating growth trend. The coordinated development type cities were largely concentrated in the coastal areas of the east. In comparison, other areas are dominated by disorders recession type cities and the coordination transition type cities. The center of gravity CCD was found moving from the northeast to the southwest. The situation of HH (CDD main city—high, CDD surrounding cities—high) and LL (CDD main city—low, CDD surrounding cities—low) always accounted for more than seventy percent. The cluster locations of HH and LH (CDD main city—low, CDD surrounding cities—high) are largely concentrated around mega-urban agglomerations comprising the following three major urban agglomerations, i.e., (i) the Yangtze River Delta; (ii) the Pearl River Delta; and (iii) the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. CV of CCD shows that the gap among cities is gradually narrowing. In summary, the results conclude that most of the evaluated cities have not achieved coordinated development. As such, enhancing ecological environment protection awareness, improving the utilization effectiveness of natural resources and gradual elimination of regional differences should be the way forward in facilitating the process of new urban construction. The significance of this research not only helps increase the focus on ecological environmental governance, but also enrich the theoretical system of urbanization, both of which have important theoretical significance and application values in the building of an ecological civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wuliangsuhai Lake is the largest shore lake in the upper reaches of the Yellow River and has become an important ecological barrier and habitat for birds in northern China. In recent years, pollutants and nutrient loads have been partially reduced, and the water quality in the lake area has been alleviated to a certain extent. However, the overall water treatment of Wuliangsuhai Lake is worrying and needs to be improved urgently. In this paper, according to the current situation of water quality and the goal of ecological environment protection, the ecological water demand of Wuliangsuhai Lake was estimated by using the dynamic viewpoint. The calculation of ecological water demand mainly considered: water of evaporation and leakage in the lake, and water demand of pollutant dilution. The requirements of ecological water demand in Wuliangsuhai Lake were solved in four ways: agricultural wastewater in the irrigation area; strengthening water saving in the main canal; carrying out water-saving system reform; and transporting ecological water use for washing salt to Wuliangsuhai Lake during an irrigation gap period. For Wuliangsuhai Lake in the Mengxin Plateau, which is located in a serious water shortage area, it is of great significance to protect the ecological environment by ensuring the amount of water entering the lake, maintaining the existing water surface of the lake, and giving full play to its water ecological function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of rapid development and urbanization, land use and land cover (LULC) types have undergone unprecedented changes, globally and nationally, leading to significant effects on the surrounding ecological environment quality (EEQ). The urban agglomeration in North Slope of Tianshan (UANST) is in the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt of China. This area has experienced rapid development and urbanization with equally rapid LULC changes which affect the EEQ. Hence, this study quantified and assessed the spatial-temporal changes of LULC on the UANST from 2001 to 2018 based on remote sensing analysis. Combining five remote sensing ecological factors (WET, NDVI, IBI, TVDI, LST) that met the pressure-state-response(PSR) framework, the spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of EEQ were evaluated by synthesizing a new Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), with the interaction between land use change and EEQ subsequently analyzed. The results showed that LULC change dominated EEQ change on the UANST: (1) From 2001 to 2018, the temporal and spatial pattern of the landscape on the UANST has undergone tremendous changes. The main types of LULC in the UANST are Barren land and Grassland. (2) During the study period, RSEI values in the study area were all lower than 0.5 and were at the [good] levels, reaching 0.31, 0.213, 0.362, and 0346, respectively. In terms of time and space, the overall EEQ on the UANST experienced three stages of decline–rise–decrease. (3) The estimated changes in RSEI were highly related to the changes of LULC. During the period 2001 to 2018, the RSEI value of cropland showed a trend of gradual increase. However, the rest of the LULC type's RSEI values behave differently at different times. As the UANST is the core area of Xinjiang's urbanization and economic development, understanding and balancing the relationship between LULC and EEQ in the context of urbanization is of practical application in the planning and realization of sustainable ecological, environmental, urban, and social development in the UANST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is one of the most important causes for land degradation and desertification and is an important threat to land management, farming activities, water quality, and sustainable development, with the management of saline soil crucial in arid and semi-arid areas. The salt-affected soil is predominant in the Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve (ELWNNR) in the Northwestern China. It influences the development of agricultural economy. Rapid and accurate measurement of the soil salt content (SSC) is significant for the soil salinization control. However, the traditional method of obtaining soil salt is time-consuming and laborious. Nowadays, it is an unprecedented perspective to monitor soil salinity through Sentinel-2A multispectral remote sensing image to construct three-dimensional spectral index. In this study, through soil salt data of 97 ground-truth measurements, Sentinel-2A data-derived spectral indices, based on particle swarm optimization support vector machine (PSO-SVM), gray wolf optimization support vector machine (GWO-SVM) and differential evolution support vector machine (DE-SVM) algorithm to construct a best soil salt inversion models. The results show that three-band (3D) spectral index has better correlation with soil salinity than single band and two-band (2D) spectral index, among TBI5 and TBI7 has a high correlation with the salinity of the soil, and the points are concentrated on the 1:1 line. Therefore, this approach could be applied to estimate the soil salinity in the Ebinur Lake region. The established models were validated using the Machine learning algorithm. The DE-SVM model performed the best by the three Model of accuracy with R2, Bias, and SEP2C of 0.56, − 2.03, and 8.62, respectively. Therefore through the soil salinity value predicted by the modeling constructs a linear relationship with the indexes TBI5 and TBI7, and draw the soil salt inversion map, soil salinity around the lake is relatively high, and decreases outward along the lake, which is consistent with the field. The result from this model will be useful for soil salinization monitoring in the study area and can provide theoretical support for the estimation of SSC in arid and semi-arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative anxiety is a common psychological reaction in perioperative patients. The absence of a valid measurement tool hinders the evaluation of interventions to treat preoperative anxiety in China. This study aims to develop the Perioperative Anxiety Scale-7 (PAS-7) and test its reliability, validity, and cut-off value. Methods: A total of 280 patients over 16 years old (M = 55.1, SD = 14.3) who were undergoing elective surgery were recruited to complete the PAS-7 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) one day before surgery. Results: The PAS-7 included seven items divided into two dimensions: mental anxiety and somatic anxiety. These two dimensions could explain 74.294% of the population variance. The internal consistency of each dimension ranged from 0.761–0.933. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model fit of the scale was good (χ2= 34.798, df = 13, χ2/df = 2.677, CFI = 0.949, TLI = 0.918, SRMR = 0.057, RMSEA = 0.115). The correlations between the GAD-7 and each dimension and the scale's total score were significant (0.711–0.789). A cut-off score of 8, maximizing the Youden Index, yielded a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 84.6% (95% CI: 0.88 ~ 0.97). Conclusions: The PAS-7 had good reliability and validity and could be used as an effective tool to evaluate preoperative anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halogen atoms affect the budget of ozone and the fate of pollutants such as hydrocarbons and mercury. Yet their sources and significances in polluted continental regions are poorly understood. Here we report the observation of unprecedented levels (averaging at 60 parts per trillion) of bromine chloride (BrCl) at a mid-latitude site in North China during winter. Widespread coal burning in rural households and a photo-assisted process were the primary source of BrCl and other bromine gases. BrCl contributed about 55% of both bromine and chlorine atoms. The halogen atoms increased the abundance of 'conventional' tropospheric oxidants (OH, HO2 and RO2) by 26%–73%, and enhanced oxidation of hydrocarbon by nearly a factor of two and the net ozone production by 55%. Our study reveals the significant role of reactive halogen in winter atmospheric chemistry and the deterioration of air quality in continental regions where uncontrolled coal combustion is prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the development and application of medical information system, semantic interoperability is essential for accurate and advanced health-related computing and electronic health record (EHR) information sharing. The openEHR approach can improve semantic interoperability. One key improvement of openEHR is that it allows for the use of existing archetypes. The crucial problem is how to improve the precision and resolve ambiguity in the archetype retrieval.Method: Based on the query expansion technology and Word2Vec model in Nature Language Processing (NLP), we propose to find synonyms as substitutes for original search terms in archetype retrieval. Test sets in different medical professional level are used to verify the feasibility.Result: Applying the approach to each original search term (n = 120) in test sets, a total of 69,348 substitutes were constructed. Precision at 5 (P@5) was improved by 0.767, on average. For the best result, the P@5 was up to 0.975.Conclusions: We introduce a novel approach that using NLP technology and corpus to find synonyms as substitutes for original search terms. Compared to simply mapping the element contained in openEHR to an external dictionary, this approach could greatly improve precision and resolve ambiguity in retrieval tasks. This is helpful to promote the application of openEHR and advance EHR information sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grassland degradation poses a serious threat to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being. In this study, we investigated grassland degradation in Zhaosu County, China, between 2001 and 2020, and analyzed the impacts of climate change and human activities using the Miami model. The actual net primary productivity (ANPP) obtained with CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach) modeling, showed a decreasing trend, reflecting the significant degradation that the grasslands in Zhaosu County have experienced in the past 20 years. Grassland degradation was found to be highest in 2018, while the degraded area continuously decreased in the last 3 years (2018–2020). Climatic factors for found to be the dominant factor affecting grassland degradation, particularly the decrease in precipitation. On the other hand, human activities were found to be the main factor affecting improvement of grasslands, especially in recent years. This finding profoundly elucidates the underlying causes of grassland degradation and improvement and helps implement ecological conservation and restoration measures. From a practical perspective, the research results provide an important reference for the formulation of policies and management strategies for sustainable land use. • Annual average of grassland ANPP shows a clear downward trend. • Grassland degradation has improved in recent years. • Climate change and the human activities response are important for grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lack of water quality monitoring stations in arid regions makes it difficult to estimate the exact level of water pollution. Satellite technology is crucial for monitoring the water quality of salt lakes, but due to the diversity of terrestrial water bodies, it is challenging to establish relationships between lake water color parameters and remote sensing reflectance. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of the colored Quasi-Analytical Algorithm Dissolved Organic Matter (QAA-CDOM) model over Ebinur Lake. The absorption coefficient measured on May 19, 2021 was used to analyze the optical properties of Ebinur Lake. The findings show that the QAA-CDOM model performed well in estimating the absorption coefficient of CDOM at 443 nm, with the r2 and RMSE values of 0.69 and 0.12 m−1, respectively. The Landsat 8 OLI data and QAA-CDOM model were then used to derive the spatial-temporal characteristics of the CDOM concentration over Ebinur Lake from 2014 to 2021. The concentration of CDOM changes significantly across time and space, ranging from 0 to 2.5 m−1, with the lowest concentration in May and the highest in August. The central region of the lake has a lower concentration of CDOM than the other regions due to the reflectance of the shallow parts of the lake. This study clarified the inherent optical characteristics of saline lakes and proved the applicability of using the QAA-CDOM model to monitor surface water quality in arid regions of China. This research may be useful for future analyses of the carbon cycle calculations in salt lakes in arid regions. • Explore the optical characteristics of Lake. • Validate model's applicability. • Analyze CDOM change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new compounds, namely massonside C (1), massonianoside F (2), and 3, 8-dimethyl- herbacetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), together with five known compounds (4–8), were isolated from the fresh needles of Pinus massoniana. Their structures were established by 1D, 2D NMR, HRMS and comparison with the literature data. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed by a combination of X-ray single crystal analysis. All isolated compounds were evaluated for the protective effect of human umbilical vein endothelial cells against oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the relationship between hemoglobin levels and the progression of IgA nephropathy (IgAN).Methods: In a two-center cohort of 1,828 cases with biopsy-proven IgAN, we examined the association of hemoglobin levels with the primary outcome of a composite of all-cause mortality or kidney failure defined as a 40% decline in eGFR, or ESKD (defined as eGFR <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or need for kidney replacement therapy including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation), or the outcome of kidney failure, assessed using Cox and logistic regression models, respectively, with adjustment for confounders.Results: At baseline, mean age, eGFR, and hemoglobin levels were 33.75 ± 11.03 years, 99.70 ± 30.40 mL/min/1.73 m2, and 123.47 ± 18.36 g/L, respectively. During a median of approximately 7-year follow-up, 183 cases reached the composite outcome. After adjustment for demographic and IgAN-specific covariates and treatments, a lower quartile of hemoglobin was nonlinearly associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome or kidney failure in the Cox proportional hazards models (primary outcome: HR for quartile 3 vs. 4, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.83-2.25; HR for quartile 2 vs. 4, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.68-2.07; HR for quartile 1 vs. 4, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.15-3.17; kidney failure: HR for quartile 3 vs. 4, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.84-2.31; HR for quartile 2 vs. 4, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.68-2.11; HR for quartile 1 vs. 4, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.09-3.07) in the fully adjusted model. Then, hemoglobin levels were transformed to a binary variable for fitting the model according to the criteria for anemia of 110 g/L in the women and 120 g/L in men in China. The participants in the anemia group had an increased risk of developing outcomes compared with the nonanemia group in both genders (primary outcome: male: HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.01-2.68; female: HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.02-2.76; kidney failure: male: HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 0.97-2.64; female: HR, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.95-2.61) in the fully adjusted model.Conclusions: A low level of hemoglobin was nonlinearly associated with IgAN progression. The anemic IgAN patients presented a higher risk of developing poor outcomes compared with the nonanemic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the 2000–2018 MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) data and taking 11 cities (counties) in the northern slope of the central Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China as the study area, the spatial-temporal characteristics, landscape indices, centroid, and geo-information Tupu (carto-methodology in geo-information, CMGI) of surface thermal landscape (STL) were analyzed, and the paper draws the following results: (1) There are great differences in the diurnal and seasonal STL. The higher thermal levels are distributed more northerly in spring, summer, and autumn, and more southerly in winter. (2) In terms of class type level and landscape level, different landscape indices show different characteristics in diurnal and seasonal thermal landscapes. (3) Centroids at different thermal levels during the daytime are more dispersed than at nighttime in spring and summer, while the opposite is found in autumn. In winter, centroids of different thermal levels are concentrated in the southern and central-southern regions. During the period of 2000–2018, centroids of different thermal levels tend to move with the varying of STL. (4) The whole STL in same seasons changed little, transition usually happens between adjacent thermal levels. Overall, compared with the eastern monsoon area, there are similarities and differences in the characteristics of the STL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Hoplocheylus Atyeo and Baker (Acariformes: Heterostigmata: Tarsocheylidae), H. lindquisti Xu & Zhang sp. nov., is described based on larva, deutonymph, adult male and female specimens collected from the bark of dead Pinus massoniana Lamb. infested with Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Fuzhou city, China. This is the first report of the genus Hoplocheylus and the family Tarsocheylidae in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) occupies a critical part in biogeochemistry and energy flux of aquatic ecosystems. CDOM research spans in many fields, including chemistry, marine environment, biomass cycling, physics, hydrology, and climate change. In recent years, a series of remarkable research milestone have been achieved. On the basis of reviewing the research process of CDOM, combined with a bibliometric analysis, this study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the development and applications of remote sensing in monitoring CDOM from 2003 to 2022. The findings show that remote sensing data plays an important role in CDOM research as proven with the increasing number of publications since 2003, particularly in China and the United States. Primary research areas have gradually changed from studying absorption and fluorescence properties to optimization of remote sensing inversion models in recent years. Since the composition of oceanic and freshwater bodies differs significantly, it is important to choose the appropriate inversion method for different types of water body. At present, the monitoring of CDOM mainly relies on a single sensor, but the fusion of images from different sensors can be considered a major research direction due to the complex characteristics of CDOM. Therefore, in the future, the characteristics of CDOM will be studied in depth inn combination with multi-source data and other application models, where inversion algorithms will be optimized, inversion algorithms with low dependence on measured data will be developed, and a transportable inversion model will be built to break the regional limitations of the model and to promote the development of CDOM research in a deeper and more comprehensive direction. [Display omitted] • Review the basic process of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic matter research. • Reveal the hot spots and trends of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic. • Summarize the Chromophoric Dissolved Organic research progress. • Put forward the existing problems during the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the main driving factors of oasis river nutrients in arid areas is important to identify the sources of water pollution and protect water resources. Twenty-seven sub-watersheds were selected in the lower oasis irrigated agricultural reaches of the Kaidu River watershed in arid Northwest China, divided into the site, riparian, and catchment buffer zones. Data on four sets of explanatory variables (topographic, soil, meteorological elements, and land use types) were collected. The relationships between explanatory variables and response variables (total phosphorus, TP and total nitrogen, TN) were analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to quantify the relationship between explanatory as well as response variables and fit the path relationship among factors. The results showed that there were significant differences in the TP and TN concentrations at each sampling point. The catchment buffer exhibited the best explanatory power of the relationship between explanatory and response variables based on PLS-SEM. The effects of various land use types, meteorological elements (ME), soil, and topography in the catchment buffer were responsible for 54.3% of TP changes and for 68.5% of TN changes. Land use types, ME and soil were the main factors driving TP and TN changes, accounting for 95.56% and 94.84% of the total effects, respectively. The study provides a reference for river nutrients management in arid oases with irrigated agriculture and a scientific and targeted basis to mitigate water pollution and eutrophication of rivers in arid lands. • There were significant differences between TP and TN in rivers along the oasis. • Catchment buffer is the optimal scale to evaluate the variation of TP and TN. • Land use types, ME and soil were the main factors affecting TP and TN in river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River flow prediction plays a crucial role in flood control and water resource management. As an effective approach, the stepwise cluster analysis (SCA) has been well-accepted in river flow prediction but still encounters difficulties to acquire accurate predictions in sample-sparse regimes. This study proposes a new ensemble model by incorporating the bagging method with the SCA. The proposed Bagged Stepwise Cluster Analysis (BSCA) is applied to predict daily river flow in the Upper Min River, China. The results show that BSCA effectively improves the prediction accuracy of SCA. Particularly, it addresses the limited end clusters problem of SCA and thus enhances the extreme-value prediction. It also has a better overall prediction performance over the classical random forest and decision tree models. In addition, BSCA is capable of quantifying uncertainties through a probabilistic prediction, which can be used to assess risks of extreme flows and provide reliable river flow predictions. The proposed new model can be applied to other water systems and environmental engineering problems. • A new ensemble model (BSCA) is first proposed for river flow prediction. • The model effectively improves the prediction accuracy of SCA. • Probabilistic prediction is integrated into BSCA to quantify uncertainties. • The model provides a way to assess risks of extreme flows. • The BSCA can help flood control and water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever virus (ASFV), the etiological agent of African swine fever (ASF), a hemorrhagic fever of domestic pigs, has devastating consequences for the pig farming industry. More than 1,000,000 pigs have been slaughtered since 3 August 2018 in China. However, vaccines or drugs for ASF have yet to be developed. As such, a rapid test that can accurately detect ASFV on-site is important to the timely implementation of control measures. In this study, we developed a rapid test that combines recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) of the ASFV p72 gene with lateral flow detection (LFD). Results showed that the sensitivity of recombinase polymerase amplification with lateral flow dipstick (RPA-LFD) for ASFV was 150 copies per reaction within 10 min at 38°C. The assay was highly specific to ASFV and had no cross-reactions with other porcine viruses, including classical swine fever virus (CSFV). A total of 145 field samples were examined using our method, and the agreement of the positive rate between RPA-LFD (10/145) and real-time PCR (10/145) was 100%. Overall, RPA-LFD provides a novel alternative for the simple, sensitive, and specific identification of ASFV and showed potential for on-site ASFV detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of low‐energy upper extremity fractures and identify the associated risk factors in Chinese people aged 50 years or older. Methods: This study was a part of the Chinese National Fracture Survey, which was performed between January and May 2015 and aimed to investigate the epidemiology of traumatic fractures in China in 2014. The China National Fracture Study (CNFS) was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (number ChiCTR‐EPR‐15005878). A stratified multistage cluster randomized sampling method was used to recruit subjects and the survey was conducted through a questionnaire. The relevant results have been published elsewhere. In the current study, 154 099 Chinese men and women aged 50 years or older were included for data collection and analysis. Low‐energy fractures were defined as fractures that were caused by simple falls from standing height. Individuals who had low‐energy upper extremity fractures were included in the case group and the remainder were included in the control group. Univariate and multivariate logistics regression analysis models were constructed to investigate the independent risk factors, after adjustment for confounding variables. Results: In total, 184 patients sustained low‐energy upper extremity fractures in 2014, indicating that the overall incidence was 119.4/100 000 persons, with 57.4 and 180.9/100 000 person‐years in men and women. Approximately 80% of fractures occurred at home and on the common road (other than high way). In men, alcohol consumption (OR, 2.12; 95%CI, 1.11–4.06), residence at ≥2nd floor without an elevator (OR, 2.86; 95%CI, 1.16–7.06), sleep duration<7 h/day (OR, 2.77; 95%CI, 1.42–5.37), and history of past fractures (OR, 3.10; 95%CI, 1.21–7.93) were identified as significant risk factors. In women, obesity (BMI ≥ 28.0) (OR, 1.86; 95%CI, 1.31–2.66), living in the central region in China (OR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.01–2.31), living at a higher latitude (40°–49.9°N) (OR, 1.79; 95%CI, 1.02–3.14), alcohol consumption (OR, 2.40; 95%CI, 1.58–3.63), more births (OR, 1.45; 95%CI, 1.15–1.83), sleep duration <7 h/day (OR, 2.21; 95%CI, 1.53–3.20), and history of past fracture (OR, 2.70; 95%CI, 1.52–4.80) were identified as significant risk factors. Conclusion: Based on these results, health policies that focus on decreasing alcohol consumption and encouraging individuals to improve their quality and duration of sleep should be implemented in China. The significance of moving to a ground floor or to a building equipped with an elevator for men, and maintaining a healthy body weight for women should be emphasized to prevent upper extremity fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic ecosystems and regional habitat quality of brackish Ebinur Lake in arid northwest China are significantly affected by suspended particulate matter (SPM). The Landsat series, Sentinel 2 and MODIS remote-sensing data offer a great potential to overcome the issue of the lack of reliable observation data for continuous SPM monitoring, but more accurate SPM inversion models are required for the arid regions. Hence, this research aims to: (1) determine the optimal strategy for applying the SPM inversion model to various time series images, (2) explore the inversion mode of SPM under the missing-image scenario, and (3) analyze the spatiotemporal changes of SPM over the Ebinur Lake lake from May to October during the 2011–2020 period. The findings show that ESTARFM_IVS (Inversion of SPM using images generated by Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model) produces the best inversion accuracy, with the values of R 2 ≥ 0.57, RMSE ≤ 44.51 mg/L. Secondly, the exponential model for the Landsat 5/7 and fused images were adopted, while the Quasi-Analytical Algorithms for reference wavelengths of 655 nm and 665 nm (QAA_655(665)) were used for the Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 images. Thirdly, the SPM fluctuations varied significantly, and the SPM concentrations showed an increasing trend with a widening amplitude over time. The inter-annual SPM increasing trend was significant, while the inter-month SPM variations have not changed much. When compared to the lake's core area, the SPM concentrations in the nearshore area were noticeably higher, and this has been consistent over the years. The results should serve as helpful guides for monitoring brackish lake water environment using satellite technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Apatite crystallised from different generations of hydrothermal fluids and in different protoliths has distinct chemical and CL signatures. • During endoskarn formation, hydrothermal fluids were particularly rich in mobile elements (e.g. Na and Ca) and volatiles such as Cl and F. • The analysis of apatite in surficial sediments has the potential to provide a vector towards skarn-type deposits. The composition of 'indicator' minerals is thought to provide a guide to the potential of magmatic arc systems to form porphyry Cu deposits, but whether this is also the case for endoskarn- and exoskarn-dominated systems remains unclear, despite their importance as a source of Cu, Fe and Au. In a first step to address this, we compare the texture, cathodoluminescence (CL) colour and composition of apatite between relatively fresh quartz monzodiorite (QMD) and porphyry-type-, endoskarn- and Fe-(Cu)-mineralised exoskarn components of the Tonglushan porphyry-skarn system of the Daye ore district, China. In the relatively fresh QMD, apatite luminesces yellow-green due to elevated Mn contents. However, where affected by potassic-sodic alteration, it shows green–blue CL thought to reflect partial removal of Mn and an associated increase in REE. Apatite in the endoskarn is more pervasively replaced and veined, and shows mid-blue luminescence due to relatively low Mn, Mg and Cl. The exoskarns contain apatite with variable grain shapes and navy blue-violet or bright to dark blue CL colours, caused by low Mn and elevated Ce, and with only small patches of pale yellow-green CL. Apatite is near absent in the limestone wall rocks and xenoliths and, therefore, where present in the exoskarns is interpreted to have precipitated from the same fluids as the Fe-(Cu) mineralization. Apatite CL colour and chemistry is indicative of the different styles of alteration and mineralisation in the Tonglushan system and provides insights into the composition of skarn-forming fluids. Our results offer a potentially effective method for utilising apatite as a porphyry and skarn deposit indicator mineral in a range of exploration materials including regolith and stream sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid economy development and population growth, China is facing a pressure on the high demand in natural resources. However, most of the natural resource carrying capacity (NRCC) studies considered only on a single natural element, and the data sources showed some limitations. The traditional assessment approach is difficult to provide a comprehensive level of natural resources rapidly for China. Therefore, this study aims to develop a multiple factors NRCC assessment framework by using both remote sensing (RS) satellite data and Geographic Information System (GIS) and to explain the distribution characteristics and spatial-temporal variation characteristics of NRCC from multiple perspectives. The impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors on NRCC in mainland China from 2003 to 2019 were analyzed. The results show that most of the provinces are on an upward trend in the NRCC changes and is significantly higher in the eastern part than in the western part of mainland China. The areas with rapid and significant changes are mainly distributed at the junction of Shaanxi and Shanxi. The overall coefficient of variation of the study area is 0.09, with stable changes, but the stability is worse in the unused land distribution area. The analysis of influencing factors showed that precipitation and temperature were positively correlated with NRCC. The positive correlation was stronger in the regions of bad NRCC, unused land, and grassland. The NRCC values decreased significantly with the increasing elevation. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between NRCC and human activity pressure from the provincial analysis. This study provides a relatively complete framework for regional natural resource evaluation, which is conducive to promoting sustainable development in mainland China and can effectively evaluate the results of natural resources conservation work and provide effective suggestions for the next step of restoration work. • Multi scale analysis of spatial and temporal distribution of NRCC. • Analysis of spatial and temporal changes and internal driving mechanism of NRCC. • Combined with the pressure of human activities, some suggestions for sustainable development are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AMF increased NRE and PRE in A. frigida , while reduce PRE in P. acaulis , and NRE and PRE in S. krylovii. • AMF increased internal nutrient cycling in A. frigida , which may contribute to the dominance of A. frigida in a degraded grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. • AMF increase the senesced leaf C:N ratios in A. frigida and P. acaulis. Plant nutrient resorption is an important regulator of biogeochemical cycling and decomposition. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may influence this process by helping plants absorb nutrients, although the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. We examined variations in nutrient resorption over a period of 3 years in three dominant species, namely, Artemisia frigida , Potentilla acaulis , and Stipa krylovii , treated with or without fungicide in a degraded grassland in Inner Mongolia in 2017. Our results showed that AMF increased the nitrogen resorption efficiency (NRE) and phosphorus resorption efficiency (PRE) in A. frigida but decreased NRE and PRE in S. krylovii and PRE in P. acaulis. The inconsistent nutrient resorption responses of A. frigida and S. krylovii to AMF were primarily attributed to the changes in biomass in the presence of AMF, thereby changing the nutrient requirements. For P. acaulis , the reduction in PRE with AMF was because AMF-induced its N limitation, which is consistent with the relative nutrient resorption hypothesis. AMF increased internal nutrient cycling in A. frigida , which may promote its dominance in degraded grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Moreover, AMF reduced senesced leaf N concentrations, thereby reducing the carbon (C):N ratio in senesced leaves, which may affect nutrient return to the soil. Our findings indicate that AMF substantially affect the biomass and nutrient requirements of dominant plant species, potentially leading to changes in nutrient resorption during grassland degradation, which may provide a deep insight into plant nutrient retranslocation in degraded grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tonglushan endoskarn formed in six paragenetic stages. • Decarbonation/exoskarnification aided outwards flow of ore-forming fluids. • Relatively oxidizing conditions limited Cu mineralization in Tonglushan endoskarn. • Migration of CO 2 -rich fluids into the pluton favoured endoskarn formation. • High melt and fluid CO 2 restricted the system's potential to form porphyry-style ores. The formation of ore-barren endoskarns in association with exoskarn Cu-Fe deposits, rather than extensive porphyry-style alteration and mineralization, is investigated in the Tonglushan quartz monzodiorite porphyry system of eastern China. The Tonglushan endoskarn underwent: 1) muscovite-dominated alteration; 2) prograde and 3) retrograde skarnification; 4) potassic and 5) sodic alteration; and 6) carbonatization, and the quartz monzodiorites distal to the endoskarn minor potassic alteration and weak Fe-Cu sulphide mineralization, and then sodic alteration. The stage 1 muscovite-dominated alteration was caused by hot and saline magmatic aqueous fluids which then mixed with Ca- (±CO 2)-bearing fluids from exoskarnification of surrounding carbonates, to cause prograde (stage 2) and then retrograde (stage 3) endoskarnification of the variously altered quartz monzodiorite. A second pulse of moderately hot, weakly acidic to neutral magmatic fluids produced potassic alteration in the endoskarn (stage 4), and similar fluids caused porphyry-style potassic alteration and weak Cu-Fe mineralization in the quartz monzodiorite distal to the endoskarn and extensive sulphide precipitation in the exoskarns. Subsequent sodic alteration (stage 5) in both environments was due to ingress of Na-(CO 2)-rich fluids from surrounding carbonate rocks. Primary Cu mineralization is absent in the endoskarns and instead concentrated in the exoskarns which had a more reducing and alkaline environment and into which fluid flow was focused. The latter was due to decarbonation of wall rock marbles and related upwards migration of CO 2 to produce a self-sustaining chimney effect which further drew in fluids towards the marbles to form, alter and mineralize the exoskarns. Porphyry-style mineralization in the quartz monzodiorites was limited as magmatic-hydrothermal fluids ascending within the magmatic system were CO 2 -rich, due to magmatic assimilation of carbonate, and therefore incapable of carrying elevated concentrations of Cu. This contribution offers new insights into why certain porphyry systems host 'barren' endoskarns and mineralized exoskarns rather than porphyry-style Cu deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is diffusely applied to areas with uniform precipitation distribution and gentle slopes. However, the SWAT has apparent defects in the process of ecohydrological simulation in mid-high latitudes and arid regions. This model can merely be used in agricultural catchments with gentle slopes and uniform rainfall, and the simulation is not suitable for high-altitude alpine catchment. To this point, this paper makes appropriate improvements to the runoff module, and specifically corrects the key sensitive parameters. The global sensitivity and performance assessment of the model's parameters were carried out before and after the improvement using the monthly data of runoff and evaporation from 1990 to 2018 in the Kaidu River basin in northwestern China. It is indicated that the Modified SWAT simulates the performance of monthly runoff and evapotranspiration better than the original SWAT, which overestimates the runoff volume throughout hydrological changes in different periods. Compared with the monthly water production under different land use/cover conditions, the highest water production was found in forest and grassland. By modifying the SWAT algorithm, the structural non-determinacy of the Modified SWAT is significantly reduced, and the adaptability of the model is improved. Thus, the Modified SWAT shows a better simulation performance in arid areas with considerable terrain variation and scarce rainfall data. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese ferret badger (FB)-transmitted rabies is a serious threat to public health in southeast China. Although mostly associated with dogs, the rabies virus (RABV) presents genetic diversity and has a significantly wide host range in China. Instead of the dog- and wildlife-associated China II lineage in the past decades, the China I lineage has become the main epidemic group hosted and transmitted by dogs. In this study, four new lineages, including 43 RABVs from FBs, have been classified within the dog-dominated China I lineage since 2014. FB RABVs have been previously categorized in the China II lineage. Moreover, FB-hosted viruses seem to have become the main independent FB-associated clade in the phylogenetic tree. This claim suggests that the increasing genetic diversity of RABVs in FBs is a result of the selective pressure from coexisting dog rabies. FB transmission has become complicated and serious with the coexistence of dog rabies. Therefore, apart from targeting FB rabies, priority should be provided by the appropriate state agencies to perform mass immunization of dog against rabies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a detailed study on the indoor air pollution in the Jokahng Temple at Tibet Plateau, and its implication to human health. The mean concentrations of PM 1.0 and PM 2.5 were 435.0 ± 309.5 and 483.0 ± 284.9 μg/m 3 , respectively. The PM 2.5 concentration exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (75 μg/m 3 ) by 6.4 times. The size-segregated aerosols displayed a bimodal distribution. One peak was observed in the fine mode (0.4–2.1 μm) and the other peak appeared in the coarse mode (2.1–9.0 μm). The concentration of the total size-resolved PM was 794.3 ± 84.9 μg/m 3 . The mass fraction of coarse particles shared by 41.1%, apparently higher than that reported at low altitudes, probably due to incomplete combustion at Tibet Plateau with hypoxic atmospheric environment. The total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was 331.2 ± 60.3 ng/m 3 , in which the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was 18.5 ± 4.3 ng/m 3 , over ten times higher than the maximum permissible risk value of 1 ng/m 3 on account of carcinogenic potency of particulate PAHs through inhalation. PAHs exhibited a trimodal distribution, of which two peaks were observed in the fine mode and one peak in the coarse mode. With the aromatic rings increasing, the peak intensity increased in the fine mode. Na, Ca, Al, Mg and K dominated the elemental mass profiles, and metals displayed a bimodal distribution with a dominant peak in the coarse range. The total PAH deposition flux was 123.6 and 53.1 ng/h for adults and children, respectively. Coarse particles contributed most deposition flux in the head region, while fine particles contribute most deposition flux in the alveolar region. The increment lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of PAHs ranaged at 10 −5 -10 −4 , indicating potential cancer risk to human health. The total deposition flux of metals was estimated at 1.4–13.2 ng/h. With the size increasing, deposition flux increased in the head region while decreased in the alveolar region. The highest ILCR of Cr and Ni were 4.9 × 10 −5 and 1.5 × 10 −6 , respectively, exceeding the permissible risk of 10 −6 . The hazard quotient (HQ) of Fe (10 −5 -10 −4 ) and Zn (10 −6 -10 −5 ) were much lower than the safe level of 1.0, and thus they were not considered as a health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed information pertaining to soil erosion is required to ensure eco-environment protection and economic development for Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and remote sensing and geographical information system technologies are adopted to obtain an accurate distribution of soil erosion. An improved estimation method for wind erosion is developed, which proves to be effective with an overall precision of 87.24%. The proposed model uses six critical factors: number of snow cover days, soil erodibility, aridity index, vegetation fraction, soil crust index, and wind field intensity. Results show that soil wind erosion is widely distributed throughout the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The average erosion intensity is 0.50, which is determined to be a moderate erosion level. The wind erosion intensity increases from a slight level in the western part to a severe level in the mid-eastern part. The mean intensity of soil wind erosion for varying land use types is ranked in descending magnitude of barren or sparse vegetation, open shrubland, grassland, cropland, evergreen coniferous forest, and mixed forest. There are large differences in soil wind erosion intensities among soil types; grassland has severe wind erosion and Luvic Arenosols has the lowest erosion intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies remains a continuous threat to public health in Beijing. In this study, a total of 224 brain tissues were collected from suspected infected stray dogs within Beijing between January 2015 and December 2016. Among them, total of 67 samples were diagnosed positive for rabies. In the phylogenetic analysis, rabies in Beijing is currently a relatively independent public health issue originating from local rabid dogs apart from the imported cases from elsewhere in the country. Because vaccination of unregistered dogs against rabies is still neglected in Beijing and other regions of China, national and local authorities should play central roles in all related aspects, such as development of policies, engagement of stakeholders for public and professional education, entire vaccination process, and animal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new araphid diatom,Diatoma kalakulensissp. nov., was discovered in Lake Kalakul, located in the Pamir Mountains in north-western China. The morphology and ultrastructure of this new species are described on the basis of observations made under light and electron microscopy. Compared toDiatoma tenuis,Diatoma kalakulensisis characterized by longer valves, higher stria density, wider apical ends and the position of its rimoportula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]