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An in-house designed transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) instrument has been developed and commissioned at beamline BL18B of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF). BL18B is a hard (5-14 keV) X-ray bending-magnet beamline recently built with sub-20 nm spatial resolution in TXM. There are two kinds of resolution mode: one based on using a highresolution-based scintillator-lens-coupled camera, and the other on using a medium-resolution-based X-ray sCMOS camera. Here, a demonstration of full-field hard X-ray nano-tomography for high-Z material samples (e.g. Au particles, battery particles) and low-Z material samples (e.g. SiO2 powders) is presented for both resolution modes. Sub-50 nm to 100 nm resolution in three dimensions (3D) has been achieved. These results represent the ability of 3D non-destructive characterization with nano-scale spatial resolution for scientific applications in many research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storm surges, which may cause considerable casualties and economic losses, are among the most serious natural disasters that threaten the coastal areas of China. Storm surge disaster risk assessment can reflect the expected losses and severity of future storm surge impacts in coastal areas and thus provides important decision support for disaster prevention and mitigation. In this study, the Jinshan District in Shanghai was chosen as a case study area for establishing a high-precision storm surge numerical model. Based on typical historical storm surge disaster processes, key parameters were set up for a typhoon-induced probable maximum storm surge in Jinshan District. The inundation range and water depth distribution of such a typhoon-induced storm surge in Jinshan District were calculated, and the hazard level was classified. Based on land-use types and the distribution of important coastal disaster exposure, the vulnerability level of Jinshan District to storm surge disasters was evaluated. In light of the hazard and vulnerability levels to storm surge disasters, we assessed the risk-level distribution of such disasters in Jinshan District. The results show that the overall risk of storm surge disasters was high in this district. Most coastal areas of Shihua sub-district and Shanyang Town and some areas of Fengjing, Zhujing, and Tinglin Towns in Jinshan District were Level I storm disaster risk areas. The obtained results could serve as a basis for developing a methodology aimed at storm surge disaster risk assessment in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the spatio-temporal dynamics and evolution of land use/cover changes and urban expansion in Shanghai metropolitan area, China, during the transitional economy period (1979-2009) using multi-temporal satellite images and geographic information systems (GIS). A maximum likelihood supervised classification algorithm was employed to extract information from four landsat images, with the post-classification change detection technique and GIS-based spatial analysis methods used to detect land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes. The overall Kappa indices of land use/cover change maps ranged from 0.79 to 0.89. Results indicated that urbanization has accelerated at an unprecedented scale and rate during the study period, leading to a considerable reduction in the area of farmland and green land. Findings further revealed that water bodies and bare land increased, obviously due to large-scale coastal development after 2000. The direction of urban expansion was along a north-south axis from 1979 to 2000, but after 2000 this growth changed to spread from both the existing urban area and along transport routes in all directions. Urban expansion and subsequent LULC changes in Shanghai have largely been driven by policy reform, population growth, and economic development. Rapid urban expansion through clearing of vegetation has led to a wide range of eco-environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shanghai is physically and socio-economically vulnerable to accelerated sea level rise because of its low elevation, flat topography, highly developed economy and highly-dense population. In this paper, two scenarios of sea level rise and storm surge flooding along the Shanghai coast are presented by forecasting 24 (year 2030) and 44 (year 2050) years into the future and are applied to a digital elevation model to illustrate the extent to which coastal areas are susceptible to levee breach and overtopping using previously developed inflow calculating and flood routing models. Further, the socio-economic impacts are examined by combining the inundation areas with land use and land cover change simulated using GeoCA-Urban software package. This analysis shows that levee breach inundation mainly occurs in the coastal zones and minimally intrudes inland with the conservative protection of dike systems designed. However, storm surge flooding at the possible maximum tide level could cause nearly total inundation of the landscape, and put approximately 24 million people in Shanghai under direct risk resulting from consequences of flooding (e.g. contamination of potable water supplies, failure of septic systems, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and microalbuminuria are predictors of cardiovascular disease. The association of these factors of cardiovascular risk with fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose in a group of Chinese subjects was investigated. Design This was a cross-sectional cohort study. Subjects and methods In 1776 subjects randomly selected from the permanent residents of a community in the city of Shanghai, China, a simplified 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (fasting and 2-h postload blood sampling only) was performed, and serum CRP concentrations and urinary albumin : creatinine ratio were measured. Results Serum CRP concentration significantly increased from 1·62 mg/l in normoglycaemic subjects to 2·63 mg/l in subjects with impaired glucose regulation, and to 3·09 mg/l in newly diagnosed diabetic patients ( P < 0·0001). The corresponding prevalence of microalbuminuria also increased from 4·3% to 6·6% and to 11·4% ( P < 0·0001). Both before and after adjustment for confounders, fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose levels were significantly associated with serum CRP concentration and the risk of microalbuminuria ( P < 0·003). However, the association for CRP tended to be more prominent with 2-h postload plasma glucose than with fasting plasma glucose. Indeed, with adjustments applied, for 1 SD change in fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose concentration, serum CRP concentration increased by 14% and 18% (between the two regression coefficients, P = 0·01), respectively. With similar adjustments, for 1 SD change in fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose concentration, the odds of microalbuminuria increased by 28% and 32% ( P = 0·28 for the difference between 28% and 32%), respectively. Conclusions Our finding suggests that in Chinese plasma glucose, especially 2-h postload, is associated with biological markers of cardiovascular disease, such as serum CRP concentration and microalbuminuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Urban spatial restructuring in the globalization process is contingent and non-uniform due to the multiplicity of interactions among the different actors involved. The burgeoning literature on Chinese cities suggests that local forces play an active role in many disciplines. One of the primary places to study such interaction is the foreign enclave, a residential concentration intended for foreigners (including ethnic foreigners and ethnic Chinese from overseas) that is emerging in many large Chinese cities. However, the local authorities’ role in the formation of foreign enclaves has not been systematically examined. This article considers how the local authorities interpret the development of foreign enclaves and then how they design and implement strategies for them. Using the case of Gubei New District, the first and largest cluster of foreign housing projects in Shanghai, the article argues that developing foreign enclaves is central to the local governments’ pursuit of structural competitiveness. An examination of this process may shed some light on the local authorities’ dynamic response to the globalization of housing markets in Chinese cities, with shifting strategies corresponding to the varying perceived interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a multicenter investigational survey conducted in 76 hospitals in Shanghai between July and August 2004. The objective was to investigate the cancer pain status and physicians' pain management capabilities in Shanghai. A total of 923 cancer patients involved in the investigation completed a questionnaire which included general condition, self-assessment of pain and questions of pain control knowledge. The study results were analyzed concerning: reason for cancer pain, type and intensity of cancer pain, treatment methods, patients' understanding of addiction, patients' request for pain treatment, and patients' and physicians' viewpoint on current cancer pain treatment. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]