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[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oviductus Ranae (OR) is one of the "treasures of Changbai Mountain" in China. It is used clinically for the treatment of infirmity after illness, fatigued spirit, cough, hemoptysis, and so forth. In this study, a simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of five main effective components (1-methyl hydantoin, estradiol, cholesterol, 7-keto-cholesterol, and 4-cholesten-3-one) in OR and its different processed products. The results indicated that these five components showed good linear relationships within their own concentration ranges along with coefficients of determination ≥0.9996. Average recoveries ranged from 97.67% to 100.06%, with RSDs of 1.45%–1.99%. The proposed method was found to be simple, accurate, and stable, which provided an effective analytical method for quality control and evaluation of OR and its different processed products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally believed that mycorrhiza is a microecosystem composed of mycorrhizal fungi, host plants and other microscopic organisms. The mycorrhiza of Rhododendron dauricum is more complex and the diverse morphology of our investigated results displays both typical ericoid mycorrhizal characteristics and ectomycorrhizal traits. The characteristics of ectendoomycorrhiza, where mycelial invade from the outside into the root cells, have also been observed. In order to further clarify the mycorrhizal fungi members and other fungal communities of R. dauricum mycorrhiza, and explore the effects of vegetation and soil biological factors on their community structure, we selected two woodlands in the northeast of China as samples—one is a mixed forest of R. dauricum and Quercus mongolica, and the other a mixed forest of R. dauricum, Q. mongolica, and Pinus densiflor. The sampling time was during the local growing season, from June to September. High-throughput sequencing yielded a total of 3020 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which were based on sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA) via the Illumina NovaSeq platform. In the different habitats of R. dauricum, there are differences in the diversity of fungi obtained from mycorrhizal niches, and specifically the mycorrhizal fungal community structure in the complex vegetation of mixed forests, where R. dauricum is found, exhibits greater stability, with relatively minor changes over time. Soil fungi are identified as the primary source of fungi within the mycorrhizal niche, and the abundance of mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches in R. dauricum is significantly influenced by soil pH, organic matter, and available nitrogen. The relationship between soil fungi and mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches is simultaneously found to be intricate, while the genus Hydnellum emerges as a central genus among mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches. However, there is currently a substantial gap in the foundational research of this genus, including the fact that mycorrhizal fungi from mycorrhizal niches have, compared to fungi present in the soil, proven to be more sensitive to changes in soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) on Pleistocene sites in Europe and northern Asia has resulted in the discovery of important new hominin fossils and has expanded the range of identified fauna. However, no systematic, large-scale application of ZooMS on Palaeolithic sites in East Asia has been attempted thus far. Here, we analyse 866 morphologically non-diagnostic bones from Jinsitai Cave in northeast China and Yumidong Cave in South China, from archaeological horizons dating to 150–10 ka BP. Bones from both sites revealed a high degree of collagen preservation and potentially time-related deamidation patterns, despite being located in very distinct environmental settings. At Jinsitai, we identified 31 camel bones, five of which were radiocarbon dated to 37–20 ka BP. All dated specimens correspond to colder periods of Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2. We regard the presence of camels at Jinsitai as evidence of wild camels being a megafauna taxon targeted, most likely by early modern humans, during their expansion across northeast Asia. This large-scale application of ZooMS in China highlights the potential of the method for furthering our knowledge of the palaeoanthropological and zooarchaeological records of East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Adjuvant radiotherapy is recommended for pT1b esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). However, it is unclear whether additional radiotherapy can improve patient survival. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy after ESD for pT1b ESCC. METHODS: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study involving 11 hospitals in China. Between January 2010 and December 2019, patients with T1bN0M0 ESCC treated with or without adjuvant radiotherapy after ESD were included. Survival between groups was compared. RESULTS: Overall, 774 patients were screened, and 161 patients were included. Forty-seven patients (29.2%) received adjuvant radiotherapy after ESD (RT group) and 114 (70.8%) underwent ESD alone (non-RT group). There were no significant differences in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between the RT and non-RT groups. Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) was the only prognostic factor. In the LVI+ group, adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved survival (5-year OS: 91.7% vs 59.5%, P = 0.050; 5-year DFS: 92.9% vs 42.6%, P = 0.010). In the LVI-group, adjuvant radiotherapy did not improve survival (5-year OS: 83.5% vs 93.9%, P = 0.148; 5-year DFS: 84.2% vs 84.7%, P = 0.907). The standardized mortality ratios were 1.52 (95% confidence interval 0.04-8.45) in the LVI+ group with radiotherapy and 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.15-1.42) in the LVI-group without radiotherapy. DISCUSSION: Adjuvant radiotherapy could improve survival in pT1b ESCC with LVI+ other than LVI- after ESD. Selective adjuvant radiotherapy based on LVI status achieved survival rates similar to those of the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ecosystems of the West Liao River basin (WLRB) in northeast China have been damaged by both natural and human factors from the 1990s. Since 2000, China's Grain-for-Green Program (GFGP) has been widely adopted with the aim of improving ecosystem services. An accurate evaluation of the eco-hydrological effects for policy implementation is essential to provide references for further restoration of ecosystem services. This study quantified and characterized the ecosystem services and their trade-offs/synergies using models and statistical methods in the WLRB from 1990 to 2020. Moreover, the impact of key drivers on ecosystem services was evaluated by the difference-in-differences model. Among them, the study mainly investigated how GFGP affects ecosystem services. The results confirmed that the water yield, carbon sequestration, habitat quality, and total ecosystem service of the WLRB decreased in the pre-GFGP period (1990–2000). However, this tendency was reversed in the regions where the GFGP was implemented during the period of 2001–2020. Furthermore, a synergistic relationship was shown among carbon sequestration, soil conservation, and habitat quality. Additionally, there were tradeoffs between water yield and the other three ecosystem services, especially in mountain areas. The GFGP could restore carbon sequestration, habitat quality, and total ecosystem services by 1.3%, 2.1%, and 0.6%, respectively. Nevertheless, GFCP may enlarge the tradeoff and imbalance between water yield and habitat quality. Results highlight the need for the governance of ecosystem protection and suggest natural restoration in the mountain area for maintaining water yield and helping ecosystem restoration. Timely adjustment of the policy implementation areas is the key to improving and balancing multiple ecosystem services in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desert shrubs are often planted to control wind erosion, land desertification, and desert expansion. Their motions of bending and vibration can absorb and disperse kinetic energy of wind, so as to protect the erodible surfaces close-by. According to continuum mechanics, the quantification of mechanical properties of shrubs is critical to understand their dynamic behaviors. In this study, the conventional tensile tests of six dominant desert shrub species' stems mainly sampled in the Hobq Desert of China are performed. It is found that the tensile strength of Tamarix ramosissima and Hedysarum scoparium are larger than others, whereas Caragana korshinskii and Hippophae rhamnoides are more flexible. And then, it is theoretically and experimentally proved that the tensile strength and Young's modulus of these desert shrubs both decrease with the increase of diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthotropic steel decks (OSDs) are inevitably subjected to fatigue damage caused by cycled vehicle loads in long-span bridges. This study establishes a probabilistic analysis framework integrating the dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) and fracture mechanics to model the fatigue crack propagation considering mutual correlations among multiple fatigue details. Both the observations of fatigue crack length from field inspection and monitoring data of vehicle loads from the weight-in-motion (WIM) system are utilized. First, fracture mechanics-based uncertainty analysis is performed to determine the multiple uncertainty sources in the Paris crack propagation model, material property, and observation data of crack length. The uncertainty of monitoring data of vehicle loads is ignored because of its high accuracy; consequently, the vehicle-load-related uncertainty is spontaneously ignored, which is also demonstrated to be very small on the investigated actual bridges. Second, a hierarchical DBN model is introduced to construct mutual dependencies among various uncertainties and intra-correlations in the propagation process of multiple fatigue cracks at different components. Third, a stochastic traffic model is established based on the WIM monitoring data and multi-scale finite element analysis via substructure techniques to determine the probability distribution of vehicle-load-related parameters. After variable discretization, a refined exact inference algorithm in a forward–backward–forward manner is adopted to estimate the posterior distribution of equivalent initial crack length and update the established DBN model. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated by a numerical case study and a typical application on an actual cable-stayed bridge with steel box girders using OSDs in China. The results show that the probability distribution of equivalent initial crack size can be spontaneously derived with a larger mean value than the results of conventional empirical analysis. Furthermore, the component-level fatigue reliability is tracked and predicted based on the established crack propagation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torreya grandis is an important economic forestry product in China, whose seeds are often consumed as edible nuts, or used as raw materials for oil processing. To date, as an important by-product of Torreya grandis, comprehensive studies regarding the Torreya grandis seed coat phenolic composition are lacking, which greatly limits its in-depth use. Therefore, in the present study, the Torreya grandis seed coat was extracted by acid aqueous ethanol (TE), and NMR and UHPLC-MS were used to identify the major phenolics. Together with the already known phenolics including protocatechuic acid, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and epicatechin gallate, the unreported new compound 2-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenylethyl) malonic acid was discovered. The results of the antioxidant properties showed that both TE and 2-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenylethyl) malonic acid exhibited strong ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity, and significantly improved the O/W emulsion's oxidation stability. These results indicate that the TE and 2-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenylethyl) malonic acid could possibly be used in the future to manufacture functional foods or bioactive ingredients. Moreover, further studies are also needed to evaluate the biological activity of TE and 2-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenylethyl) malonic acid to increase the added value of Torreya grandis by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qaidam Basin is the highest and one of the largest and driest deserts on Earth. It is considered a mars analog area in China. In contrast to numerous studies concerning its geology, geophysical, and chemistry, relatively few studies have reported microbial diversity and distribution in this area. Here, we investigated culturable yeast diversity in the northeast Qaidam Basin. A total of 194 yeast strains were isolated, and 12 genera and 21 species were identified, among which 19 were basidiomycetous yeasts. Naganishia albida, N. adeliensis, and Filobasidium magnum were the three most dominant species and were distributed in thirteen samples from eight locations. Five new species (Filobasidium chaidanensis, Kondoa globosum, Symmetrospora salmoneus, Teunia nitrariae, and Vishniacozyma pseudodimennae) were found and described based on ITS and D1D2 gene loci together with phenotypic characteristics and physiochemical analysis. Representative strains from each species were chosen for the salt-tolerant test, in which species showed different responses to different levels of NaCl concentrations. Further, the strain from soil can adapt well to the higher salt stress compared to those from plants or lichens. Our study represents the first report of the yeast diversity in the Qaidam Basin, including five new species, and also provides further information on the halotolerance of yeasts from the saline environment in mars analog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on artificial intelligence for brain injury is currently a prominent area of scientific research. A significant amount of related literature has been accumulated in this field. This study aims to identify hotspots and clarify research resources by conducting literature metrology visualization analysis, providing valuable ideas and references for related fields. The research object of this paper consists of 3000 articles cited in the core database of Web of Science from 1998 to 2023. These articles are visualized and analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. The bibliometric analysis reveals a continuous increase in the number of articles published on this topic, particularly since 2016, indicating significant growth. The United States stands out as the leading country in artificial intelligence for brain injury, followed by China, which tends to catch up. The core research institutions are primarily universities in developed countries, but there is a lack of cooperation and communication between research groups. With the development of computer technology, the research in this field has shown strong wave characteristics, experiencing the early stage of applied research based on expert systems, the middle stage of prediction research based on machine learning, and the current phase of diversified research focused on deep learning. Artificial intelligence has innovative development prospects in brain injury, providing a new orientation for the treatment and auxiliary diagnosis in this field. • Bibliometric analysis of research on artificial intelligence(AI) in brain injury. • Describe the spatial and temporal distribution of research resources of brain injury. • Result shows the research topic of AI in brain injury is divided into three stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to global warming, global and regional extreme precipitation events occur frequently, causing severe drought and flood disasters. This has a significant impact on productivity and human life. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the characteristics of extreme precipitation and its spatiotemporal variation. In this study, we investigate the dominant variation patterns of extreme precipitation (EP), which is characterized by indices, and also analyze its potential causes in the Shandong province of China during 1961–2015 using the daily precipitation data from 123 metrological stations. The results show that there has been a dry trend in the Shandong Province in the past 55 years, that is, with the decrease in precipitation, most of the extreme precipitation index has basically showed a downward trend to varying degrees. In particular, the increase in the number of consecutive dry days (CDD) and the decrease in the number of consecutive wet days (CWD) can better explain the drought in this region. After the 1980s, the extreme precipitation index basically showed an upward trend to varying degrees, indicating that extreme precipitation events have shown an increasing trend in recent years. The spatial distribution of each extreme precipitation index generally increased from north to south. The mutation of each extreme precipitation index occurred in the 1970s and 1990s, and there was a main period of 0.9–2.2 years. In terms of influencing factors, the NINO3 area can be used as the critical sea area for the response of extreme precipitation to SSTAs in the Shandong Province. The research results are helpful to understand the temporal and spatial variations of extreme precipitation and have very important reference value for the prediction of and response to climate change and extreme events in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kuqa Basin is an important potentially potash-bearing basin in China, and thick salt-bearing strata were deposited under the influence of multistage Tethyan transgression-regression cycles during the Eocene. At present, research on the process of potash formation in the Kuqa Basin has mostly focused on traditional salt mineralogy, whole-rock geochemistry, and evaporite sedimentary evolution characteristics. However, research on the original ore-forming parent fluid directly related to potash formation has not yet been carried out, directly hindering further evaluation of potash mineralization. Therefore, this paper takes the internal factors controlling potash formation as the starting point and analyzes the physical and chemical properties, such as the homogenization temperatures ( T h ) and chemical compositions, of primary halite fluid inclusions. A total of 220 T h data from fluid inclusions were obtained, and the temperatures ranged from 9.4 to 54.1°C, indicating a high-temperature brine environment conducive to the rapid deposition of the potash deposit. In total, 22 halite fluid inclusions were analyzed for chemical components. The highest KCl content reached 0.59%, which was higher than the lowest industrial grade of potassium-rich brine (0.5%), indicating that the brine experienced a high degree of evaporation and concentration during the salt-forming period and reached the potash precipitation stage. This paper provides quantitative data on the evolution of the sedimentary environment in the Kuqa Basin and supports future potash exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea is one of the most popular beverages, it has many health benefits and flavor properties due to the presence of numerous secondary metabolites. Camellia assamica is also a main source of tea, which is mainly planted in the regions of southwest China. In this study, a non-targeted and targeted metabolomics analysis and sensory evaluation on tea leaves with and without mistletoe (Viscum articulatum) was carried out using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RNA-seq-based transcriptomic analysis was conducted in parallel on the same samples, subsequently gene expression and metabolic differentiation were also investigated. Tea leaves with mistletoe presented much lower contents of (−)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, (−)-gallocatechin gallate and (−)-epicatechin gallate, but significantly higher levels of free amino acids including Arg, Asp, GABA and Gln than that without mistletoe. Transcriptomic analysis also confirmed the main differentially expressed genes (DEGs) containing phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were down-regulated, but genes of amino acid biosynthesis were up-regulated. qRT-PCR analysis further revealed that the relative expression of CsCHS , CsC4H , CsANS , CsLAR , and CsF3H was hindered, while CsglyA and CsilvE expression was increased. [Display omitted] • Viscum articulatum affects the secondary metabolism of tea host plant. • Tea polyphenols biosynthesis was down-regulated, but amino acids increased. • The expression of CsCHS , CsC4H , CsANS , CsANR , CsLAR and CsF3H down-regulated. • CsglyA , CsGLU and CsglnA were positively correlated with the accumulation of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study area shows a greening trend while terrestrial water storage (TWS) decreases. • TWS is more sensitive to runoff change in plain area. • Human activities are the critical cause of TWS depletion. With the heightened threat of declining terrestrial groundwater, determining the effects of changing environments on terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA) is essential for water resource management. As a critical element of the water cycle, the multi-effects of the natural and artificial factors on TWSA were still not fully understood and quantified. Using multiple high-resolution data products and the structural equation model (SEM), this study discussed how climate, vegetation, and human activities affected terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the West Liao River basin (WLRB), China, from 1990 to 2020. The results confirmed that vegetation showed a greening trend while TWS depleted at 5.93 cm/10a in the WLRB. TWS in greening areas has a negative correlation with vegetation growth. The decline in TWS is mainly dominated by precipitation and runoff variability. By influencing eco-hydrological cycle processes, climate change and human activities affect TWS through direct and indirect(by influencing NDVI) pathways. Land use change, manifested as conversion of grassland into cropland, contributed to the most decline of TWS (51.2 %). Moreover, the crop yield increasing, climate warming, and vegetation greening could lead to TWS depletion. Spatially, the overexploitation of the groundwater for irrigation to support crop production was probably the most critical cause of TWS depletion over upstream of the WLRB. Furthermore, in the West Liao Plain, the intensified vegetation greenness also led to the increasing ecosystem water demand, resulting in the decrease of TWS. This study improves our understanding of the interaction of the basinal eco-hydrological system and provides a hint that reducing groundwater extraction and implementing agriculture fallow is essential to recovering water storage and alleviating the water resource crisis in the agro-pastoral ecotone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Panax notoginseng triol saponins (PTS) has been used clinically for ischemic stroke therapy (IST) in China for more than 17 years due to its anti-platelet aggregation and neuro-protective effects, but its mechanism of action is not fully understand. In this study, anti-platelet aggregation-related protein analysis and computer simulations of drug-protein binding interactions were performed to explore the mechanism of the effects of PTS against ischemic stroke in an ischemia reperfusion model. Methods: Three oral doses of PTS were administered in a model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Panax notoginseng total saponins (PNS) and a combination of PTS and aspirin were chosen for comparison. To evaluate therapeutic effects and explore possible mechanisms of anti-platelet aggregation, we measured cerebral infarct size and water content in brain tissue, histomorphological changes, expression of related factors (such as arachidonic acid metabolites) and platelet receptors in serum, as well as the binding affinity of PTS for platelet adhesion receptors. Results: Compared with PNS, PTS showed a stronger and more potent anti-platelet aggregation effect in MCAO model rats. The combination of PTS and aspirin could reduce adverse gastrointestinal effects by regulating the TXA2/PGI2 ratio. We demonstrated for the first time that PTS was able to regulate Glycoprotein Ib-α (GP1BA) in a model animal. The binding of ginsenoside Rg1 and GP1BA could form a stable structure. Moreover, PTS could reduce von Willebrand factor (VWF)-mediated platelet adhesion to damaged vascular endothelium, and thus enhance the probability of anti-platelet aggregation and anti-thrombosis under pathological conditions. Conclusions: Our results showed that GP1BA was closely related to the anti-platelet aggregation action of PTS, which provided new scientific and molecular evidence for its clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The universal two-child policy was implemented in January 2016 in China. The objective of this study was to compare the influence of change in fertility policy on obstetric issues.Study Design: 2016 was taken as the cut-off point, and a retrospective study was conducted on data of patients who delivered in the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 2014 to December 2018. Maternal characteristics, mode of delivery, and pregnancy outcomes were studied in detail.Results: Total 8931 babies were delivered from 2014 to 2018. There was a marked increase in the birth rate after the two-child policy. The percentage of elderly pregnant women and rate of cesarean sections increased significantly in 2017 and 2018. The primary cesarean section rates in 2017 and 2018 were significantly lower than those in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Increased incidence of placenta previa and postpartum hemorrhage were observed; however, no significant differences were seen in the rates of hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes mellitus, and neonatal asphyxia within these five years.Conclusion: The implementation of two-child policy has changed the mode of obstetrics and has presented great challenges. With hierarchical management of high-risk patients and control of the cesarean section rate, we can ensure the safety of pregnant women and newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution events frequently occur in China during the winter. Most investigations of pollution studies have focused on the physical and chemical properties of PM2.5. Many of these studies have indicated that PM2.5 exacerbates asthma or eosinophil inflammation. However, few studies have evaluated the relationship between bacterial loads in PM2.5, and especially pathogenic bacteria and childhood asthma. Airborne PM2.5 samples from heavily polluted air were collected in Hangzhou, China between December 2014 and January 2015. PM2.5 and ovalbumin (OVA) were intratracheally administered twice in 4-week intervals to induce the allergic pulmonary inflammation in adolescent C57/BL6 mice. PM2.5 exposure caused neutrophilic alveolitis and bronchitis. In the presence of OVA, the levels of the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-12, and IL-17 were significantly increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) after PM2.5 exposure, while eosinophil infiltration and mucin secretion were also induced. In addition to adjuvant effects on OVA-induced allergic inflammation, PM2.5 exposure also led to the maturation of dendritic cells. These results suggest that PM2.5 exposure may aggravate lung eosinophilia and that PM2.5-bound microbial can exacerbate allergic and inflammatory lung diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious coryza (IC), an acute respiratory disease of chickens, is caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum. Here, the current epidemiological status of IC was investigated in China over 5 yr (2013 to 2018). A total of 28 Av. paragallinarum field isolates were identified by PCR tests and by sequence analysis of the hemagglutinin gene. The pathogenicities of 4 field isolates, the efficacy of 2 commercial inactivated oil-emulsion IC vaccines and vaccines containing different Av. paragallinarum isolates were also evaluated. The PCRs revealed a high rate (51.5%) of sample positivity for Av. paragallinarum during 2013 to 2018. Phylogenetic analysis showed that most field strains fell into the same cluster and had a farther genetic relationship with the early isolates from China. Pathogenicity testing revealed that the Chinese Av. paragallinarum isolates were able to induce the typical clinical signs of IC; hence, they were clearly pathogenic to chickens. Vaccine efficacy tests revealed that the 2 commercial inactivated oil-emulsion IC vaccines we tested had low protection rates against 2 selected Av. paragallinarum isolates after a single immunization, whereas the inactivated vaccine containing the Av. paragallinarum BJ26 isolate generated a relatively high protection rate against the field isolates compared with other three tested vaccines. The results indicate that IC is currently prevalent in China, and that commercial vaccines have not counteracted its presence in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jiangxi Province is a biodiversity hotspot in the People's Republic of China and has abundant land-snail species (247). Beta diversity is a key concept for understanding the functioning of ecosystems, the conservation of biodiversity, and the management of ecosystems. Here, the pattern of beta diversity for land snails in Jiangxi Province was analyzed. The results showed that the spatial turnover component was the main contributor to beta diversity, indicating that additional conservation efforts must target an increase in the number of protected areas, which should be spread across each one of the areas, to maximize the protection of species diversity. The nestedness component of diversity was always low, but there was a marked difference between microsnails, in which zero values occurred in 41.3% of all cases, and macrosnails, in which zero values occurred in only 2.7% of cases. There was a difference in the pattern of beta diversity between the two. The principal coordinate analysis showed a clear pattern with four groups in Jiangxi Province. In addition, we found significant effects of precipitation and altitude on overall beta diversity. These results will provide important basic information for the conservation of biodiversity in land snails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenge for sustainable development in China lies in promoting the green transformation of enterprises. Industrial intelligence provides a novel avenue for this shift towards sustainability. This study uses a database of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2019, focusing on 813 high-polluting firms, to examine the impact of industrial intelligence on green transformation through a two-way fixed effects model. The findings reveal that industrial intelligence significantly facilitates the green transition of businesses; however, these effects substantially vary across various businesses. Honestly, state-owned enterprises, manufacturing sectors, and energy production and supply industries documented more pronounced impacts. Government interference hinders the positive effects of industrial intelligence on green transformation, while marketization enhancement has a positive moderating effect. In contrast, the financial market's moderating effect is negligible. It suggests that governments would increase the use of industrial intelligence, reduce government involvement, optimize financial markets, and enhance marketization to encourage green development in firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new method of online, real-time prediction of downstream water levels is posed. • The Gezhouba Hydropower Plant in China is used as a reregulation case study. • A back propagation neural network-based prediction model is utilized. • Model water level predictions could fully meet real-time station dispatching needs. The forecasting accuracy of downstream water levels greatly impacts the economic operation of reregulating hydropower stations. If present, large errors in water level forecasting may require the hydropower station to discard water, which decreases the revenue from hydropower generation. Especially when the reregulating hydropower station undertakes the task of peak load regulation of the power grid, its power output may change drastically over a short period of time. Such large changes in the discharged flow of the hydropower station may inevitably cause an unsteady flow, which can lead to large fluctuations in the water levels of downstream rivers. In this case, the current forecasting methods, such as standard rating curves and empirical formulae, may inevitably result in large deviations when forecasting the change in the downstream water level. In order to reduce the volume of water discarded as a result of forecasting errors, a back propagation neural network-based forecasting model for downstream water levels of a reregulating hydropower station was constructed. The model enabled the direct, accurate, real-time forecasting of changes in downstream water levels by using measurable operation data from a hydropower station and process data on downstream water level changes. This method was applied to the actual hydropower generation dispatch of the Gezhouba Hydropower Plant in China. The results showed that as the peak load regulation volume increased, the forecasting errors of two conventional methods (standard rating curves and empirical formulae) became continuously superimposed. However, the water level forecasting error of the neural network-based method was small and could fully meet the real-time dispatching requirements of the hydropower station. In particular, under large peak load regulations, the maximum absolute values of the forecasting errors of the two conventional methods were close to 1 m, while that of the neural network-based method could be controlled within 0.3 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: European researchers have underscored associations between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2287622 of the hepatobiliary bile salt export pump (BSEP) gene and the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The distributions of SNP rs2287622 are racially specific. This study was aimed to preliminarily investigate the distribution of BSEP gene SNP rs2287622 in the Han patients with chronic HCV-infection (CHC) in Hunan, China.Methods: BSEP gene SNP rs2287622 of 165 CHC patients, 99 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 99 healthy individuals were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and nucleotide sequencing.Results: The overall frequencies of the C allele of BESP gene SNP rs2287622 in the CHC patients, CHB patients and healthy individuals were 74.2, 72.7 and 74.2%, respectively (P > 0.05). The overall odds ratios (ORs) aiming at predicting CHC risk by comparing the ratios of the frequency distribution of alleles or genotypes in the CHC group with those in the non-CHC group had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). However, the CHC ORs of CC vs TT, TC vs TT and CC + CT vs TT among the individuals aged over 40 years were 2.680, 3.122 and 2.824 respectively (P < 0.05), and the higher risk did not relate to gender, HCV genotypes and presence of HCV-related liver cirrhosis.Conclusions: Among the Han individuals aged over 40 years in Hunan, China, genotype CC or CT of BSEP gene SNP rs2287622 may correlate with higher risk of CHC in comparison with genotype TT. Further study with a larger cohort is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic environment, linked to the sustainable development of human existence and ecological environment, is influenced comprehensively by anthropogenic and natural activities. In light of the continuously low concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) in surface water in plain river networks and the phenomenon of delay in the improvement of surface water quality, this research aims to introduce a method that may be utilized in identifying the critical driving forces of DO in surface water and their lagging characteristics, which will contribute to the assessment and adjustment of water quality drivers and/or policies. The research analyzes a typical small watershed in a river network region of the Yangtze River Delta plain as the study area, collecting 35-year (1986–2020) data on several water quality parameters, decades of anthropogenic activities, and two natural factors. The time series methods of vector autoregressive model, Granger causality tests, forecast error variance decompositions, and impulse response functions (hereinafter referred to as VAR+), which are rarely applied in related research, were employed in this study and proved helpful for screening out pivotal drivers and capturing the lagging responses of DO level to driving forces at each lagged time. Results show that there exists a fluctuating drop in DO level in surface water from 1986 to 2008 and a steady climb from 2008 to 2020, with the lowest DO level being present in 2008. The impulsive perturbations of phosphate fertilizer consumption (PFC), motor vessel number, and precipitation minimally increase DO concentration, while the impulsive perturbation of gross domestic product (GDP) causes the sharpest drop in DO level. With these perturbations, the driving force of PFC persists for approximately seven years, and the driving forces of water temperature, permanent population, and GDP persist for only five years. Future research could be conducted with spatial hysteresis, selection of lag order and variable quantity within the model, as well as intermediate variables between drivers and DO level for exploring driving pathways and mechanisms. [Display omitted] • VAR based method captures the lagging responses of DO level to driving forces. • The driving force of phosphorus fertilizer on DO level lasts for 7 years. • Phosphorus fertilizer and rainfall are key drivers of DO level in surface water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affiliation 2: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, School of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Correction to: I Scientific Reports i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04905-9, published online 17 January 2022 In the original version of this Article, Affiliation 1 and 2 were not listed in the correct order. [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • The Daleishan pluton was emplaced at around 800 Ma. • The pluton is composed of granites which belong to I-type, not A-type. • The granites formed via melting of mafic rocks and the magmas underwent fractional crystallization. • Tectonic transition in northern Yangtze Block occurred during 800–780 Ma. The northern margin of the Yangtze Block was thought to have witnessed the tectonic shift from a compressional setting to an extensional setting at ca. 820 Ma, or to have remained as a subduction-related setting until ca. 700 Ma. Our new geochronological, isotopic, and geochemical data for the Daleishan granitic Pluton, which is the largest batholith in the Hong'an Terrane of the Qinling-Tongbai-Dabie Orogen, central China, provide new constraints on the Neoproterozoic magmatic and tectonic evolution of the Yangtze Block. Four representative samples from the Daleishan Pluton yield consistent zircon U–Pb ages within analytical errors of ca. 800 Ma. Samples from the pluton exhibit evolved compositions, including high SiO 2 (71.53–77.05 wt%) and K 2 O (3.93–5.00 wt%) contents, low Zr/Hf (22–37) and Nb/Ta (7.9–16.4) ratios, enrichment in Rb, Th and U, and depletion in Ba, Sr, Eu, and Ti, with rare earth element tetrad effects in the chondrite-normalized element patterns. The studied samples have slightly elevated zircon δ18O values (+5.64 ‰ to + 7.11 ‰) relative to the mantle value but negative zircon ε Hf (t) (mostly of −12.0 to −5.5) and bulk rock ε Nd (t) (−9.6 to −7.9) values. Our new geochemical data classify the rocks as moderately to highly-fractionated I-type granite, rather than A-type granite as previously thought. These rocks may have been derived from the partial melting of mafic rocks in the region and the magma underwent fractional crystallization. Integrating the new and published data, we propose that the emplacement of the Daleishan Pluton was associated with the final stage of early Neoproterozoic oceanic-crust subduction along the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. Accordingly, a mid-Neoproterozoic tectonic transition from convergence to extension in response to the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent may have occurred at 800–780 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prices of primary energy have been ineluctably raised up due to the enormous energy consumption in China, and the economy suffers a lot from the severe energy shortage. Therefore, the necessity of using renewable energy in China is particularly important. Biodiesel has become one of the major renewable fuels of biomass energy. Since China׳s biodiesel industry just starts at the primary stage, improving the production capacity of biodiesel for meeting the soaring on energy demands is more necessary for the sustainable development in China. The materials for biodiesel production are various and sufficient in China, that indicates China could have a brilliant potentiality in the production capacity of biodiesel; however, whether such prediction could be true is still needed to be discussion in depth and further. For well answering the query, the development of biodiesel industry in China has been systematically reviewed upon the terms of production and consumption, and three essential aspects (‘how to sufficiently take advantage of such plentiful feedstock for obtaining a satisfied production capacity’, ‘how to reasonably use such biodiesel in each region’, and ‘how to scientifically encourage the development of Chinese biodiesel industry’) have been discussed. From the review and discussions, it can be concluded that the rising China׳s biodiesel industry is still behind the actual demand asked by 12th Five-Years Plan and continuous introduction of capitals is the effective method to a further development. Meanwhile, the development of China׳s biodiesel industry is highly depended on the raw materials whose sources and production capability are remarkably different in different regions, and hence make standards on the quality of biodiesel is essential and crucial to the further development. Furthermore, adjusting tax policies and forcing the application of biodiesel as addition to fossil diesel can effective establish and enlarge the market of biodiesel in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With being listed in the Stockholm Convention, the ban on short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) has been put on the agenda in China. Based on the literature over the past decade, this study comprehensively analyzed the occurrence, distribution of and human exposure to SCCPs in China, aiming to provide a reference for the changes in SCCPs after the ban. SCCPs were ubiquitous in environmental matrices, and the levels were considerably higher than those in other countries. SCCPs from the emission region were 2–4 orders of magnitude higher than those in the background area. Environmental processes may play an important role in the SCCP profiles in the environment, and C10 and Cl6 were identified as potential factors distinguishing their spatial distribution. River input was the dominant source in the sea areas, and atmospheric transport was the main source in the remote inland areas. Ingestion and dermal absorption and food intake may pose potential risk to residents, especially for children and infants. More studies are needed on their temporal trend, source emission and environmental degradation. The enactment of the restriction order will have a great impact on China's CP industry; nevertheless, it will play a positive role in the remediation of SCCP pollution in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature pertaining to futures price prediction using decomposition ensemble algorithms, little has been discussed in regard to determining the optimal number of decompositions and the extent to which information should be integrated. To investigate the effectiveness of multiple price decompositions in improving the accuracy of deep learning models for futures prices, we conducted an empirical study on the daily closing prices of China's main contracts for gold, zinc, soybean meal, crude oil, iron ore, and PTA futures. We utilized a variety of prevalent deep learning models and two groups of benchmark models: shallow machine learning models and regression models. To split the prices into basic components, we proposed a VMD-EEMD technique and fed them to the models. By controlling the decomposition times and model types, we further studied the predictive performance of the deep learning models against benchmark models without decomposition or with only VMD. Our empirical evidence showed that multiple price decompositions, as an input engineering technique, proved to be an effective approach for enhancing the prediction accuracy of deep learning models applied to financial equities. The average percentages of error reduction of double decomposition against single decomposition are 6.13%, 9.45%, 7.09%, and 4.91% for the four common performance metrics: MAE, MSE, MAPE, and RMSE, respectively. Moreover, we explored the necessity of secondary decomposition and optimal decomposition times to balance prediction accuracy and model complexity. These findings provide important theoretical implications and practical guidance for researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carsharing service has experienced significant growth over the past few years in China, yet few studies have scrutinized the multi-city variations of this service. Using carsharing data from 61 cities in China, we analyzed the usage and efficiency of each city and investigated the impact of system and urban factors on the service performance. The study reveals vast differences in carsharing supply and demand across Chinese cities. Our results show the parking station density and the parking lot to vehicle ratio of the carsharing system are positively related to the usage. Urban factors such as public transportation availability, educational attainment levels, and vehicle restriction policies, are found to have significantly positive associations with the carsharing usage. However, no urban factors demonstrate significant associations with the efficiency measured by vehicle utilization rate. Moreover, the presence of other competing carsharing services within a city exhibits a positive impact on the performance of carsharing systems. This study also examined nonlinear effects of the factors. It provides valuable insights into the management of carsharing services in China, which can inform policy-making and operational strategies for sustainable development of carsharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the past 40 years, China has experienced tremendous economic development, but the current situation of hematologists has rarely been reported. A landscape survey of human resources is essential for healthcare development and policy formulation in the future. Methods: The Chinese Society of Hematology initiated a survey of Chinese hematologists in mainland China for evaluating demographic and practice characteristics. Respondents were anonymous, and there were no limitations regarding their age, sex, etc. Results: Totally 2032 hematologists responded, with a median age bracket of 36–45 years. Respondents were well engaged into subspecialties, and 28.1% acquired doctorates of philosophy. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) centers have been established all over China. Higher-GDP regions reported more advantages, including bigger scale of transplant centers (P < 0.001), younger age structure (P = 0.039), better education qualifications (P = 0.001) and less turnover intentions (P = 0.004), despite of increased risk of medical disputes (P = 0.028). Although females accounted for 65.5% of hematologists, males were older (P < 0.001), and had more senior professional titles (P < 0.001), academic positions (P < 0.001), opportunities for continuing education (P < 0.001), and paper publishing in the recent two years (P = 0.001). For turnover intention, the higher GDP regions led to an independently reduced risk (HR = 0.673, 95%CI [0.482–0.940], P = 0.020), whereas medical disputes resulted in an increased the risk (HR = 2.037, 95%CI [1.513–2.743], P < 0.001). Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, majority of respondents believed that the decline in patient visits and delay in treatment was within 30%. 67.9% of respondents reported a decrease of the use of bone marrow as grafts but 18.8% reported an increase of cord blood units. 35.0% of the respondents switched their daily work to support the anti-epidemic medical activities. Conclusions: We concluded the discipline of hematology in China has flourished in recent years with a young workforce, while regional economic and gender disparities warrant further continuous optimization. Joint efforts against the impact of COVID-19 are needed in the post-pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastes and dust discharged from aluminum factory generally result in soil contamination and may cause enrichment of Cadmium (Cd) in local crops. However, the pattern of Cd enrichment in the vegetables by contaminated soil of aluminum factory and their health risk are unclear. In this study, a total of 12 species of vegetables including 163 samples were collected around an abandoned aluminum factory. The results showed that 21% of the leafy vegetables with Cd exceeding Food Safety Standard Limit of China. The Cd in vegetables collected from different distances of four directions from the abandoned aluminum factory had no significant differences (p>0.05). Our results indicate that the highest hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk of Cd in vegetables are 1 km and 7-10 km away from abandoned aluminum factory respectively. The HQ values of Cd in vegetables for children and adults are within the safe range, however CR values of Cd in vegetables for both children and adults are higher than the acceptable limit of USEPA (10-6), suggesting potential health risks. The health risks for children aged 2-6 years old are higher than aged 7-17 years old and adults due to the less amount of vegetable intake by children. The intake risks of Cd in different vegetables are spinach>green vegetables>red leafy vegetables>cabbage>radish leafy>stem vegetables>sweet potato leaves>pumpkin leaves>beans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Eco-compensation demand became aggregated in eastern and western of the YREB. • Climate change is the main environment metric to affect the eco-compensation demand. • The contribution of climate on eco-compensation demands increased in eastern YREB. Climate change may substantially affect the validity of identifying eco-compensation demand. Exploring the temporal-spatial variation in eco-compensation demands and assessing the contribution of climate change are essential for improving the justice and effectiveness. Since 2000, Chinese government implemented ambitious ecological and economic policies at Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) to balance the relationship between environment protection and socio-economic development. We selected YREB to explore the driving factors of temporal-spatial variation in eco-compensation demands for two major ecosystem services, i.e. carbon storage and oxygen release. The results (1) spatially, the eco-compensation demand became aggregated in the eastern and western areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2003 to 2015; (2) the climate has become more suitable for vegetation growth in the changed eastern area (CE) from 2003 to 2015, while the changed central area (CC) presents a drier trend from 2003 to 2011; (3) during the study period, the climate change became the main factors among the environment metrics to affect identifying the eco-compensation demand, specifically, compared to the period 2003–2005, the contribution of climate change on eco-compensation demands in changed central area (CC) and changed eastern area (CE), during 2006–2015, increased from 16.90% to 18.43% and from 2.72% to 11.89%, respectively. This study could help policymakers addressing reliable compensation policies for regional sustainable development and may guide researchers in providing more practical and comprehensive eco-compensation approaches in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of limiting factors such as rainfall intensity, rainfall duration, grass type and vegetation coverage on the stormwater runoff of urban green space was investigated in Tianjin. The prediction equation of stormwater runoff was established by the quantitative theory with the lab experimental data of soil columns. It was validated by three field experiments and the relative errors between predicted and measured stormwater runoff are 1.41, 1.52 and 7,35%, respectively. The results implied that the prediction equation could be used to forecast the stormwater runoff of urban green space. The results of range and variance analysis indicated the sequence order of limiting factors is rainfall intensity > grass type > rainfall duration > vegetation coverage. The least runoff of green land in the present study is the combination of rainfall intensity 60.0 mm/h, duration 60.0 min, grass Festuca arundinacea and vegetation coverage 90.0%. When the intensity and duration of rainfall are 60.0 mm/h and 90.0 min, the predicted volumetric runoff coefficient is 0.23 with Festuca arundinacea of 90.0% vegetation coverage. The present approach indicated that green space is an effective method to reduce stormwater runoff and the conclusions are mainly applicable to Tianjin and the semi-arid areas with main summer precipitation and long-time interval rainfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aims at the remediation of heavily PAH-contaminated soil containing 375mg of total PAHs per kilogram dry soil. Pilot scale bioremediation experiments were carried out by three approaches with contaminated soil from abandoned sites of Beijing Coking Plant using outdoor pot trials. The first approach was bioaugmentation with a bacterial strain which degrades PAH and produces bioemulsifier, the second approach comprised of biostimulation of indigenous microorganisms with supplementing nutrients and the last approach involved the combination of both biostimulation and bioaugmentation. An on-site land farming group was set as a control in which the total PAHs and 4–6 ring-PAHs were reduced by 23.4% and 10.1%, respectively after 175 days. Meanwhile, in the first approach group, the total PAHs and 4–6 ring-PAHs were reduced by 26.82% and 35.36%, respectively; in the second approach group both percentages were 33.9% and 11.0%, respectively; while in the third approach group, these pollutants were reduced by 43.9% and 55.0%, respectively. The results obtained suggested that biostimulation and bioaugmentation combined could significantly enhance the removal of PAHs in the contaminated soil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Euphorbiaceae is one of the largest families of higher plants, including 7500 species, and many of them are used as medicines in China. From 2013 to 2019, a total of 455 previously undescribed diterpenoids were isolated from 53 species of Euphorbia, and some skeleton types were first discovered from the genus Euphorbia. Most of the diterpenoids isolated from Euphorbia spp. have been tested for their biological activity, and some of them were first reported for Euphorbia diterpenoids in recent years, such as neuroprotection, antimalarial activity and inhibition of osteoclast formation. In this review, we summarize all the isolated diterpenoids from the genus Euphorbia according to their skeleton types, classify all these diterpenoids into 26 normal classes and 37 novel skeleton types, and summarize their biological activity. [Display omitted] • 455 previously undescribed diterpenoids isolated from Euphorbia in recent years are summarized. • All diterpenoids are classified according to their skeletons. • The biological activities of diterpenoids are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drought propagation is assessed in varies different climatic areas and seasons across China. • Drought propagation probability is interpreted by a copula-based model. • Shorter drought propagation time is found in summer across China. • Humid areas present a higher correlation between MD and AD. • The probability of AD is affected by the severity of MD and climatic conditions. Agricultural drought has become a serious threat to the world food security and sustainable development. Although various characteristics have been investigated for agricultural drought assessment and early warning, the propagation of meteorological drought to agricultural drought is less than clear. This study investigated the spatiotemporal variations of characteristics of the propagation from meteorological drought to agricultural drought over China during the period of 1953–2012. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Soil moisture Index (SSI) were used to characterize meteorological drought and agricultural drought, respectively. The SSI-1 and SPI-m (1–12) were chosen as drought propagation series by correlation analysis to evaluate the correlation and propagation time between these two droughts. The probability of propagation in different regions of China was quantified using copula-based models. Results indicated that the strongest and the weakest correlations between meteorological drought and agricultural drought were found in summer (0.8–0.9) and in winter (0.5–0.8), respectively, while the propagation time increased from 1 to 2 months in summer to 2–7 months in the next spring. Spatially, correlation and propagation sensitivity between meteorological drought and agricultural drought were greater in humid areas than in other climatic zones. Further, the probability of agricultural drought occurrence was found to synchronously increase with the severity of meteorological drought. This study will help improve drought warning and forecasting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, serious drought-related disasters in China have received increased attention due to their significant impacts. Assessing drought variations was critical to ensure agricultural activity, social development, and human health. This study used the three-dimensional clustering method to investigate variations of drought events in historical (1971–2010) and future (SSP126 and SSP585, 2061-2100) periods in China based on observations and model simulations from Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). The variations and risk analysis of drought characteristics were assessed by copula-based methods. Results indicated that precipitation was projected to increase by 12.0% and 19.5% for the SSP126 and SSP585 scenarios, respectively, with substantial increases in arid and semi-arid regions. The drought duration, severity, and affected area are shown to increase based on the CMIP6 projections compared with historical periods. We also assessed drought return periods of multiple drought characteristics for each scenario by using the copula-based joint distribution. Based on the joint analysis of duration, severity, and affected area for meteorological drought, both the "or" and "and" return periods in the future indicated increased risks. Under global warming, extreme drought events with long duration, high intensity, and extended affected area were shown to occur more frequently in the future, especially under the SSP585 scenario. These results can aid the understanding and characterization of drought events for drought risk management under global warming. • Meteorological drought projected by CMIP6 was investigated by a three-dimensional method. • Drought duration, severity, and affected area were shown to increase in the future. • Both the "or" and "and" return periods indicated increased risks in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new groundwater drought, i.e., the standardized groundwater storage anomalies index was proposed. • There is an obvious lag effect of groundwater drought to meteorological drought in the North China Plain. • The influence of human activities on groundwater drought was explored. Groundwater drought is distinctive comparing with other droughts, featuring high concealment, long duration, and obvious hysteresis. It may have significant negative effects on agriculture, eco-environment, and social economy sectors. Therefore, investigating the temporal and spatial characteristics of groundwater drought and its driving factors is meaningful for monitoring and assessing the risks of groundwater shortage. In this study, a groundwater drought index based on groundwater storage anomalies (GWSAs) derived from GRACE satellites was developed to detect and analyze drought events. The spatiotemporal variations and trends of historical groundwater droughts from 2002 to 2021 in the North China Plain were evaluated. In addition, the correlations between groundwater drought and meteorological and agricultural drought were analyzed by the detrended cross-correlation analysis. The results indicated that (1) the standardized groundwater storage anomaly index (SGSAI) could better identify and characterize groundwater drought by eliminating the spatial heterogeneity of GWSAs; (2) from 2002 to 2021, the intensity, frequency, duration, and area of groundwater drought showed an increasing trend; (3) groundwater drought had an obvious hysteresis (>9 months) to meteorological drought and the correlation between groundwater drought and meteorological drought increased, while the relationship with agricultural drought decreased; (4) long-term overexploitation of groundwater resources might be the main driving factor for the exacerbating groundwater drought in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the association between the special subsidy policy and the mental health of loss/disability-of-single-child parents (LCPs/DCPs) in China and found that accepting the special subsidy is inversely related to the mental health of LCPs and DCPs. In addition, accepting the subsidy is more inversely related to the mental health of LCPs than DCPs, of rural parents than urban parents, of male parents than female parents, and of loss/disability-of-single-son parents than loss/disability-of-single-daughter parents. According to taboo trade-off theory, we proposed several explanations for the finding and put forward some policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Measuring digital economy level and ecological well-being performance. • Digital economy can significantly improve ecological well-being performance. • Employing the spatial Durbin model to explore spatial spillover effects. • Industrial structure optimization and technological innovation are mechanism variables. The booming digital economy (DIG) has deeply altered the pattern of people's lives and production and plays a key role in increasing human well-being and achieving urban sustainability. This study investigates the relationship between the DIG and ecological well-being performance (EWP) in the urban agglomerations of Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) and Pearl River Delta (PRD) from 2010 to 2020. The main results are as follows. Overall, the DIG can significantly enhance EWP. In terms of spatial spillover effect, there is no spatial spillover effect in BTH and YRD urban agglomerations, and there is a negative spatial spillover effect in PRD urban agglomerations. The overall performance is that the DIG promotes the growth of EWP in the region, while the increase of DIG in the neighboring regions will hinder the enhancement of EWP in the region. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the size of the direct contribution of the DIG to EWP is "PRD > YRD > BTH". Finally, technological innovation and industrial structure optimization are mechanism variables. This study offers direction for improving EWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Postpartum diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) influences women's appearance and health. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can affect the structure of the rectus abdominis muscles. However, the relationship between GDM and postpartum DRA is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between GDM and postpartum DRA. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 241 women in the first year postdelivery. Women with GDM were matched with those without GDM using propensity score matching. They underwent an oral glucose tolerance test during pregnancy and a random blood glucose test before delivery. At follow-up, DRA was diagnosed by palpation, and interrectus distance was measured using ultrasound to evaluate the severity of DRA. The strength of the rectus abdominis was evaluated using the manual muscle testing method. Results Among the 241 participants, 174 (72.2%) had postpartum DRA, and 46 women with GDM were matched with 46 women without GDM on the basis of propensity scores. Women with GDM had higher odds of experiencing postpartum DRA (adjusted odds ratio = 4.792; 95% CI = 1.672 to 13.736) and larger interrectus distance values at the upper part of the rectus abdominis than those without GDM. There was a weak and positive correlation between the fasting oral glucose tolerance test level and the interrectus distance values (0.267 ≤  r  ≤ 0.367). Conclusion GDM was associated with postpartum DRA in women in the first year of delivery. Women with GDM had larger interrectus distance values at the upper part of the rectus abdominis than those without GDM. The fasting oral glucose tolerance test level showed a positive and weak correlation with the severity of postpartum DRA. Impact Women with GDM have higher odds of experiencing postpartum DRA than those without GDM. The upper part of the rectus abdominis deserves increased focus during and after rehabilitation. Controlling the fasting oral glucose tolerance test level may help reduce the severity of postpartum DRA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture is a key factor in ecosystems that profoundly affects carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles on land surfaces, vegetation growth, and climate change. Consequently, numerous scholars have researched and authored scientific literature on soil moisture and related topics. Using the Web of Science database, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of 60,581 papers published in the field of soil moisture between 2000 and 2022. The findings revealed the following trends. (1) The number of publications on soil moisture has consistently increased in the 21st century at an increasing rate. For instance, although the annual increase was only 94 publications in 2005, it surged to 321 publications in 2020. (2) The United States (US), China, and developed European countries emerged as primary research institutions and authors. The US occupies a leading position in soil moisture research, boasting the highest number of publications and total citations in the field, whereas China ranks second in both publications and total citations. (3) Regarding international collaboration, the US has established close partnerships with numerous international research institutions. However, China's international cooperation in this field requires improvement. (4) The Journal of Hydrology holds the top position in terms of both the total number of published articles and citations. Research on water resources ranked first in terms of its H-index. (5) Keyword analysis highlighted several current research hotspots, including the coupled covariance effect of soil moisture and land surface environmental factors in the context of climate change, soil moisture utilization rate, crop yield, influence mechanism of soil moisture on soil ecosystem structure, and development of high-precision soil moisture data products. In conclusion, this study provides a systematic review of the research hotspots and trends in soil moisture studies in the 21st century. The objective is to offer a comprehensive reference to aid in understanding the evolutionary patterns of soil moisture research in multiple dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) of the uterine cervix have distinct biological behaviors and different treatment responses. Studies on immune features and genomic profiling of these two pathologic types were limited and mainly focused on small patient cohorts. From 2014 to 2021, 336 (254 SCC vs. 82 AC) cervical cancer patients who were diagnosed/treated in 7 medical centers in China were enrolled in the study. Next-generation sequencing of 425 cancer-relevant genes was performed on tumor tissues and liquid biopsies. Somatic alterations and immune response-related biomarkers were analyzed. Patient prognosis and immune infiltration were analyzed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). AC tended to have more immunotherapy resistance-related STK11 alterations (P = 0.039), a higher proportion of microsatellite instability (P = 0.21), and more actionable mutations (P = 0.161). In contrast, higher tumor mutational burdens (TMB; P = 0.01), a higher proportion of TMB-high patients (P = 0.016), and more PD-L1-high patients (P = 0.0013) were observed in SCC. Multiple genetic alterations and aberrant signaling pathways were specifically enriched in AC (e.g., TP53, KRAS, ERBB2, and ARID1A alterations) or SCC (e.g., PIK3CA, FBXW7, EP300, and BAP1 mutations). Notably, AC-enriched genetic changes were significantly associated with decreased infiltrations of various B cells, T cells, and dendritic cells, whereas SCC-associated molecular features tended to be associated with increased CD4+ T cell infiltrations. This was the first multi-center study revealing the immunologic and genomic features between SCC and AC in Chinese patients with cervical cancer. Our findings have illustrated the difference in genetic profiles of those two cervical cancer subtypes, which may suggest the possibility of differential treatment regimens, with better immunotherapy efficacy in SCC and targeted therapy options more favorable in AC. • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showed distinct immunologic and genomic features with adenocarcinoma (AC) in patients with cervical cancer. • SCC-enriched genetic changes were more associated with increased immune cell infiltration than AC-enriched genetic changes. • The genetic profile of SCC was more suggestive of sensitivity to immunotherapy and that AC might harbor more actionable mutations for targeted treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR‐T) cell therapy is highly effective in inducing complete remission in haematological malignancies. Severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is the most significant and life‐threatening adverse effect of this therapy. This multi‐centre study was conducted at six hospitals in China. The training cohort included 87 patients with multiple myeloma (MM), an external validation cohort of 59 patients with MM and another external validation cohort of 68 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The levels of 45 cytokines on days 1–2 after CAR‐T cell infusion and clinical characteristics of patients were used to develop the nomogram. A nomogram was developed, including CX3CL1, GZMB, IL4, IL6 and PDGFAA. Based on the training cohort, the nomogram had a bias‐corrected AUC of 0.876 (95% CI = 0.871–0.882) for predicting severe CRS. The AUC was stable in both external validation cohorts (MM, AUC = 0.907, 95% CI = 0.899–0.916; ALL/NHL, AUC = 0.908, 95% CI = 0.903–0.913). The calibration plots (apparent and bias‐corrected) overlapped with the ideal line in all cohorts. We developed a nomogram that can predict which patients are likely to develop severe CRS before they become critically ill, improving our understanding of CRS biology, and may guide future cytokine‐directed therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new ~1970 Ma dioritic block is recognized in the Hong'an terrain. • An alkaline intrusion display continental crustal geochemical signatures. • Incorporation of the subducted continental crust into mantle sources. • The Tiepu diorite indicates the final amalgamation between the eastern and western Yangtze Block microcontinents within the assembly of Columbia. It is uncertain whether the Yangtze Block was part of the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic Columbia supercontinent and, if so, where it was located within the supercontinent. Our analysis of a dioritic intrusion near Tiepu village in the southern Hong'an Terrane of central China provides new constraints on the Paleoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the Yangtze Block. Three representative samples from the Tiepu diorite yield zircon U–Pb ages within analytical error of ~1970 Ma. The diorites have narrow ranges of SiO 2 (53.5–57.7 wt%) and MgO (2.97–4.48 wt%). High contents of alkalis (K 2 O + Na 2 O = 6.70–10.2 wt%) and total rare-earth elements (∑REE = 570–803 ppm) suggest an affinity to intermediate alkaline rock. These rocks are generally characterized by arc-like trace-element patterns such as enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements and light REEs, and depletion in high-field-strength elements and heavy REEs. Zircons from the diorites display negative ε Hf (t) values (−12.5 to −3.1), and whole-rock samples show negative ε Nd (t) values (−6.53 to − 4.08). These isotopic characteristics are consistent with older crustal sources. Combining the new data and previous results from Paleoproterozoic rocks in the northern Yangtze Block, we propose a tectonic transition from pre- to post-collisional settings at ~2.0–1.95 Ga. The Tiepu alkaline diorite is interpreted as a syn -collisional magmatic intrusion that formed shortly after the cessation of oceanic plate subduction at ~2.0 Ga. The Tiepu alkaline diorite thus records the final tectonic amalgamation of the eastern and western Yangtze Block microcontinents during the assembly of Columbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The drought propagation process has been altered in LRB during the last 60 years. • Agricultural activities in headstream prolonged drought propagation time. • The urban area expansion in the midstream shorten drought propagation time. Meteorological drought is a precursor of hydrological drought. Understanding the propagation from meteorological drought to hydrological drought is important for the early warning of hydrological drought. This study investigated this drought propagation by analyzing the correlation between the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) (a metric of meteorological drought) and Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) (a metric of hydrological drought), over the upstream, midstream and downstream areas of the Luanhe River Basin (LRB). Results revealed little difference in meteorological drought characteristics between pre- and post-human disturbance period, while hydrological drought became more frequent. In the pre-human disturbance period, the drought propagation was mainly affected by catchment characteristics. The time of propagation of meteorological drought to hydrological drought was shorter in grassland dominated subbasin (1–5 months) than in forest dominated subbasin (4–7 months) in rainy season. The drought propagation in these two subbasins showed a similar lag time of 7–12 months, when it comes to dry season. Under the influence of changing environments and agricultural activities in upstream area, drought propagation prolonged from 4–9 months to 5–12 months during December through June. In the downstream area, the drought propagation time during October through April becomes 1–2 month shorter, which is likely caused by the increase in the domestic water supply and the expansion of the urban area. Results of this study will be helpful for the development of improved drought warning and forecasting system in arid and semi-arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to fit a properly nonlinear classification model from conventional well logs to lithofacies is a key problem for machine learning methods. Kernel methods (e.g., KFD, SVM, MSVM) are effective attempts to solve this issue due to abilities of handling nonlinear features by kernel functions. Deep mining of log features indicating lithofacies still needs to be improved for kernel methods. Hence, this work employs deep neural networks to enhance the kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) method and proposes a deep kernel method (DKM) for lithofacies identification using well logs. DKM includes a feature extractor and a classifier. The feature extractor consists of a series of KPCA models arranged according to residual network structure. A gradient-free optimization method is introduced to automatically optimize parameters and structure in DKM, which can avoid complex tuning of parameters in models. To test the validation of the proposed DKM for lithofacies identification, an open-sourced dataset with seven conventional logs (GR, CAL, AC, DEN, CNL, LLD, and LLS) and lithofacies labels from the Daniudi Gas Field in China is used. There are eight lithofacies, namely clastic rocks (pebbly, coarse, medium, and fine sandstone, siltstone, mudstone), coal, and carbonate rocks. The comparisons between DKM and three commonly used kernel methods (KFD, SVM, MSVM) show that (1) DKM (85.7%) outperforms SVM (77%), KFD (79.5%), and MSVM (82.8%) in accuracy of lithofacies identification; (2) DKM is about twice faster than the multi-kernel method (MSVM) with good accuracy. The blind well test inWell D13 indicates that compared with the other three methods DKM improves about 24% in accuracy, 35% in precision, 41% in recall, and 40% in F1 score, respectively. In general, DKM is an effective method for complex lithofacies identification. This work also discussed the optimal structure and classifier for DKM. Experimental results show that (m1, m2, 0) is the optimal model structure and linear SVM is the optimal classifier. (m1, m2, 0) means there are m1 KPCAs, and then m2 residual units. A workflow to determine an optimal classifier in DKM for lithofacies identification is proposed, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju, a traditional tea in southern China with high nutritional and health functions was used in this study. Optimized production conditions of a novel chrysanthemum rice wine (FRW) were obtained by the Box–Behnken design response surface experiment. FRW with best sensory quality was developed with 0.68% chrysanthemum, 0.79% Jiuqu and 0.81:1 liquid‐to‐solid ratio. Compared with rice wine (RW) control, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity of the FRW increased significantly. GC–MS analysis showed that more flavor compounds including alcohols, aldehydes, acids, and esters were detected in FRW. During the aging process, it was found that the antioxidant substances, the antioxidant activity and the flavor substances decreased, with the wine body tending to be homogenized. After 6 months of storage, overall sensory quality of FRW was more harmonious, with special nectar taste, which dramatically improved the flavor characteristics and functionality compared with traditional RW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]