Hopes and challenges for giant panda conservation under climate change in the Qinling Mountains of China.

PubMed

Gong, Minghao; Guan, Tianpei; Hou, Meng; Liu, Gang; Zhou, Tianyuan

2017-01-01

One way that climate change will impact animal distributions is by altering habitat suitability and habitat fragmentation. Understanding the impacts of climate change on currently threatened species is of immediate importance because complex conservation planning will be required. Here, we mapped changes to the distribution, suitability, and fragmentation of giant panda habitat under climate change and quantified the direction and elevation of habitat shift and fragmentation patterns. These data were used to develop a series of new conservation strategies for the giant panda. Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China. Data from the most recent giant panda census, habitat factors, anthropogenic disturbance, climate variables, and climate predictions for the year 2050 (averaged across four general circulation models) were used to project giant panda habitat in Maxent. Differences in habitat patches were compared between now and 2050. While climate change will cause a 9.1% increase in suitable habitat and 9% reduction in subsuitable habitat by 2050, no significant net variation in the proportion of suitable and subsuitable habitat was found. However, a distinct climate change-induced habitat shift of 11 km eastward by 2050 is predicted firstly. Climate change will reduce the fragmentation of suitable habitat at high elevations and exacerbate the fragmentation of subsuitable habitat below 1,900 m above sea level. Reduced fragmentation at higher elevations and worsening fragmentation at lower elevations have the potential to cause overcrowding of giant pandas at higher altitudes, further exacerbating habitat shortage in the central Qinling Mountains. The habitat shift to the east due to climate change may provide new areas for giant pandas but poses severe challenges for future conservation.

Detrital zircon provenance of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi complex: Sedimentary record of collision of the North and South China blocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weislogel, A.L.; Graham, S.A.; Chang, E.Z.; Wooden, J.L.; Gehrels, G.E.; Yang, H.

2006-01-01

Using detrital zircon geochronology, turbidite deposystems fed from distinct sediment sources can be distinguished within the Songpan-Ganzi complex, a collapsed Middle to Late Triassic turbidite basin of central China. A southern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem initially was sourced solely by erosion of the Qinling-Dabie orogen during early Late Triassic time, then by Qinling-Dabie orogen, North China block, and South China block sources during middle to late Late Triassic time. A northern Songpan-Ganzi system was sourced by erosion of the Qinling-Dabie orogen and the North China block throughout its deposition. These separate deposystems were later tectonically amalgamated to form one complex and then uplifted as the eastern Tibet Plateau. ?? 2006 Geological Society of America.

Geochemical and Re-Os isotope constraints on the origin and age of the Songshugou peridotite massif in the Qinling orogen, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Hu; Yang, Jianzhou; Zhou, Guangyan; Liu, Chuanzhou; Zheng, Jianping; Zhang, Wen-Xiang; Zhao, Yu-Jie; Wang, Hao; Wu, Yuanbao

2017-11-01

The Songshugou peridotite massif in the Qinling orogenic belt is one of the largest orogenic spinel peridotite bodies in central China, but its origin remains controversial and its age is poorly constrained. We have carried out an integrated study of major and trace element composition, mineral chemistry, platinum group elements (PGE), as well as Re-Os isotope systematics of 1 harzburgite and 12 dunites from the Songshugou peridotite massif. These samples contain high Mg# olivine (90.0-91.3) and Cr# spinel (83.4-96.0). The harzburgite and dunites are characterized by relatively low whole-rock Al2O3 (0.32-0.60 wt.%), CaO (0.26-1.57 wt.%), and Na2O (0.07-0.12 wt.%) concentrations. The studied samples have very low concentrations of middle and heavy rare earth elements and exhibit enrichments in iridium-group platinum-group elements (IPGE) relative to palladium-group PGE. The Songshugou peridotites exhibit variable enrichments of light rare earth elements, large ion lithophile elements, Re, Zr, and Hf, which resulted from reactions with melt after their isolation from the convecting mantle. Combined with previous results, our data suggest that the Songshugou peridotites are highly refractory mantle residues derived from a forearc mantle wedge. 187Os/188Os values of the studied samples vary from 0.12073 to 0.12390, and 187Re/188Os ratios are 0.005-0.081. The average Re-Os model ages (TMA) and maximum Re depletion model age (TRD) of the Songshugou peridotites are ca. 1.2-1.1 Ga, suggesting a tectonic affinity to the South China Block and that the peridotites formed during the assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent. The Songshugou peridotites were sourced from a mantle wedge above a subduction zone, and finally incorporated into the underlying continental lithosphere by exhumation.

In situ U-Th-Pb ages of the Miaoya carbonatite complex in the South Qinling orogenic belt, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Yuancan; Chen, Wei; Lu, Jue; Jiang, Shao-Yong; Yang, Yueheng

2017-10-01

The Miaoya carbonatite complex in the South Qinling orogenic belt hosts one of the largest rare earth element (REE)-Nb deposits in China that is composed of carbonatite and syenite. The emplacement age of the complex and the geochronological relationship between the carbonatite and syenite have long been debated. In this study, in situ U-Th-Pb ages have been obtained for the constituent minerals zircon, monazite and columbite from carbonatite and syenite of the Miaoya complex, together with their chemical and isotopic compositions. In situ trace element compositions for zircon from carbonatite and syenite are highly variable. The zircon displays slightly heavy REE (HREE)-enriched chondrite-normalized patterns with no Eu anomaly and various light REE (LREE) contents. In situ Th-Pb dating for zircon from the Miaoya complex by laser ablation ICP-MS yields ages of 442.6 ± 4.0 Ma (n = 53) for syenite and 426.5 ± 8.0 Ma (n = 23) for carbonatite. Monazite from carbonatite and syenite shows similar chondrite-normalized REE patterns and yields a consistent Th-Pb age of 240 Ma. Based on petrographic and chemical composition, columbite from the carbonatite can be identified into two groups. The columbite dispersed within carbonatite is characterized by slightly LREE-enriched chondrite-normalized REE patterns, whereas columbite associated with apatite is characterized by LREE-depleted trends. Columbite has been further determined to have a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 232.8 ± 4.5 Ma (n = 9) using LA-ICP-MS. Detailed geochronological and chemical investigations suggest that there were two major episodes of magmatic/metasomatic activities in the formational history of the Miaoya carbonatite complex. The early alkaline magmatism emplaced in the Silurian was related to the opening of the Mianlue Ocean, whereas the late metasomatism or hydrothermal overprint occurred during the Triassic South Qinling orogeny. The latter serves as the major ore formation period for both REE (e

A gravity study along a profile across the Sichuan Basin, the Qinling Mountains and the Ordos Basin (central China): Density, isostasy and dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongqian; Teng, Jiwen; Wang, Qianshen; Lü, Qingtian; Si, Xiang; Xu, Tao; Badal, José; Yan, Jiayong; Hao, Zhaobing

2017-10-01

In order to investigate the structure of the crust beneath the Middle Qinling Mountains (MQL) and neighboring areas in the North China Block and South China Block, a north-south gravity profile from Yuquan in the Sichuan Basin to Yulin in the Ordos Basin was conducted in 2011. The Bouguer gravity anomaly is determined from a high-quality gravity dataset collected between 31°N and 36°N of latitude, and varies between -200 and -110 mGal in the study region. Using accredited velocity density relationships, an initial crust-mantle density model is constructed for MQL and adjacent areas, which is later refined interactively to simulate the observed gravity anomaly. The present study reveals the features of the density and Bouguer gravity with respect to the tectonic units sampled by the profile. The lithosphere density model shows typical density values that depict a layered structure and allow differentiate the blocks that extend along the reference profile. The gravity field calculated by forward modeling from the final density distribution model correlates well with the measured gravity field within a standard deviation of 1.26 mGal. The density in the crystalline crust increases with depth from 2.65 g/cm3 up to the highest value of 2.95 g/cm3 near the bottom of the crust. The Conrad interface is identified as a density jump of about 0.05 g/cm3. The average density of the crust in MQL is clearly lower than the density in the formations on both sides. Starting from a combined Airy-Pratt isostatic compensation model, a partly compensated crust is found below MQL, suggesting future growth of the crust, unlike the Ordos and Sichuan basins that will remain stable. On the basis of the density and isostatic state of the crust and additional seismological research, such as the P-wave velocity model and Poisson's ratio, it is concluded that the lower crust delamination is a reasonable interpretation for the geophysical characteristics below the Qinling Orogen.

Lithosphere structure of the west Qinling orogenic belt revealed by deep seismic reflection profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.

2009-12-01

The west Qinling orogen located in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, is transformation zone between the N-S-trending and E-W-trending tectonics in the Chinese continent. Further study of the fine crust structure of the west Qinling orogen and its relationships with surrounding basins have very important significance for understanding tectonic response of the northeastern margin of the plateau about collision convergence of the Indian block and Asian block and learning formation and evolution of the plateau. In 2009, we reprocessed the data of the Tangke-Hezuo deep seismic reflection profiles collected in 2004 across the west Qinling orogen and the northern Songpan block. The new results show the lithosphere fine structure of the west Qinling orogen. Reflection features indicate that an interface at 6.0-7.0s (TWT) divided the crust into the upper and lower crust, whose structural style and deformation are totally different. Integrating geological data, we deduce that the interface at 6.0-7.0s (depth with 18-21 km) was the basement detachment, which made deformation decoupled of the upper and lower crust. The multi-layered reflections in the upper crust reveal the sedimentary covers of the west Qinling orogen, disclose the thickness of the various structure layer and deformation degree, and provide a basis for the prospective evaluation of a multi-metallic mineral and energy exploration. The north dipping strong reflection characteristics of the lower crust in the west Qinling orogen constituted imbricate structure, such imbricate structural features provide seismology evidence for researching the west Qinling thrusting toward the northern Songpan block, and have great significance for studying formation and evolution of the Songpan-Garze structure. Moho reflections are observed around 17.0-17.2s, characterized by nearly horizontal reflections, which implies the west Qinling orogen underwent an intense extension post orogeny caused the lithosphere

Characteristics and source identification of dissolved trace elements in the Jinshui River of the South Qinling Mts., China.

PubMed

Bu, Hongmei; Wang, Weibo; Song, Xianfang; Zhang, Quanfa

2015-09-01

Dissolved trace elements and physiochemical parameters were analyzed to investigate their physicochemical characteristics and identify their sources at 12 sampling sites of the Jinshui River in the South Qinling Mts., China from October 2006 to November 2008. The two-factor ANOVA indicated significant temporal variations of the dissolved Cu, Fe, Sr, Si, and V (p < 0.001 or p < 0.05). With the exception of Sr (p < 0.001), no significant spatial variations were found. Distributions and concentrations of the dissolved trace elements displayed that dissolved Cu, Fe, Sr, Si, V, and Cr were originated from chemical weathering and leaching from the soil and bedrock. Dissolved Cu, Fe, Sr, As, and Si were also from anthropogenic inputs (farming and domestic effluents). Correlation and regression analysis showed that the chemical and physical processes of dissolved Cu was influenced by water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) to some degree. Dissolved Fe and Sr were affected by colloid destabilization or sedimentary inputs. Concentrations of dissolved Si were slightly controlled by biological uptake. Principal component analysis confirmed that Fe, Sr, and V resulted from domestic effluents, agricultural runoff, and confluence, whereas As, Cu, and Si were from agricultural activities, and Cr and Zn through natural processes. The research results provide a reference for ecological restoration and protection of the river environment in the Qinling Mts., China.

Extreme variation of sulfur isotopic compositions in pyrite from the Qiuling sediment-hosted gold deposit, West Qinling orogen, central China: An in situ SIMS study with implications for the source of sulfur

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, Lei; Li, Xian-hua; Li, Jian-wei; Hofstra, Albert H.; Liu, Yu; Koenig, Alan E.

2015-01-01

High spatial resolution textural (scanning electron microscope (SEM)), chemical (electron microprobe (EMP)) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spec- trometry (LA-ICP-MS)), and sulfur isotopic (secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)) analyses of pyrite from the Qiuling sediment-hosted gold deposit (232±4 Ma) in the West Qinling orogen, central China were conducted to distinguish pyrite types and gain insights into the source and evolution of sulfur in hydrothermal fluids. The results reveal an enormous variation (−27.1 to +69.6‰) in sulfur isotopic composition of pyrite deposited during three paragenetic stages. Pre-ore framboidal pyrite, which is characterized by low concentra- tions of As, Au, Cu, Co, and Ni, has negative δ34S values of −27.1 to −7.6‰ that are interpreted in terms of bacterial re- duction of marine sulfate during sedimentation and diagenesis of the Paleozoic carbonate and clastic sequences, the predom- inant lithologies in the deposit area, and the most important hosts of many sediment-hosted gold deposits throughout the West Qinling orogen. The ore-stage hydrothermal pyrite con- tains high concentrations of Au, As, Cu, Sb, Tl, and Bi and hasa relatively narrow range of positive δ34S values ranging from +8.1 to +15.2‰. The sulfur isotope data are comparable to those of ore pyrite from many Triassic orogenic gold deposits and Paleozoic sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX) Pb-Zn de- posits in the West Qinling orogen, both being hosted mainly in the Devonian sequence. This similarity indicates that sulfur, responsible for the auriferous pyrite at Qiuling, was largely derived from the metamorphic devolatization of Paleozoic marine sedimentary rocks. Post-ore-stage pyrite, which is sig- nificantly enriched in Co and Ni but depleted in Au and As, has unusually high δ34S values ranging from +37.4 to +69.6 ‰, that are interpreted to result from thermochemical reduc- tion of evaporite sulfates in underlying Cambrian sedimentary

Fabrics and geochronology of the Wushan ductile shear zone: Tectonic implications for the Shangdan suture zone in the Qinling orogen, Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xiao; Sun, Shengshi; Dong, Yunpeng; Yang, Zhao; Liu, Xiaoming; He, Dengfeng

2017-04-01

The ductile shearing along the Shangdan suture zone during the Paleozoic time is a key to understand the collisional deformation and tectonic regime of amalgamation between the North China Block and the South China Blocks. The Wushan ductile shear zone, a branch of the Shangdan suture, records mylonitic deformation that affected granitic and felsic rocks outcropping in an over 1 km wide belt in the western Qinling Orogenic belt. Shear sense indicators and kinematic vorticity number (0.79-0.99) of the mylonites reveal a dextral shear deformation. The quartz c-axis fabrics indicate activation of combined basal and rhomb slip, prism slip and prism slip. The dynamic recrystallization of quartz is accommodated by combined subgrain rotation and grain boundary migration. These characteristics suggest that the mylonites experienced ductile shear deformation under amphibolite facies conditions at temperatures of 500-650 C. Zircons from granitic mylonite yield a U-Pb age of 910 ± 4.8 Ma, which represents the formation age of the protolith of the mylonite. The ductile shear zone was intruded by a granitic dyke, which yields a zircon U-Pb age of 403 ± 3.5 Ma constraining the minimum age of the ductile shear deformation. Together with regional geology and available geochronological data, these structural characteristics and ages indicate that the Wushan ductile shear zone was formed by dextral shearing following the N-S shortening as a result of collision between the North China and South China blocks along the Shangdan suture.

Fabrics and geochronology of the Wushan ductile shear zone: Tectonic implications for the Shangdan suture zone in the Qinling orogen, Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xiao; Sun, Shengsi; Dong, Yunpeng; Yang, Zhao; Liu, Xiaoming; He, Dengfeng

2017-05-01

The ductile shearing along the Shangdan suture zone during the Paleozoic time is a key to understand the collisional deformation and tectonic regime of amalgamation between the North China Block and the South China Blocks. The Wushan ductile shear zone, a branch of the Shangdan suture, records mylonitic deformation that affected granitic and felsic rocks outcropping in an over 1 km wide belt in the western Qinling Orogenic belt. Shear sense indicators and kinematic vorticity number (0.79-0.99) of the mylonites reveal a dextral shear deformation. The quartz c-axis fabrics indicate activation of combined basal and rhomb slip, prism slip and prism slip. The dynamic recrystallization of quartz is accommodated by combined subgrain rotation and grain boundary migration. These characteristics suggest that the mylonites experienced ductile shear deformation under amphibolite facies conditions at temperatures of ∼500-650 °C. Zircons from granitic mylonite yield a U-Pb age of 910 ± 4.8 Ma, which represents the formation age of the protolith of the mylonite. The ductile shear zone was intruded by a granitic dyke, which yields a zircon U-Pb age of 403 ± 3.5 Ma constraining the minimum age of the ductile shear deformation. Together with regional geology and available geochronological data, these structural characteristics and ages indicate that the Wushan ductile shear zone was formed by dextral shearing following the N-S shortening as a result of collision between the North China and South China blocks along the Shangdan suture.

Climate Response of Tree Radial Growth at Different Timescales in the Qinling Mountains.

PubMed

Sun, Changfeng; Liu, Yu

2016-01-01

The analysis of the tree radial growth response to climate is crucial for dendroclimatological research. However, the response relationships between tree-ring indices and climatic factors at different timescales are not yet clear. In this study, the tree-ring width of Huashan pine (Pinus armandii) from Huashan in the Qinling Mountains, north-central China, was used to explore the response differences of tree growth to climatic factors at daily, pentad (5 days), dekad (10 days) and monthly timescales. Correlation function and linear regression analysis were applied in this paper. The tree-ring width showed a more sensitive response to daily and pentad climatic factors. With the timescale decreasing, the absolute value of the maximum correlation coefficient between the tree-ring data and precipitation increases as well as temperature (mean, minimum and maximum temperature). Compared to the other three timescales, pentad was more suitable for analysing the response of tree growth to climate. Relative to the monthly climate data, the association between the tree-ring data and the pentad climate data was more remarkable and accurate, and the reconstruction function based on the pentad climate was also more reliable and stable. We found that the major climatic factor limiting Huashan pine growth was the precipitation of pentads 20-35 (from April 6 to June 24) rather than the well-known April-June precipitation. The pentad was also proved to be a better timescale for analysing the climate and tree growth in the western and eastern Qinling Mountains. The formation of the earlywood density of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) from Shimenshan in western Qinling was mainly affected by the maximum temperature of pentads 28-32 (from May 16 to June 9). The maximum temperature of pentads 28-33 (from May 16 to June 14) was the major factor affecting the ring width of Chinese pine from Shirenshan in eastern Qinling.

Genetic variability of Baylisascaris schroederi from the Qinling subspecies of the giant panda in China revealed by sequences of three mitochondrial genes.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhong-Hui; Bian, Qing-Qing; Ren, Wan-Xin; Cheng, Wen-Yu; Jia, Yan-Qing; Fang, Yan-Qin; Zhao, Guang-Hui

2014-06-01

The present study examined the variations in three mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequences, namely cytochrome b (cytb), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 (cox3) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (nad5), among Baylisascaris schroederi isolates from the Qinling subspecies of the giant panda in Shaanxi province, northwestern China. No differences in length were detected in the three mt fragments from different isolates. The intra-specific sequence variations within all B. schroederi samples were 0-2.6% for pcytb, 0-1.8% for pcox3 and 0-2.1% for pnad5, while the inter-specific sequence differences among members of the genus Baylisascaris were 8.2-15.2%, 6.2-15.9% and 8.4-16.0% for pcytb, pcox3, pnad5, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis of the combined sequences of pcytb, pcox3 and pnad 5 showed that all B. schroederi samples in the present study were located in two large clusters, with one cluster containing samples from giant pandas in Sichuan province. These findings provide basic information for further study of molecular epidemiology and control of B. schroederi infection in the Qinling subspecies of the giant panda and throughout China.

Decay and nutrient dynamics of coarse woody debris in the Qinling Mountains, China

PubMed Central

Yuan, Jie; Hou, Lin; Wei, Xin; Shang, Zhengchun; Cheng, Fei; Zhang, Shuoxin

2017-01-01

As an ecological unit, coarse woody debris (CWD) plays an essential role in productivity, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, community regeneration and biodiversity. However, thus far, the information on quantification the decomposition and nutrient content of CWD in forest ecosystems remains considerably limited. In this study, we conducted a long-term (1996–2013) study on decay and nutrient dynamics of CWD for evaluating accurately the ecological value of CWD on the Huoditang Experimental Forest Farm in the Qinling Mountains, China. The results demonstrated that there was a strong correlation between forest biomass and CWD mass. The single exponential decay model well fit the CWD density loss at this site, and as the CWD decomposed, the CWD density decreased significantly. Annual temperature and precipitation were all significantly correlated with the annual mass decay rate. The K contents and the C/N ratio of the CWD decreased as the CWD decayed, but the C, N, P, Ca and Mg contents increased. We observed a significant CWD decay effect on the soil C, N and Mg contents, especially the soil C content. The soil N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents exhibited large fluctuations, but the variation had no obvious regularity and changed with different decay times. The results showed that CWD was a critical component of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Further research is needed to determine the effect of diameter, plant tissue components, secondary wood compounds, and decomposer organisms on the CWD decay rates in the Qinling Mountains, which will be beneficial to clarifying the role of CWD in carbon cycles of forest ecosystems. PMID:28384317

Origin of heavy REE mineralisation in carbonatites: Constraints form the Huanglongpu Mo-HREE deposit, Qinling, China.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Martin; Cheng, Xu; Kynicky, Jindrich; Cangelosi, Delia; Wenlei, Song

2017-04-01

The carbonatite dykes of the Huanglongpu area, Lesser Qinling, China, are unusual in that they are quartz-bearing, Mo-mineralised and enriched in the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) relative to typical carbonatites. Carbonatite monazite (208.9±4.6 Ma to 213.6±4.0; Song et al., 2016) gives a comparable U-Pb radiometric age to molybdenite (220Ma; Stein et al., 1997), confirming interpretations that Mo is derived from the carbonatite, and not a subsequent overprint from regional porphyry-style mineralisation ( 141Ma). The sulphides in the carbonatites have mantle-like 34S ( 1‰) and low δ26Mg values (-1.89 to -1.07‰), similar to sedimentary carbonates, suggesting a recycled sediment contribution in their mantle sources that may be responsible for the Mo and HREE enrichment (Song et al., 2016). The textures of REE minerals indicate crystallisation of monazite-(Ce), bastnäsite-(Ce), parisite-(Ce) and aeschynite-(Ce) as magmatic phases. Monazite-(Ce) was subsequently altered to produce apatite, which was in turn replaced by britholite-(Ce), accompanied by the formation of allanite-(Ce). The REE-fluorcarbonates where replaced by synchysite-(Ce) and röntgenite-(Ce). Aeschynite-(Ce) was altered initially to uranopyrochlore and then pyrochlore with uraninite inclusions. The mineralogical evolution reflects the evolution from magmatic carbonatite, through to more silica-rich conditions during the magmatic-hydrothermal transition, to fully hydrothermal conditions accompanied by the formation of sulphate minerals. Each alteration stage resulted in the preferential leaching of the LREE and enrichment in the HREE. Mass balance considerations indicate that the HREE enrichment could not be a passive process, and that hydrothermal fluids must have contributed HREE to the system. The evolution of the fluorcarbonate mineral assemblage requires an increase in aCa2+ and aCO32- in the metasomatic fluid, and so breakdown of HREE-enriched calcite may have been the HREE source

DENTAL ABNORMALITIES OF EIGHT WILD QINLING GIANT PANDAS (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA QINLINGENSIS), SHAANXI PROVINCE, CHINA.

PubMed

Jin, Yipeng; Chen, Si; Chao, Yanqiao; Pu, Tianchun; Xu, Hongqian; Liu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Kaihui; Nie, Yonggang; Wei, Wei; Lin, Degui

2015-10-01

Eight adult (six male and two female) wild Qinling giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis) from China National Foping Nature Reserve were tracked, and their dental data collected and recorded from October 2010 to April 2014. Each panda had dental abnormalities of varying severity. Dental wear and fracture were the most common conditions. Absent teeth were common, with premolars missing most often. Mild caries were present in five molar teeth between two animals. Different degrees of dental plaque and calculus occurred in all animals but without severe periodontal disease. Two animals with severe dental abnormalities died due to intestinal problems. Large segments of bamboo were found in their intestinal tracts, and intestinal perforation and ulcers were evident, indicating dental abnormalities can be an important factor in the health of wild giant pandas and may lead to death. Further research with larger sample sizes of wild and captive giant pandas will be required to substantiate the relationship between dental abnormalities and mortality in giant pandas.

Sichuan Basin and beyond: Eastward foreland growth of the Tibetan Plateau from an integration of Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic fission track and (U-Th)/He ages of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Qinling, and Daba Shan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhao; Shen, Chuanbo; Ratschbacher, Lothar; Enkelmann, Eva; Jonckheere, Raymond; Wauschkuhn, Bastian; Dong, Yunpeng

2017-06-01

Combining 121 new fission track and (U-Th)/He ages with published thermochronologic data, we investigate the Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic exhumation/cooling history of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Qinling, Daba Shan, and Sichuan Basin of east central China. The Qinling orogen shows terminal southwestward foreland growth in the northern Daba Shan thrust belt at 100-90 Ma and in the southern Daba Shan fold belt at 85-70 Ma. The eastern margin of Tibetan Plateau experienced major exhumation phases at 70-40 Ma (exhumation rate 0.05-0.08 mm/yr), 25-15 Ma (≤1 mm/yr in the Pengguan Massif; 0.2 mm/yr in the imbricated western Sichuan Basin), and since 11-10 Ma along the Longmen Shan ( 0.80 mm/yr) and the interior of the eastern Tibetan Plateau (Dadu River gorge, Min Shan; 0.50 mm/yr). The Sichuan Basin records two basin-wide denudation phases, likely a result of the reorganization of the upper Yangtze River drainage system. The first phase commenced at 45 Ma and probably ended before the Miocene; >1 km of rocks were eroded from the central and eastern Sichuan Basin. The second phase commenced at 12 Ma and denudated the central Sichuan Basin, Longmen Shan, and southern Daba Shan; more than 2 km of rocks were eroded after the lower Yangtze River had cut through the Three Gorges and captured the Sichuan Basin drainage. In contrast to the East Qinling, which was weakly effected by late Cenozoic exhumation, the West Qinling and Daba Shan have experienced rapid exhumation/cooling since 15-13 Ma, a result of growth of the Tibetan Plateau beyond the Sichuan Basin.

Origins of two types of serpentinites from the Qinling orogenic belt, central China and associated fluid/melt-rock interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Kai; Ding, Xing; Ling, Ming-Xing; Sun, Wei-dong; Zhang, Li-Peng; Hu, Yong-Bin; Huang, Rui-Fang

2018-03-01

Serpentinites are important volatile and fluid mobile element repositories in oceanic lithosphere and subduction zones, and thus provide significant constraints on global geochemical cycles and tectonic evolution at convergent margins. In this contribution, two types of serpentinites from the Mianlue suture zone in the Qinling orogenic belt, central China, are identified on the basis of detailed mineralogical and geochemical study. Serpentinites from the Jianchaling region (Group 1) are composed of lizardite/chrysotile + magnesite + magnetite. Most of these serpentinites (Group 1a), consist of pseudomorphic orthopyroxene and olivine, and are characterized by low Al2O3/SiO2, high MgO/SiO2 and Ir-type PGEs to Pt ratios, suggesting a residual mantle origin. Meanwhile, the U-shape REE pattern and positive Eu, Sr and Ba anomalies of these serpentinites indicate that serpentinization fluids have interacted with gabbroic cumulates at moderately high temperatures or associate with the chlorinity and redox conditions of the fluid. Considering the limited mobility of U in the hydrating fluids for the Group 1a serpentinites, hydrating fluids for these serpentinites are most likely derived from the dehydrated slab, and have been in equilibrium with subducting sediments. There are also some serpentinites with low-grade metamorphic recrystallization from the Jianchaling region (Group 1b), represented by recrystallized serpentine minerals (antigorite). The trace element compositions of these Group 1b serpentinites suggest that partial dehydration of serpentinites associated with the transformation from lizardite to antigorite in subduction zone is also likely to affect the geochemistry of serpentinites. Serpentinites from the Liangyazi region (Group 2) are composed of antigorite + dolomite + spinel + magnetite. The high Cr number (0.65-0.80) and low Ti concentrations of spinels in Group 2 serpentinites indicate a refractory mantle wedge origin. Fertile major element compositions

Isolation, identification and characterization of lignin-degrading bacteria from Qinling, China.

PubMed

Yang, C-X; Wang, T; Gao, L-N; Yin, H-J; Lü, X

2017-12-01

Lignin is an aromatic heteropolymer forming a physical barrier and it is a big challenge in biomass utilization. This paper first investigated lignin-degradation bacteria from rotten wood in Qinling Mountain. Nineteen potential strains were selected and ligninolytic enzyme activities were determined over 84 h. Strains that had higher enzyme activities were selected. Further, the biodegradation of wheat straw lignin and alkali lignin was evaluated indicating that Burkholderia sp. H1 had the highest capability. It was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography and field emission scanning electron microscope that alkali lignin was depolymerized into small fragments. The degraded products were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total ion chromatograph of products treated for 7 days showed the formation of aromatic compounds, an important intermediate from lignin degradation. Interestingly, they disappeared in 15 days while the aldehyde and ester compounds increased. The results suggest that the lignin-degrading bacteria are abundant in rotten wood and strain H1 has high potential to break down lignin. The diversity of lignin-degrading bacteria in Qinling Mountain is revealed. The study of Burkholderia sp. H1 expands the range of bacteria for lignin degradation and provides novel bacteria for application to lignocellulosic biomass. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Olivine fabrics and tectonic evolution of fore-arc mantles: A natural perspective from the Songshugou dunite and harzburgite in the Qinling orogenic belt, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yi; Jung, Haemyeong; Song, Shuguang

2017-03-01

To advance our understanding of the deformation characteristics, rheological behaviors, and tectonic evolution of the fore-arc lithospheric mantle, we analyzed mineral fabrics for a large spinel-bearing ultramafic massif in the Songshugou area in the Qinling orogenic belt, central China. In the spinel-poor coarse-grained dunite, stronger A/D-type and weaker C-type-like fabrics were found, whereas the spinel-rich coarse-grained dunite displayed a comparatively stronger B-type-like fabric. These olivine fabrics are high-T fabrics influenced by the presence of melt, in which B and C-type-like fabrics are inferred to be produced by melt-assisted grain boundary sliding during synkinematic high-T melt-rock reactions. In contrast, the spinel-poor porphyroclastic and fine-grained dunites present weak AG and B-type-like fabrics, respectively. Their olivine fabrics (low-T fabrics) are inferred to transform from A/D-type fabric in their coarse-grained counterparts possibly through mylonitization process assisted by low-T fluid-rock reactions, during which strain was accommodated by the fluid-enhanced dislocation slip and/or fluid-assisted grain boundary sliding processes. Combined with the tectonic results of our previous work, the high-T olivine fabrics are probably related to a young and warm fore-arc mantle where intense partial melting and high-T boninitic melt-rock reactions prevalently occurred, whereas the low-T olivine fabrics likely reflect the evolving tectonic settings through the cooling fore-arc mantle to a continental lower crust in a collisional orogeny where low-T fluid-rock reactions were pervasively activated. These low-T olivine fabrics imply that though cold, the fore-arc lithospheric mantle may be locally weak (˜20-30 MPa), allowing ductile deformation to occur at a geologically significant strain rate.

Geochemistry, 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, and geodynamic implications of Early Cretaceous basalts from the western Qinling orogenic belt, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Feifei; Wang, Yuejun; Cawood, Peter A.; Dong, Yunpeng

2018-01-01

The Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt was formed by the collision of the North and South China Cratons during the Early Mesozoic and subsequently developed into an intracontinental tectonic process during late Mesozoic. Field investigations identified the presence of late Mesozoic basalts in the Duofutun and Hongqiang areas in the western Qinling orogenic belt. The petrogenesis of these basalts provides an important constraint on the late Mesozoic geodynamics of the orogen. The representative basaltic samples yield the 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of about 112 Ma. These samples belong to the alkaline series and have SiO2 ranging from 44.98 wt.% to 48.19 wt.%, Na2O + K2O from 3.44 wt% to 5.44 wt%, and MgO from 7.25 wt.% to 12.19 wt.%. They demonstrate the right-sloping chondrite-normalized REE patterns with negligible Eu anomalies (1.00-1.10) and PM-normalized patterns enriched in light rare earth element, large ion lithophile element and high field strength element, similar to those of OIB rocks. These samples additionally show an OIB-like Sr-Nd isotopic signature with εNd(t) values ranging from +6.13 to +10.15 and initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios from 0.7028 to 0.7039, respectively. These samples are geochemically subdivided into two groups. Group 1 is characterized by low Al2O3 and high TiO2 and P2O5 contents, as well as high La/Yb ratios (>20), being the product of the high-pressure garnet fractionation from the OIB-derived magma. Group 2 shows higher Al2O3 but lower P2O5 contents and La/Yb ratios (<20) than Group 1, originating from asthenospheric mantle with input of delaminated lithospheric component. In combination with available data, it is proposed for the petrogenetic model of the Early Cretaceous thickened lithospheric delamination in response to the asthenospheric upwelling along the western Qinling orogenic belt.

Gold deposits in the Xiaoqinling-Xiong'ershan region, Qinling mountains, central China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mao, J.; Goldfarb, R.J.; Zhang, Z.; Xu, W.; Qiu, Yumin; Deng, J.

2002-01-01

The gold-rich Xiaoqinling-Xiong'ershan region in eastern Shaanxi and western Henan provinces, central China, lies about 30-50 km inland of the southern margin of the North China craton. More than 100 gold deposits and occurrences are concentrated in the Xiaoqinling (west), Xiaoshan (middle), and Xiong'ershan (east) areas. Late Archean gneiss of the Taihua Group, and Middle Proterozoic metavolcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group are the main host rocks for the deposits. Mesozoic granitoids (ca. 178-104 Ma) are present in most gold districts, but deposits are typically hosted in the Precambrian basement rocks hundreds of meters to as far as 10 km from the intrusions and related hornfels zones. Deposits in the Xiaoqinling and Xiaoshan areas are best classified as orogenic gold deposits, with ores occurring in a number of distinct belts both in quartz veins and disseminated in altered metamorphic rocks. Alteration assemblages are dominated by quartz, sericite, pyrite, and carbonate minerals. The ore-forming fluids were low salinity, CO2-rich, and characterized by isotopically heavy ??18O. Four deposits (Dongchuang, Wenyu, Yangzhaiyu, and Dahu) in the Xiaoqinling area each contain resources of about 1 Moz Au. Some of the gold deposits in the Xiong'ershan area represent more shallowly emplaced tellurium-enriched orogenic systems, which include resources of approximately 1-1.5 Moz Au at Shanggong and Beiling (or Tantou). Others are epithermal deposits (e.g., Qiyugou and Dianfang) that are hosted in volcanic breccia pipes. Isotopic dates for all gold deposits, although often contradictory, generally cluster between 172-99 Ma and are coeval with emplacement of the post-kinematic granitoids. The gold deposits formed during a period of relaxation of far-field compressional stresses, clearly subsequent to the extensive Paleozoic-early Mesozoic accretion of are terranes and the Yangtze craton onto the southern margin of the North China craton. Hydrothermal and magmatic events

Provenance of Carboniferous sedimentary rocks in the northern margin of Dabie Mountains, central China and the tectonic significance: constraints from trace elements, mineral chemistry and SHRIMP dating of zircons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Renwei; Li, Shuangying; Jin, Fuquan; Wan, Yusheng; Zhang, Shukun

2004-04-01

A suite of slightly metamorphosed Carboniferous sedimentary strata occurs in the northern margin of the Dabie Mountains, central China. It consists, in ascending order, of the upper Huayuanqiang Formation (C 1), the Yangshan Formation (C 1), the Daorenchong Formation (C 1-2), the most widely distributed Huyoufang Formation (C 2) and the Yangxiaozhuang Formation (C 2). The provenance of the Carboniferous sedimentary rocks is constrained by the integration of trace elements, detrital mineral chemistry and sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating of detrital zircons, which can help to understand the connection between the provenance and the Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Qinling-Dabie Orogen. The trace element compositions indicate that the source terrain was probably a continental island arc. Detrital tourmalines were mainly derived from aluminous and Al-poor metapelites and metapsammites, and some are sourced from Li-poor granitoids, pegmatites and aplites. Detrital garnets, found only in the uppermost Huyoufang Formation, are almandine and Mn-almandine garnets, indicating probable sources mainly from garnetiferous schists, and partly from granitoid rocks. The detrital white K-micas are muscovitic in the Huayuanqiang, Daorenchong and Huyoufang Formations, and phengitic with Si contents (p.f.u.) from 3.20 up to max. 3.47-3.53 in the uppermost Huyoufang and the Yangxiaozhuang Formations, a meta-sedimentary source. Major components in the detrital zircon age structure for the Huyoufang Formation range from 506 to 363 Ma, centering on ˜400 and ˜480 Ma, which is characteristic of the Qinling and Erlangping Groups in the Qinling and Tongbai Mountains, central China. Evidently, the major source of the Carboniferous sedimentary rocks in the northern margin of Dabie Mountains was from the southern margin of the Sino-Korean Craton represented by the Qinling and Erlangping Groups. The source area was an island-arc system during the Early Paleozoic that

Climate-change impacts on understorey bamboo species and giant pandas in China's Qinling Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuanmu, Mao-Ning; Viña, Andrés; Winkler, Julie A.; Li, Yu; Xu, Weihua; Ouyang, Zhiyun; Liu, Jianguo

2013-03-01

Climate change is threatening global ecosystems through its impact on the survival of individual species and their ecological functions. Despite the important role of understorey plants in forest ecosystems, climate impact assessments on understorey plants and their role in supporting wildlife habitat are scarce in the literature. Here we assess climate-change impacts on understorey bamboo species with an emphasis on their ecological function as a food resource for endangered giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). An ensemble of bamboo distribution projections associated with multiple climate-change projections and bamboo dispersal scenarios indicates a substantial reduction in the distributional ranges of three dominant bamboo species in the Qinling Mountains, China during the twenty-first century. As these three species comprise almost the entire diet of the panda population in the region, the projected changes in bamboo distribution suggest a potential shortage of food for this population, unless alternative food sources become available. Although the projections were developed under unavoidable simplifying assumptions and uncertainties, they indicate potential challenges for panda conservation and underscore the importance of incorporating interspecific interactions into climate-change impact assessments and associated conservation planning.

Examining the impacts of disaster resettlement from a livelihood perspective: a case study of Qinling Mountains, China.

PubMed

Guo, Xuesong; Kapucu, Naim

2018-04-01

Disaster resettlement, as a mitigation and preparedness measure, entails significant economic, physical, and social impacts, which continue to challenge understanding of recovery from major events, especially regarding the extent of the context and environmental efforts to rebuild livelihoods. Based on a case study of Qinling Mountains, China, this research investigates the effects of disaster resettlement from a livelihoods perspective. Methodologically, it proposes a framework that combines the pressure-state-response framework and the sustainable livelihoods approach, and it employs a structural equation model to examine how specific factors affect disaster resettlement. The results indicate that conflicts may occur during and after resettlement owing to the difference or disparity between the concerns of resettled peasants and those of the government. Consequently, the risks related to livelihoods need to be taken seriously. Effective risk communication is critical to bridge the gap between different stakeholders. The paper concludes with some practical and policy recommendations. © 2018 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2018.

Genetic diversity and structure of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (Royle) Ying in the Qinling Mountains, China.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Yin, Dongxue; Liu, Jianjun; Li, Na

2014-01-01

Sinopodophyllum hexandrum is an important medicinal plant whose genetic diversity must be conserved because it is endangered. The Qinling Mts. are a S. hexandrum distribution area that has unique environmental features that highly affect the evolution of the species. To provide the reference data for evolutionary and conservation studies, the genetic diversity and population structure of S. hexandrum in its overall natural distribution areas in the Qinling Mts. were investigated through inter-simple sequence repeats analysis of 32 natural populations. The 11 selected primers generated a total of 135 polymorphic bands. S. hexandrum genetic diversity was low within populations (average He = 0.0621), but higher at the species level (He = 0.1434). Clear structure and high genetic differentiation among populations were detected by using the unweighted pair group method for arithmetic averages, principle coordinate analysis and Bayesian clustering. The clustering approaches supported a division of the 32 populations into three major groups, for which analysis of molecular variance confirmed significant variation (63.27%) among populations. The genetic differentiation may have been attributed to the limited gene flow (Nm = 0.3587) in the species. Isolation by distance among populations was determined by comparing genetic distance versus geographic distance by using the Mantel test. Result was insignificant (r = 0.212, P = 0.287) at 0.05, showing that their spatial pattern and geographic locations are not correlated. Given the low within-population genetic diversity, high differentiation among populations and the increasing anthropogenic pressure on the species, in situ conservation measures were recommended to preserve S. hexandrum in Qinling Mts., and other populations must be sampled to retain as much genetic diversity of the species to achieve ex situ preservation as a supplement to in situ conservation.

Genetic Diversity and Structure of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (Royle) Ying in the Qinling Mountains, China

PubMed Central

Liu, Wei; Yin, Dongxue; Liu, Jianjun; Li, Na

2014-01-01

Sinopodophyllum hexandrum is an important medicinal plant whose genetic diversity must be conserved because it is endangered. The Qinling Mts. are a S. hexandrum distribution area that has unique environmental features that highly affect the evolution of the species. To provide the reference data for evolutionary and conservation studies, the genetic diversity and population structure of S. hexandrum in its overall natural distribution areas in the Qinling Mts. were investigated through inter-simple sequence repeats analysis of 32 natural populations. The 11 selected primers generated a total of 135 polymorphic bands. S. hexandrum genetic diversity was low within populations (average He = 0.0621), but higher at the species level (He = 0.1434). Clear structure and high genetic differentiation among populations were detected by using the unweighted pair group method for arithmetic averages, principle coordinate analysis and Bayesian clustering. The clustering approaches supported a division of the 32 populations into three major groups, for which analysis of molecular variance confirmed significant variation (63.27%) among populations. The genetic differentiation may have been attributed to the limited gene flow (Nm = 0.3587) in the species. Isolation by distance among populations was determined by comparing genetic distance versus geographic distance by using the Mantel test. Result was insignificant (r = 0.212, P = 0.287) at 0.05, showing that their spatial pattern and geographic locations are not correlated. Given the low within-population genetic diversity, high differentiation among populations and the increasing anthropogenic pressure on the species, in situ conservation measures were recommended to preserve S. hexandrum in Qinling Mts., and other populations must be sampled to retain as much genetic diversity of the species to achieve ex situ preservation as a supplement to in situ conservation. PMID:25333788

Habitat assessment for giant pandas in the Qinling Mountain region of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feng, Tian-Tian; Van Manen, Frank T.; Zhao, Na-Xun; Li, Ming; Wei, Fu-Wen

2009-01-01

Because habitat loss and fragmentation threaten giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), habitat protection and restoration are important conservation measures for this endangered species. However, distribution and value of potential habitat to giant pandas on a regional scale are not fully known. Therefore, we identified and ranked giant panda habitat in Foping Nature Reserve, Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, and adjacent areas in the Qinling Mountains of China. We used Mahalanobis distance and 11 digital habitat layers to develop a multivariate habitat signature associated with 247 surveyed giant panda locations, which we then applied to the study region. We identified approximately 128 km2 of giant panda habitat in Foping Nature Reserve (43.6% of the reserve) and 49 km2 in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve (33.6% of the reserve). We defined core habitat areas by incorporating a minimum patch-size criterion (5.5 km2) based on home-range size. Percentage of core habitat area was higher in Foping Nature Reserve (41.8% of the reserve) than Guanyinshan Nature Reserve (26.3% of the reserve). Within the larger analysis region, Foping Nature Reserve contained 32.7% of all core habitat areas we identified, indicating regional importance of the reserve. We observed a negative relationship between distribution of core areas and presence of roads and small villages. Protection of giant panda habitat at lower elevations and improvement of habitat linkages among core habitat areas are important in a regional approach to giant panda conservation.

Detrital zircon provenance from three turbidite depocenters of the Middle-Upper Triassic Songpan-Ganzi complex, central China: Record of collisional tectonics, erosional exhumation, and sediment production

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weislogel, A.L.; Graham, S.A.; Chang, E.Z.; Wooden, J.L.; Gehrels, G.E.

2010-01-01

To test the idea that the voluminous upper Middle to Upper Triassic turbidite strata in the Songpan-Ganzi complex of central China archive a detrital record of Dabie ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane unroofing, we report 2080 single detrital U-Pb zircon ages by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe-reverse geometry (SHRIMP-RG) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis from 29 eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex sandstone samples. Low (<0.07) Th/U zircons, consistent with crystallization under UHP conditions, are rare in eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex zircon, and U-Pb ages of low Th/U zircons are incompatible with a Dabie terrane source. An unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean nearest-neighbor analysis of Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample test results reveals that the eastern Songpan-Ganzi complex is not a single contiguous turbidite system but is instead composed of three subsidiary depocenters, each associated with distinct sediment sources. The northeastern depocenter contains zircon ages characterized by Paleozoic and bimodally distributed Precambrian zircon populations, which, together with south-to southeast-directed paleocurrent data, indicate derivation from the retro-side of the Qinling-Dabie (Q-D) collisional orogen wedge. In the central depocenter, the dominantly Paleozoic detrital zircon signature and south-to southwest-oriented paleocurrent indicators reflect a profusion of Paleozoic zircon grains. These data are interpreted to reflect an influx of material derived from erosion of Paleozoic supra-UHP rocks of the Dabie terrane in the eastern Qinling-Dabie orogen, which we speculate may have been enhanced by development of a monsoonal climate. This suggests that erosional unroofing played a significant role in the initial phase of UHP exhumation and likely influenced the petrotectonic and structural evolution of the Qinling-Dabie orogen, as evidenced by compressed Triassic isotherms/grads reported in the

Assessing vulnerability of giant pandas to climate change in the Qinling Mountains of China.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Liu, Fang; Xue, Yadong; Zhang, Yu; Li, Diqiang

2017-06-01

Climate change might pose an additional threat to the already vulnerable giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ). Effective conservation efforts require projections of vulnerability of the giant panda in facing climate change and proactive strategies to reduce emerging climate-related threats. We used the maximum entropy model to assess the vulnerability of giant panda to climate change in the Qinling Mountains of China. The results of modeling included the following findings: (1) the area of suitable habitat for giant pandas was projected to decrease by 281 km 2 from climate change by the 2050s; (2) the mean elevation of suitable habitat of giant panda was predicted to shift 30 m higher due to climate change over this period; (3) the network of nature reserves protect 61.73% of current suitable habitat for the species, and 59.23% of future suitable habitat; (4) current suitable habitat mainly located in Chenggu, Taibai, and Yangxian counties (with a total area of 987 km 2 ) was predicted to be vulnerable. Assessing the vulnerability of giant panda provided adaptive strategies for conservation programs and national park construction. We proposed adaptation strategies to ameliorate the predicted impacts of climate change on giant panda, including establishing and adjusting reserves, establishing habitat corridors, improving adaptive capacity to climate change, and strengthening monitoring of giant panda.

Origin of the Lengshuigou porphyry-skarn Cu deposit in the Zha-Shan district, South Qinling, central China, and implications for differences between porphyry Cu and Mo deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Guiqing; Mao, Jingwen; Wang, Ruiting; Meng, Deming; Sun, Jia; Dai, Junzhi; Ren, Tao; Li, Jianbi; Zhao, Haijie

2017-04-01

Porphyry Cu and Mo deposits are two economically important types of metal deposits worldwide, but factors controlling their difference remain enigmatic. Compared with the well-studied large porphyry Mo province in the south margin of the North China Block (S-NCB), the origin of newly discovered porphyry Cu deposits in the South Qinling (SQB) is poorly constrained. Integrated zircon LA-ICPMS U-Pb and molybdenite Re-Os ages and geological evidence indicate three stages of magmatism at Lengshuigou: (1) late Neoproterozoic (718 to 704 Ma) quartz diorite + albitite + granite association during the pre-ore stage, (2) 146 to 145 Ma granodiorite porphyry during the syn-ore stage, and (3) 145 Ma granite porphyry during the post-ore stage. Elemental and Sr-Nd isotopic evidence provide important constraints on their magma source. Pre-ore Neoproterozoic quartz diorite + albitite + granite was derived by re-melting of a mixture of crustal and juvenile mantle materials, and stronger fractional crystallization was involved in these ore-hosting intrusions than in contemporary granitoids hosted in the Douling Group. Syn-ore granodiorite porphyry was derived from mantle-derived magma with contributions from different proportions of crustal components. Post-ore granite porphyry was derived mainly from a crustal source. Nearly contemporaneous porphyry Cu and Mo systems were identified in Qinling Province, including the 147-139 Ma porphyry Mo systems in the S-NCB and 150-146 Ma porphyry Cu systems in the SQB. Granitic stocks related to porphyry Cu systems in the SQB are characterized by moderate SiO2 contents (58.01-69.07 %) and less radiogenic Nd-Hf isotopes (ɛNd(t) = -3.8 to -6.3, ɛHf(t) = -4.5 to +1.6), whereas the granitic stocks related to porphyry Mo deposits in the S-NCB have high SiO2 concentrations (64.00-76.00 %) and more radiogenic Nd-Hf isotopes (ɛNd(t) = -18.0 to -11.6, ɛHf(t) = -26.3 to -13.5). In addition, molybdenite from the Chigou and Lengshuigou porphyry Cu

Crustal structure and continental dynamics of Central China: A receiver function study and implications for ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Chuansong; Dong, Shuwen; Chen, Xuanhua; Santosh, M.; Li, Qiusheng

2014-01-01

The Qinling-Tongbai-Hong'an-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt records the tectonic history of Paleozoic convergence between the South China and North China Blocks. In this study, the distribution of crustal thickness and P- and S-wave velocity ratio (Vp/Vs) is obtained by using the H-k stacking technique from the Dabie-Sulu belt in central China. Our results show marked differences in the crustal structure between the Dabie and Sulu segments of the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) orogen. The lower crust in the Dabie orogenic belt is dominantly of felsic-intermediate composition, whereas the crust beneath the Sulu segment is largely intermediate-mafic. The crust of the Dabie orogenic belt is thicker by ca. 3-5 km as compared to that of the surrounding region with the presence of an ‘orogenic root’. The crustal thickness is nearly uniform in the Dabie orogenic belt with a generally smooth crust-mantle boundary. A symmetrically thickened crust in the absence of any deep-structural features similar to that of the Yangtze block suggests no supportive evidence for the proposed northward subduction of the Yangtze continental block beneath the North China Block. We propose that the collision between the Yangtze and North China Blocks and extrusion caused crustal shortening and thickening, as well as delamination of the lower crust, resulting in asthenospheric upwelling and lower crustal UHP metamorphism along the Dabie Orogen. Our results also reveal the presence of a SE to NW dipping Moho in the North China Block (beneath the Tran-North China Orogen and Eastern Block), suggesting the fossil architecture of the northwestward subduction of the Kula plate.

Deformation of the Songshugou ophiolite in the Qinling orogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Shengsi; Dong, Yunpeng

2017-04-01

The Qinling orogen, middle part of the China Central Orogenic Belt, is well documented that was constructed by multiple convergences and subsequent collisions between the North China and South China Blocks mainly based on geochemistry and geochronology of ophiolites, magmatic rocks as well as sedimentary reconstruction. However, this model is lack of constraints from deformation of subduction/collision. The Songshugou ophiolite outcropped to the north of the Shangdan suture zone represents fragments of oceanic crust and upper mantle. Previous works have revealed that the ophiolite was formed at an ocean ridge and then emplaced in the northern Qinling belt. Hence, deformation of the ophiolite would provide constraints for the rifting and subduction processes. The ophiolite consists chiefly of metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic rocks. The ultramafic rocks contain coarse dunite, dunitic mylonite and harzburgite, with minor diopsidite veins. The mafic rocks are mainly amphibolite, garnet amphibolite and amphibole schist, which are considered to be eclogite facies and retrograde metamorphosed oceanic crust. Amphibole grains in the mafic rocks exhibit a strong shape-preferred orientation parallel to the foliation, which is also parallel to the lithologic contacts between mafic and ultramafic rocks. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analyses show strong olivine crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO) in dunite including A-, B-, and C-types formed by (010)[100], (010)[001] and (100)[001] dislocation slip systems, respectively. A-type CPO suggests high temperature plastic deformation in the upper mantle. In comparison, B-type may be restricted to regions with significantly high water content and high differential stress, and C-type may also be formed in wet condition with lower differential stress. Additionally, the dunite evolved into amphibolite facies metamorphism with mineral assemblages of olivine + talc + anthophyllite. Assuming a pressure of 1.5 GPa

Petrogenesis of Early Cretaceous dioritic dikes in the Shanyang-Zhashui area, South Qinling, central China: Evidence for partial melting of thickened lower continental crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lei; Yan, Zhen; Wang, Zongqi; Wang, Kunming

2018-06-01

The dioritic dikes distributed in the Shanyang-Zhashui area of the South Qinling region play an important role in understanding the deep magmatic processes and tectonic evolution during the orogenic process. The zircon Usbnd Pb ages of the dioritic dikes indicate that they were emplaced at ∼144 Ma and therefore postdate the dikes that formed in the intracontinental orogenic background after the continental collision between the North China Block (NCB) and the South China Block (SCB). The dioritic dikes have SiO2 contents of 56.86-64.93 wt%; K2O contents of 1.65-3.21 wt%; low MgO (1.50-2.66 wt%), Y (14.4-25.5 ppm) and heavy rare earth element (HREE) contents; low Mg# values (39.9-49); high Sr contents (528-4833 ppm); and high Sr/Y ratios (32.8-189). They exhibit highly fractionated REE and flat HREE patterns, strong enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Ba, and U) and depletion in high field strength elements (HFSEs) (e.g., Nb), as well as positive Sr and negative Ti anomalies. Furthermore, these dioritic dikes exhibit (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios ranging from 0.7048 to 0.7083, εNd(t) values ranging from -3.3 to -1.4, and εHf(t) values ranging from -4.1 to 1.6. The geochemical patterns of the dioritic dikes indicate that they possess adakitic characteristics. Moreover, the low MgO contents, Mg# values, Ni contents, Th/Ce ratios, and Srsbnd Ndsbnd Hf isotopic features all indicate that these dioritic dikes were generated by the partial melting of thickened mafic lower crust. The high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios, low Y and Yb contents, absence of significant Eu anomalies, flat HREE patterns, and low Nb/Ta ratios of these rocks suggest that the adakitic melts were derived from the melting of garnet-bearing amphibolite. The geochronologic, elemental and isotopic evidence suggests that the dioritic dikes may have formed in a locally extensional environment within an overall N-S compressional setting or during the transition from compressional to extensional

The Study of Living Conditions and Perceived Needs for Social Security among Clergy in China: A Case Study of Guanzhong Qinling Area.

PubMed

Zhai, Shaoguo; Zhuang, Qi; Wang, Pei; Wang, Zhaoxi; Coyte, Peter C

2017-02-17

This study used quantitative and qualitative data collected in the Guanzhong Qinling area of China to examine living conditions and perceived needs for social security among men and women of the clergy. The survey finds that most respondent clergy are Buddhists. When the clergy have economic difficulties, their main types of support include self-support (28.8%), help from other believers (25.6%), and assistance from other community residents (18.4%). When the clergy are old, they tend to live alone (25%), receive institutional care from religious organizations (19%), and receive support from other believers (18%). When the clergy are ill, they will often select self-treatment (primarily the use of traditional Chinese medicine [25%], and spiritual healing [25%], including meditation, prayers, and psychotherapy) and receive treatment at hospitals (20%). The study found that the clergy perceived their needs for social security as either great (19.7%) or modest (36.5%). Very few clergy (10%) indicate the absence of social security needs. Most clergy believe that the key social security priorities should be medical care (34%), elderly care (29%), and charitable assistance (21%).

[Predicting the impact of global warming on the geographical distribution pattern of Quercus variabilis in China].

PubMed

Li, Yao; Zhang, Xing-wang; Fang, Yan-ming

2014-12-01

The geographical distribution of Quercus variabilis in China with its climate characteristics was analyzed based on DIVA-GIS which was also used to estimate the response of future potential distribution to global warming by Bioclim and Domain models. Analysis results showed the geographical distribution of Q. variabilis could be divided into 7 subregions: Henduan Mountains, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, North China, East China, Liaodong-Shandong Peninsula, Taiwan Island, and Qinling-Daba Mountains. These subregions are across 7 temperature zones, 2 moisture regions and 17 climatic subregions, including 8 climate types. The modern abundance center of Q. variabilis is Qinling, Daba and Funiu mountains. The condition of mean annual temperature 7.5-19.8 degrees C annual precipitation 471-1511 mm, is suitable for Q. variabilis. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC values), of Domain and Boiclim models were 0.910, 0.779; the former predicted that the potential regions of high suitability for Q. variabilis are Qinling, Daba, Funiu, Tongbai, and Dabie mountains, eastern and western Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, hills of southern Jiangsu and Anhui, part of the mountains in North China. Global warming might lead to the shrinking in suitable region and retreating from the south for Q. variabilis.

Geology, Geochemistry and Geophysics of Sedimentary Rock-Hosted Au Deposits in P.R. China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, Stephen G.

2002-01-01

This is the second report concerning results of a joint project between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Tianjin Geological Academy to study sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits in P.R. China. Since the 1980s, Chinese geologists have devoted a large-scale exploration and research effort to the deposits. As a result, there are more than 20 million oz of proven Au reserves in sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits in P.R. China. Additional estimated and inferred resources are present in over 160 deposits and occurrences, which are undergoing exploration. This makes China second to Nevada in contained ounces of Au in Carlin-type deposits. It is likely that many of the Carlin-type Au ore districts in China, when fully developed, could have resource potential comparable to the multi-1,000-tonne Au resource in northern Nevada. The six chapters of this report describe sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits that were visited during the project. Chapters 1 and 2 provide an overview of sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits and Carlin-type Au deposits and also provide a working classification for the sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 provide descriptions that were compiled from the literature in China in three main areas: the Dian-Qian-Gui, the Qinling fold belt, and Middle-Lower Yangtze River areas. Chapter 6 contains a weights-of-evidence (WofE), GIS-based mineral assessment of sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits in the Qinling fold belt and Dian-Qian-Gui areas. Appendices contain scanned aeromagnetic (Appendix I) and gravity (Appendix II) geophysical maps of south and central China. Data tables of the deposits (Appendix III) also are available in the first report as an interactive database at http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of98-466/. Geochemical analysis of ore samples from the deposits visited are contained in Appendix IV.

Wild food plants and wild edible fungi in two valleys of the Qinling Mountains (Shaanxi, central China).

PubMed

Kang, Yongxiang; Łuczaj, Łukasz; Kang, Jin; Zhang, Shijiao

2013-04-15

The aim of the study was to investigate knowledge and use of wild food plants in two mountain valleys separated by Mount Taibai--the highest peak of northern China and one of its biodiversity hotspots, each adjacent to species-rich temperate forest vegetation. Seventy two free lists were collected among the inhabitants of two mountain valleys (36 in each). All the studied households are within walking distance of primary forest vegetation, however the valleys differed in access to urban centers: Houzhenzi is very isolated, and the Dali valley has easier access to the cities of central Shaanxi. Altogether, 185 wild food plant species and 17 fungi folk taxa were mentioned. The mean number of freelisted wild foods was very high in Houzhenzi (mean 25) and slightly lower in Dali (mean 18). An average respondent listed many species of wild vegetables, a few wild fruits and very few fungi. Age and male gender had a positive but very low effect on the number of taxa listed.Twelve taxa of wild vegetables (Allium spp., Amaranthus spp., Caryopteris divaricata, Helwingia japonica, Matteucia struthiopteris, Pteridium aquilinum, Toona sinensis, Cardamine macrophylla, Celastrus orbiculatus, Chenopodium album, Pimpinella sp., Staphylea bumalda &S. holocarpa), two species of edible fruits (Akebia trifoliata, Schisandra sphenanthera) and none of the mushrooms were freelisted by at least half of the respondents in one or two of the valleys. The high number of wild vegetables listed is due to the high cultural position of this type of food in China compared to other parts of the world, as well as the high biodiversity of the village surroundings. A very high proportion of woodland species (42%, double the number of the ruderal species used) among the listed taxa is contrary to the general stereotype that wild vegetables in Asia are mainly ruderal species. The very low interest in wild mushroom collecting is noteworthy and is difficult to explain. It may arise from the easy access to

Genetic Structure of the Tree Peony (Paeonia rockii) and the Qinling Mountains as a Geographic Barrier Driving the Fragmentation of a Large Population

PubMed Central

Yuan, Jun–hui; Cheng, Fang–Yun; Zhou, Shi–Liang

2012-01-01

Background Tree peonies are great ornamental plants associated with a rich ethnobotanical history in Chinese culture and have recently been used as an evolutionary model. The Qinling Mountains represent a significant geographic barrier in Asia, dividing mainland China into northern (temperate) and southern (semi–tropical) regions; however, their flora has not been well analyzed. In this study, the genetic differentiation and genetic structure of Paeonia rockii and the role of the Qinling Mountains as a barrier that has driven intraspecific fragmentation were evaluated using 14 microsatellite markers. Methodology/Principal Findings Twenty wild populations were sampled from the distributional range of P. rockii. Significant population differentiation was suggested (FST value of 0.302). Moderate genetic diversity at the population level (HS of 0.516) and high population diversity at the species level (HT of 0.749) were detected. Significant excess homozygosity (FIS of 0.076) and recent population bottlenecks were detected in three populations. Bayesian clusters, population genetic trees and principal coordinate analysis all classified the P. rockii populations into three genetic groups and one admixed Wenxian population. An isolation-by-distance model for P. rockii was suggested by Mantel tests (r = 0.6074, P<0.001) and supported by AMOVA (P<0.001), revealing a significant molecular variance among the groups (11.32%) and their populations (21.22%). These data support the five geographic boundaries surrounding the Qinling Mountains and adjacent areas that were detected with Monmonier's maximum-difference algorithm. Conclusions/Significance Our data suggest that the current genetic structure of P. rockii has resulted from the fragmentation of a formerly continuously distributed large population following the restriction of gene flow between populations of this species by the Qinling Mountains. This study provides a fundamental genetic profile for the conservation

Wild food plants and wild edible fungi in two valleys of the Qinling Mountains (Shaanxi, central China)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to investigate knowledge and use of wild food plants in two mountain valleys separated by Mount Taibai – the highest peak of northern China and one of its biodiversity hotspots, each adjacent to species-rich temperate forest vegetation. Methods Seventy two free lists were collected among the inhabitants of two mountain valleys (36 in each). All the studied households are within walking distance of primary forest vegetation, however the valleys differed in access to urban centers: Houzhenzi is very isolated, and the Dali valley has easier access to the cities of central Shaanxi. Results Altogether, 185 wild food plant species and 17 fungi folk taxa were mentioned. The mean number of freelisted wild foods was very high in Houzhenzi (mean 25) and slightly lower in Dali (mean 18). An average respondent listed many species of wild vegetables, a few wild fruits and very few fungi. Age and male gender had a positive but very low effect on the number of taxa listed. Twelve taxa of wild vegetables (Allium spp., Amaranthus spp., Caryopteris divaricata, Helwingia japonica, Matteucia struthiopteris, Pteridium aquilinum, Toona sinensis, Cardamine macrophylla, Celastrus orbiculatus, Chenopodium album, Pimpinella sp., Staphylea bumalda &S. holocarpa), two species of edible fruits (Akebia trifoliata, Schisandra sphenanthera) and none of the mushrooms were freelisted by at least half of the respondents in one or two of the valleys. Conclusion The high number of wild vegetables listed is due to the high cultural position of this type of food in China compared to other parts of the world, as well as the high biodiversity of the village surroundings. A very high proportion of woodland species (42%, double the number of the ruderal species used) among the listed taxa is contrary to the general stereotype that wild vegetables in Asia are mainly ruderal species. The very low interest in wild mushroom collecting is noteworthy and is difficult to

North Qinling Terrain as a provenance of Kuanping Group: LA-ICP-MS U-Pb Geochronology of detrital zircons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, B.; Li, S.; Zhai, M.; Wu, J.; Jia, X.

2017-12-01

Though some Neoproterozoic S-type granites in the North Qinling Terrain (NQT), China indicate the collision between the NQT and an unknown block, there are still controversial. The LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of detrital zircons of meta-sandstones from the Kuanping Group in Luonan area, NQT, provide sedimentology evidence to prove that the NQT and an unknown block from Rodinia supercontinent have been collided during Meso-Neoproterozoic. The U-Pb ages of detrital zircons from the Kuanping Group show that the main age peaks are at 2.58 Ga, 2.46 Ga, 2.0 Ga, 1.78 Ga, 1.6 Ga, 1.45 Ga and 1.27 Ga. The youngest age of 880 Ma indicates that the sedimentary age of the Kuanping Group is less than 880 Ma. The provenances, which provide 1.45 - 0.88 Ga sediments may come from NQT, which magmatic and metamorphic rocks during this period outcropped. Whereas provenances providing 2.6- 1.6 Ga sediments may come from an unknown block. This indicates that the Kuangping Group received both NQT and the unknown block materials. Therefore, the NQT and the unknown block may have collided before 880 Ma. 889 - 848 Ma A-type granites distributing the NQT was considered forming under a post-collisional tectonics. According the youngest detrital zircon ages of 880 Ma, it is inferred that the Kuanping Basin may also form in the same tectonic environments. Neoproterozoic Kuanping basin and 889 - 848 Ma A-type granites may be a result which NQT broken off a block of Rodinia supercontinent. Acknowledgments: This research is supported by National Key Research and Development Plan of China (2016YFC0601002), Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central Colleges, Chang'an University (310827172201, 0009-2014G1271067) and National Nature Science Foundation of China (41402042).

Petrogenesis of the ∼500 Ma Fushui mafic intrusion and Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Northern Qinling Belt, Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yu; Pei, Xiaoli; Castillo, Paterno R.; Liu, Xijun; Ding, Haihong; Guo, Zhichao

2017-06-01

The Fushui mafic intrusion in the Qinling orogenic belt (QOB) is composed of meta-gabbro, meta-gabbro-diorite, diorite, and syenite. Most of these rocks are metamorphosed under the upper greenschist facies to lower amphibolite facies metamorphism. Zircon separates from eight samples have LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of 497-501 Ma which are taken to be the emplacement age of magmas that formed the Fushui intrusion. Most of the zircon grains exhibit negative εHf values, correspond to TDM2 model ages of late Paleoproterozoic-early Mesoproterozoic or Neoproterozoic and suggest that the mafic rocks were most probably derived from mafic melts produced by partial melting of a previously metasomatized lithospheric mantle. The intrusion is not extensively contaminated by crustal materials and most chemical compositions of rocks are not modified during the greenschist to amphibolite-facies metamorhism. Rocks from the intrusion have primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns with significant enrichment in light-REE and large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depletion in high field-strength elements (HFSE). On the basis of the trace element contents, the Fushui intrusion was derived from parental magmas generated by <10% partial melting of both phlogopite-lherzolite and garnet-lherzolite mantle sources. These sources are best interpreted to be in a subduction-related arc environment and have been modified by fluids released from a subducting slab. The formation of the Fushui intrusion was related to the subduction of the Paleotethyan Shangdan oceanic lithosphere at ∼500 Ma.

Molecular characterization of Blastocystis sp. in captive wild animals in Qinling Mountains.

PubMed

Zhao, G H; Hu, X F; Liu, T L; Hu, R S; Yu, Z Q; Yang, W B; Wu, Y L; Yu, S K; Song, J K

2017-08-01

Blastocystis is one common protist inhabiting in gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans. Examining the subtypes has important implications for assessing the zoonotic potential of Blastocystis and intestinal health of hosts. In the present study, a total of 497 fecal samples collected from 37 wild animal species in Qinling Mountains were investigated for the presence and subtypes of Blastocystis. Of them, 200 (40.2%) were positive for Blastocystis and 13 subtypes were found, including eight known subtypes (STs1-3, 5, 10, 12-14) and five possible novel subtypes (temporarily named as STs18-22), with ST10 as the predominate subtype and the subtype ST5 was detected in an ostrich for the first time. These findings indicated the wide distribution and specific subtype characteristics of Blastocystis in wild animals of Qinling Mountains.

Population structure of the golden snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus roxellana in the Qinling Mountains, central China

Treesearch

Kang Huang; Songtao Guo; Samuel A. Cushman; Derek W. Dunn; Xiaoguang Qi; Rong Hou; Jing Zhang; Qi Li; Qiang Zhang; Zhen Shi; Kan Zhang; Baoguo Li

2016-01-01

Environmental barriers and habitat fragmentation can restrict gene flow, leading to genetic divergence among animal populations. The golden snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus roxellana, is endemic to China, and ranges across 4 provinces. However, over the past 40 years its populations have become fragmented. We investigated the genetic diversity, demographic...

Geology and ore fluid geochemistry of the Jinduicheng porphyry molybdenum deposit, East Qinling, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongying; Ye, Huishou; Wang, Xiaoxia; Yang, Lei; Wang, Xiuyuan

2014-01-01

Jinduicheng deposit is a giant Mesozoic porphyry Mo system deposit in the East Qinling molybdenum belt, Shaanxi Province, China. The mineralization is associated with the I-type Jinduicheng granite porphyry. Both the porphyry stock and country rocks underwent intense hydrothermal alteration. The alteration, with increasing distance from the parent intrusion, changes from silicification, through potassic and phyllic assemblages, carbonation, to propylitic assemblages. Molybdenite, the dominant ore mineral, occurs in veinlets, most of which are hosted by the altered country rocks, with less than 25% of the ore in the porphyry body. The hydrothermal system comprises four stages, including pre-ore quartz and K-feldspar; two ore stages of quartz, K-feldspar, molybdenite, and Pb- And Zn-bearing sulfides; and post-ore quartz and carbonate. Six main types of primary fluid inclusions are present in hydrothermal quartz, including two-phase aqueous, one-phase aqueous, three-phase CO2-bearing, CO2-dominated fluid inclusions, gas inclusions, and melt inclusions. The homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions range from 210 to 290 °C in the pre-ore stage, 150-310 °C in ore stage I, 150-360 °C in the ore stage II, and 195-325 °C in the post-ore stage quartz. Estimated salinities of the ore-forming fluids range from 6.9 to 13.5, 4.3 to 12.3, 6.2 to 12.4, and 3.4 to 9.9 wt.% NaCl equiv. in stages 1-4, respectively. The δ34S values of pyrite in the two ore stages range from 2.8‰ to 4.3‰, whereas the δ34S values of molybdenite range from 2.9‰ to 6.2‰. The data suggest both magmatic and crustal sources of sulfur. The δD and δ18O values for the hydrothermal fluids are -57.2‰ to -84.4‰ and 8.0‰ to -3.2‰, respectively. The fluid inclusion and stable data indicate that the pre-ore hydrothermal fluids were mostly of magmatic origin, but the fluids responsible for ore deposition were mixed magmatic and meteoric, and eventually meteoric water dominated the system

Petrogenesis of Luchuba and Wuchaba granitoids in western Qinling: geochronological and geochemical evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Juanjuan; Niu, Yaoling; Duan, Meng; Zhang, Yu; Hu, Yan; Li, Jiyong; Chen, Shuo

2017-12-01

The West Qinling Orogenic Belt (WQOB) is a major portion of the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu Orogen and holds essential information for understanding the prolonged evolution of the northeastern branch of the Paleo-Tethys in East Asia. This study focuses on the petrogenesis of granitoids from Luchuba and Wuchaba plutons in the WQOB. We obtained zircon U-Pb ages of 211 ± 1.4 Ma for the Luchuba pluton and 218.7 ± 1.3 Ma for the Wuchaba pluton, which are the same as the proposed timing of continental collision at ˜220 Ma. We thus interpret the granitoids to represent a magmatic response to the collision between the North China Craton (NCC) and the Yangtze Block (YB). The two plutons are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous I-type granitoids. Samples from the two plutons show strong light rare earth element (REEs) enrichment and weak heavy REE depletion, with varying negative Eu anomalies, which is most consistent with significant plagioclase fractionation although the possible effect of plagioclase as residual phase in the magma source region cannot be ruled out. In primitive mantle normalized multi-element variation diagrams, nearly all the samples show negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies and relative enrichment in Rb, Pb, U and K. These characteristics resemble those of the average continental crust. The Luchuba pluton has lower (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.7051 to 0.7104), higher ɛNd(t) (-8.11 to -5.73) and ɛHf(t) (-6.70 to -1.65) than mature continental crust ([87Sr/86Sr] i > 0.72, ɛNd(t) < -12). The Wuchaba pluton also has lower (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.7069 to 0.7080), higher ɛNd(t) (-9.86 to -3.34) and ɛHf(t) (-5.69 to 1.58) than mature continental crust. We conclude that the Luchuba and Wuchaba granitoids in the WQOB are best explained as resulting from fractional crystallization with crustal assimilation of parental magmas derived from melting of Mianlue oceanic crust under amphibolite facies conditions during the initial stage of continental collision between the North China Craton

Seismic anisotropy beneath the southern Ordos block and the Qinling-Dabie orogen, China: Eastward Tibetan asthenospheric flow around the southern Ordos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yong; Chen, Yongshun John

2016-12-01

SKS wave splitting analysis is performed to estimate the seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle using teleseismic data recorded by a temporary seismic array of 180 stations called SOSArray deployed in the southern Ordos block and the Qinling-Dabie orogen. The most important finding is that large delay times with NW-SE fast polarization directions in the northeastern Tibet are continuous across the boundary into the southwestern part of the Ordos block, where the SKS wave splitting results are significantly different from those in the rest of the Ordos block. Based on our SKS wave splitting results in addition to the results from previous studies, we propose an asthenospheric flow model for the eastward extrusion of the Tibetan upper mantle. The model consists of two corner flows around the southwestern corner and the southeastern corner of the Ordos block and the eastward flow along the Weihe graben and the Qinling-Dabie orogen for the escaping Tibetan upper mantle. Finally, the clockwise turning flow of the asthenosphere around the southwestern corner of Ordos block has currently extended laterally into the interior of the Ordos block, suggesting that the thick cold lithospheric root of the southwestern Ordos block there is currently being replaced with hot Tibetan asthenosphere at depths, that is, we observed an on-going process of thermal erosion of a cratonic lithosphere by lateral hot asthenospheric flow.

Magmatic-hydrothermal origin of the early Triassic Laodou lode gold deposit in the Xiahe-Hezuo district, West Qinling orogen, China: implications for gold metallogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xiao-ye; Li, Jian-wei; Hofstra, Albert H.; Sui, Ji-xiang

2017-08-01

-sulfide-tourmaline veins have relatively homogeneous lead isotopic compositions, compatible with granitic intrusions in the district. The geochronological and isotopic data combined support a magmatic origin for the Laodou gold deposit, most likely formed from fluids exsolved from the Laodou quartz diorite porphyry or associated intrusive phases at deeper levels beneath the stock. Orogenic and Carlin-like gold deposits in the West Qinling orogen have been commonly thought to have formed from metamorphic fluids. This study, however, highlights the role of magmatic-derived fluids in the formation of lode gold deposits. Synthesis of geochronological, geological, and geochemical data on magmatic rocks and ore deposits in and surrounding the Xiahe-Hezuo district indicates that gold mineralization predominantly occurred within a subduction-related magmatic arc prior to collision between the Yangtze and North China cratons that produced the West Qinling orogen.

Crustal and Uppermost Mantle Structure across the Tibet-Qinling Transition Zone in NE Tibet: Implications for Material Extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Z.; Li, J.; Gao*, R.; Song, X.; Li, Q.; Li, Y.; Huang, X.; Xiong, X.; Li, W.; WANG, Y.

2017-12-01

Based on a dense linear seismic array traversing across the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau to the Qinling belt, we conducted joint inversion of receiver functions and surface wave dispersions under constraints of P-wave velocity and derived a crustal and uppermost mantle Vs profile simultaneously with a Vp/Vs ratio profile. Our observations indicate that the Qinling belt, which shows ratio Vp/Vs<1.8 indicative of intermediate-to-felsic components in the lower crust, is currently not acting as a channel accommodating extrusion of the mid-lower crustal flow; and extrusion of Tibet's ductile mantle flow through the Qinling belt as a channel would only be feasible in the sub-lithosphere depth (asthenosphere). Our results suggest that ductile material extrusion of the mid-lower crustal flow accompanied with fault-related tectonics and gravitational buoyancy resulted from lithospheric detachment (triggered by the asthenospheric flow) may jointly work on the plateau uplift and expansion in this Tibet-Qinling transition zone. Corresponding Author: R.Gao, ruigao126@126.com

Flooding in Central China

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

During the summer of 2002, frequent, heavy rains gave rise to floods and landslides throughout China that have killed over 1,000 people and affected millions. This false-color image of the western Yangtze River and Dongting Lake in central China was acquired on August 21, 2002, by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA's Terra spacecraft. (right) The latest flooding crisis in China centers on Dingtong Lake in the center of the image. Heavy rains have caused it to swell over its banks and swamp lakefront towns in the province of Hunan. As of August 23, 2002, more than 250,000 people have been evacuated, and over one million people have been brought in to fortify the dikes around the lake. Normally the lake would appear much smaller and more defined in the MODIS image. Credit: Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

Geochemical insights into the lithology of mantle sources for Cenozoic alkali basalts in West Qinling, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Li-Qun; Zheng, Fei; Zhao, Zi-Fu; Zheng, Yong-Fei

2018-03-01

Although alkali basalts are common in oceanic islands and continental rifts, the lithology of their mantle sources is still controversial. While the peridotite is usually viewed as a common source lithology, there are increasing studies suggesting significant contributions from ultramafic metasomatites such as carbonated peridotite, pyroxenite and hornblendite to the origin of alkali basalts. The present study indicates that carbonated peridotite plus hornblendite would have served as the mantle sources of Cenozoic alkali basalts from the West Qinling orogen in China. The target basalts show low SiO2 contents of 36.9 to 40.8 wt% and highly variable Na2O + K2O contents from 0.86 to 4.77 wt%, but high CaO contents of 12.5 to 16.3 wt% and CaO/Al2O3 ratios of 1.42 to 2.19. They are highly enriched in the majority of incompatible trace elements, but depleted in Rb, K, Pb, Zr, Hf, and Ti. Furthermore, they exhibit high (La/Yb)N, Zr/Hf, Ce/Pb and Nb/Ta ratios, but low Ti/Eu and Hf/Sm ratios. Generally, with increasing (La/Yb)N and CaO/Al2O3 ratios, their Ti/Eu and Hf/Sm ratios decrease whereas their Zr/Hf, Ce/Pb and Nb/Ta ratios increase. These major and trace element features are similar to those of carbonatites and hornblendite-derived melts to some extent, but significantly different from those of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). This suggests that the alkali basalts would be originated from metasomatic mantle sources. A comparison of the major-trace elements in the alkali basalts with those of some representative mantle-derived melts indicates that the source lithology of alkali basalts is a kind of ultramafic metasomatites that are composed of carbonated peridotite and hornblendite. Such metasomatites would be generated by reaction of the depleted MORB mantle peridotite with hydrous, carbonate-bearing felsic melts derived from partial melting of the subducted Paleotethyan oceanic crust. Therefore, the melt-peridotite reaction at the slab-mantle interface in the

Characteristics of breast cancer in Central China, literature review and comparison with USA.

PubMed

Chen, Chuang; Sun, Si; Yuan, Jing-Ping; Wang, Yao-Huai; Cao, Tian-Ze; Zheng, Hong-Mei; Jiang, Xue-Qing; Gong, Yi-Ping; Tu, Yi; Yao, Feng; Hu, Ming-Bai; Li, Juan-Juan; Sun, Sheng-Rong; Wei, Wen

2016-12-01

This work was to analyze characteristics of breast cancer (BC) in Central China, summarize main characteristics in China and compare with USA. BC main characteristics from four hospitals in Central China from 2002 to 2012 were collected and analyzed. All the single and large-scale clinical reports covering at least ten years were selected and summarized to calculate the BC characteristics of China. BC Characteristics in USA were selected based on the database from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Age distribution in Central China was normal with one age peak at 45-49 years, displaying differences from USA and Chinese American with two age peaks. BC characteristics in Central China displayed distinct features from USA and Chinese American, including significant younger onset age, lower proportion of patients with stage I, lymph node negative, small tumor size and ER positive. A total ten long-term and large-scale clinical reports were selected for BC characteristics of Mainland China analysis. A total of 53,571 BC patients were enrolled from 1995 to 2012. The main characteristics of BC in Mainland China were similar as that in Central China, but were significant different from developed regions of China (Hong Kong and Taiwan), USA and Chinese American. BC characteristics in Central China displayed representative patterns of Mainland China, while showed distinct patterns from Chinese patients in other developed areas and USA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyphase exhumation in the western Qinling Mountains, China: Rapid Early Cretaceous cooling along a lithospheric-scale tear fault and pulsed Cenozoic uplift

PubMed Central

Heberer, Bianca; Anzenbacher, Thomas; Neubauer, Franz; Genser, Johann; Dong, Yunpeng; Dunkl, István

2014-01-01

The western sector of the Qinling–Dabie orogenic belt plays a key role in both Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous “Yanshanian” intracontinental tectonics and Cenozoic lateral escape triggered by India–Asia collision. The Taibai granite in the northern Qinling Mountains is located at the westernmost tip of a Yanshanian granite belt. It consists of multiple intrusions, constrained by new Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous U–Pb zircon ages (156 ± 3 Ma and 124 ± 1 Ma). Applying various geochronometers (40Ar/39Ar on hornblende, biotite and K-feldspar, apatite fission-track, apatite [U–Th–Sm]/He) along a vertical profile of the Taibai Mountain refines the cooling and exhumation history. The new age constraints record the prolonged pre-Cenozoic intracontinental deformation as well as the cooling history mostly related to India–Asia collision. We detected rapid cooling for the Taibai granite from ca. 800 to 100 °C during Early Cretaceous (ca. 123 to 100 Ma) followed by a period of slow cooling from ca. 100 Ma to ca. 25 Ma, and pulsed exhumation of the low-relief Cretaceous peneplain during Cenozoic times. We interpret the Early Cretaceous rapid cooling and exhumation as a result from activity along the southern sinistral lithospheric scale tear fault of the recently postulated intracontinental subduction of the Archean/Palaeoproterozoic North China Block beneath the Alashan Block. A Late Oligocene to Early Miocene cooling phase might be triggered either by the lateral motion during India–Asia collision and/or the Pacific subduction zone. Late Miocene intensified cooling is ascribed to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. PMID:27065503

Geochemistry and geochronology of ore-bearing and barren intrusions in the Luanchuan ore fields of East Qinling metallogenic belt, China: Diverse tectonic evolution and implications for mineral exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Fei; Wang, Gongwen; Santosh, M.; Yang, Fan; Shen, Zhiwei; Kong, Liang; Guo, Nana; Zhang, Xuhuang; Jia, Wenjuan

2018-05-01

The Luanchuan ore fields form part of the East Qinling metallogenic belt in central China. In this study, we compare two ore-bearing intrusions, the Shibaogou granitic pluton (SBG) and the Zhongyuku granitic pluton (ZYK), with the ore-barren Laojunshan intrusion (LJS) from the Luanchuan ore field. Geochemically, all the three intrusions are characterized by high-Si, high-K, and alkalis, together with moderate-ASI, exhibiting I-type granite features. The rocks, especially the ore-related plutons also show enrichment in LREEs. Mineral chemistry of biotite from the intrusions exhibits similar features of high Si and Mg, and low Al and Fe. Zircon grains from the ZYK intrusion yielded a U-Pb age of 149.6 ± 2.4 Ma. The zircon grains show εHf (t) values and two stage model ages (TDM2) in the range of -16.8 to -19.7 and 1998-2156 Ma respectively. The biotite composition and Hf isotopic data indicate that the magma was derived by re-melting of deep crustal material with minor input of mantle components. We evaluate the results to understand the physico-chemical conditions, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting, and their implications for mineral exploration. The ore-bearing plutons show wide ranges of temperature and oxygen fugacity, favoring Mo-W mineralization. In addition, estimates on pressure and depth of emplacement suggest that lower solidification pressure in a decompressional setting contributed to the evolution of magmatic hydrothermal deposits. Our data suggest that the ZYK has the highest potential for Mo-W mineralization. The ore-bearing plutons of ZYK and SBG were formed in a transitional tectonic setting from compression to extension, with the large-scale metallogeny triggered by slab melts at ca. 145 Ma. However, the ore-barren LJS batholith formed in an extension-related geodynamic setting at ∼115 Ma. Our study shows that different tectonic settings and consequent physico-chemical conditions dictated the ore potential of the intrusions in the Luanchuan ore

A Chinese cave links climate change, social impacts, and human adaptation over the last 500 years.

PubMed

Tan, Liangcheng; Cai, Yanjun; An, Zhisheng; Cheng, Hai; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Breitenbach, Sebastian F M; Gao, Yongli; Edwards, R Lawrence; Zhang, Haiwei; Du, Yajuan

2015-08-13

The collapse of some pre-historical and historical cultures, including Chinese dynasties were presumably linked to widespread droughts, on the basis of synchronicities of societal crises and proxy-based climate events. Here, we present a comparison of ancient inscriptions in Dayu Cave from Qinling Mountains, central China, which described accurate times and detailed impacts of seven drought events during the period of 1520-1920 CE, with high-resolution speleothem records from the same cave. The comparable results provide unique and robust tests on relationships among speleothem δ(18)O changes, drought events, and societal unrest. With direct historical evidences, our results suggest that droughts and even modest events interrupting otherwise wet intervals can cause serious social crises. Modeling results of speleothem δ(18)O series suggest that future precipitation in central China may be below the average of the past 500 years. As Qinling Mountain is the main recharge area of two large water transfer projects and habitats of many endangered species, it is imperative to explore an adaptive strategy for the decline in precipitation and/or drought events.

A Chinese cave links climate change, social impacts, and human adaptation over the last 500 years

PubMed Central

Tan, Liangcheng; Cai, Yanjun; An, Zhisheng; Cheng, Hai; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Breitenbach, Sebastian F. M.; Gao, Yongli; Edwards, R. Lawrence; Zhang, Haiwei; Du, Yajuan

2015-01-01

The collapse of some pre-historical and historical cultures, including Chinese dynasties were presumably linked to widespread droughts, on the basis of synchronicities of societal crises and proxy-based climate events. Here, we present a comparison of ancient inscriptions in Dayu Cave from Qinling Mountains, central China, which described accurate times and detailed impacts of seven drought events during the period of 1520–1920 CE, with high-resolution speleothem records from the same cave. The comparable results provide unique and robust tests on relationships among speleothem δ18O changes, drought events, and societal unrest. With direct historical evidences, our results suggest that droughts and even modest events interrupting otherwise wet intervals can cause serious social crises. Modeling results of speleothem δ18O series suggest that future precipitation in central China may be below the average of the past 500 years. As Qinling Mountain is the main recharge area of two large water transfer projects and habitats of many endangered species, it is imperative to explore an adaptive strategy for the decline in precipitation and/or drought events. PMID:26270656

[Diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Picea asperata in Xin Jiashan Forest of Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Geng, Rong; Geng, Zengchao; Huang, Jian; He, Wenxiang; Hou, Lin; She, Diao; Zhao, Jun; Shang, Jie

2015-07-04

To study the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Picea asperata in Xin Jiashan Forest of Qinling Mountains. This method combined the field investigation, morphological and molecular biology to identify ectomycorrhizal fungi. There were 37 different ectomycorrhizal fungi under 14 genera of 10 families on spruce in Xin Jiashan Forest of Qinling Mountains, 34 types belonged to Basidiomycetes, 1 to Ascomycete and 2 to unknown species. Among these identified ectomycorrhizal fungi types, Inocybe sp. was the dominant group; Russula nauseosa was the most dominant species; Hygrophorus sp., Tomentella coerulea, Inocybe sp. 1, Helotiaceae sp. and Lactarius deterrimus were common species; and the rest species were rare species. The large number but relatively rare species of dominant family and the small number but relatively more species of rare family survived in ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of Picea asperata. For the extreme degradation in arid area of western ecological system, identifing some rare family for further development and utilization had very important practical significance.

Geomorphological and structural characterization of the southern Weihe Graben, central China: Implications for fault segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yali; He, Chuanqi; Rao, Gang; Yan, Bing; Lin, Aiming; Hu, Jianmin; Yu, Yangli; Yao, Qi

2018-01-01

The Cenozoic graben systems around the tectonically stable Ordos Block, central China, have been considered as ideal places for investigating active deformation within continental rifts, such as the Weihe Graben at the southern margin with high historical seismicity (e.g., 1556 M 8.5 Huaxian great earthquake). However, previous investigations have mostly focused on the active structures in the eastern and northern parts of this graben. By contrast, in the southwest, tectonic activity along the northern margin of the Qinling Mountains has not been systematically investigated yet. In this study, based on digital elevation models (DEMs), we carried out geomorphological analysis to evaluate the relative tectonic activity along the whole South Border Fault (SBF). On the basis of field observations, high resolution DEMs acquired by small unmanned aerial vehicles (sUVA) using structure-for-motion techniques, radiocarbon (14C) age dating, we demonstrate that: 1) Tectonic activity along the SBF changes along strike, being higher in the eastern sector. 2) Seven major segment boundaries have been assigned, where the fault changes its strike and has lower tectonic activity. 3) The fault segment between the cities of Huaxian and Huayin characterized by almost pure normal slip has been active during the Holocene. We suggest that these findings would provide a basis for further investigating on the seismic risk in densely-populated Weihe Graben. Table S2. The values and classification of geomorphic indices obtained in this study. Fig. S1. Morphological features of the stream long profiles (Nos. 1-75) and corresponding SLK values. Fig. S2. Comparison of geomorphological parameters acquired from different DEMs (90-m SRTM and 30-m ASTER GDEM): (a) HI values; (b) HI linear regression; (c) mean slope of drainage basin; (d) mean slope linear regression.

Consistent C3 plant habitat of hominins during 400-300 ka at the Longyadong Cave site (Luonan Basin, central China) revealed by stable carbon isotope analyses of loess deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongyan; Lu, Huayu; Wang, Shejiang

2017-04-01

The proportions of woody and grassland taxa in terrestrial ecosystems played an important role in the origin and evolution of early Palaeolithic hominins. However the influence of ecosystem changes on hominin behavior and adaptations in Asia has not been studied in detail. Hominins have exploited the Luonan Basin in the Eastern Qinling Mountains, central China, since the early Paleolithic. Dated sites, consisting of alternating loess and soil deposits with in situ artefacts, are common in the region, and provide a detailed record of Early to Middle Pleistocene hominin environments. Here, we present the results of measurements of the stable carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (δ13C) in the loess-paleosol sequences from the Longyadong Cave site. Our analyses of δ13C show that for at least 400 ka the Longyadong Cave site and its surroundings were dominated by C3 woody plants, whereas the nearby Liuwan site was dominated by C4 and C3 mixed grassland or woody grassland vegetation. These findings demonstrate that between 400 and 300 ka in the Luonan Basin, hominins occupied a habitat consisting of a mosaic of grassland and woodland/forest. Although the vegetation of the region changed in response to the glacial-interglacial climatic cycles, patches of woody vegetation in landscapes such as at Longyadong Cave site persisted continuously. Such environments seem to be have been favored by hominins living in the Luonan Basin, possibly because they provided a diverse range of food resources during both glacial and interglacial intervals of the Middle Pleistocene, when most of northern China was experiencing an increasing trend of drying and cooling and steppe environments were expanding. Thus, the Luonan Basin would have served as a refugium for hominin occupation in China during the Middle Pleistocene.

Haze in central China

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-01-24

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this natural-color image of central China on January 23, 2013 at 04:05 UTC. The image shows extensive haze over the region. In areas where the ground is visible, some of the landscape is covered with lingering snow. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Fungal community structure of fallen pine and oak wood at different stages of decomposition in the Qinling Mountains, China.

PubMed

Yuan, Jie; Zheng, Xiaofeng; Cheng, Fei; Zhu, Xian; Hou, Lin; Li, Jingxia; Zhang, Shuoxin

2017-10-24

Historically, intense forest hazards have resulted in an increase in the quantity of fallen wood in the Qinling Mountains. Fallen wood has a decisive influence on the nutrient cycling, carbon budget and ecosystem biodiversity of forests, and fungi are essential for the decomposition of fallen wood. Moreover, decaying dead wood alters fungal communities. The development of high-throughput sequencing methods has facilitated the ongoing investigation of relevant molecular forest ecosystems with a focus on fungal communities. In this study, fallen wood and its associated fungal communities were compared at different stages of decomposition to evaluate relative species abundance and species diversity. The physical and chemical factors that alter fungal communities were also compared by performing correspondence analysis according to host tree species across all stages of decomposition. Tree species were the major source of differences in fungal community diversity at all decomposition stages, and fungal communities achieved the highest levels of diversity at the intermediate and late decomposition stages. Interactions between various physical and chemical factors and fungal communities shared the same regulatory mechanisms, and there was no tree species-specific influence. Improving our knowledge of wood-inhabiting fungal communities is crucial for forest ecosystem conservation.

Geochemistry of Early Paleozoic boninites from the Central Qilian block, Northwest China: Constraints on petrogenesis and back-arc basin development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zhong; Zhang, Hong-Fei; Yang, He; Luo, Bi-Ji; Guo, Liang; Xu, Wang-Chun; Pan, Fa-Bin

2018-06-01

Early Paleozoic boninites occur in the Central Qilian orogenic belt, Northwest China. Their petrogenesis provides insights into lithosphere process and tectonic evolution of the Qilian block. In this paper, we carry out a study of geochronological, geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions for the Early Paleozoic boninites in the Lajishan area of the Central Qilian block. The Lajishan boninites (∼483 Ma) have high Al2O3/TiO2 (36.7-64.7) and CaO/TiO2 (31.1-49.6) ratios, and high MgO (7.86-10.47 wt%), Cr (439-599 ppm) and Ni (104-130 ppm) contents, indicating that the boninites result from a refractory mantle source. They are depleted in high field-strength elements (HFSE) and enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE), coupled with slightly high initial 87Sr/86Sr values of 0.7059-0.7074 and low εNd(t) values of -1.05 to +2.66, indicating that the mantle source was metasomatized by subducted slab-derived components. We found that an assemblage of low-Ca group and high-Ca group boninites occurred in the Lajishan belt. The high-Ca group boninites were derived from relatively fertile mantle with slightly higher melting degree, whereas the low-Ca group boninites were generated by partial melting of more refractory mantle wedge peridotites with slightly lower melting degree. The assemblage of low-Ca group and high-Ca group boninites reveals that the low-Ca group boninites were generated by the further melting of the more refractory mantle source after the segregation of the high-Ca group boninitic magmas in response to the back-arc basin opening. In the light of reported boninites worldwide, a diagram of Zr/Y vs. CaO/Al2O3 is used to identify boninites in fore-arc and back-arc regions. We suggest that the Lajishan boninites represent the products of back-arc basin development in response to the northward subduction of the Qaidam-West Qinling ocean slab.

Zircon U-Pb geochronology, Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic composition and geological significance of the Late Triassic Baijiazhuang and Lvjing granitic plutons in West Qinling Orogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Meng; Niu, Yaoling; Kong, Juanjuan; Sun, Pu; Hu, Yan; Zhang, Yu; Chen, Shuo; Li, Jiyong

2016-09-01

The Qinling Orogen was a consequence of continental collision of the South China Craton with the North China Craton in the Triassic and caused widespread granitoid magmatism. However, the petrogenesis of these granitoids remains controversial. In this paper, we choose the Baijiazhuang (BJZ) and Lvjing (LJ) plutons in the West Qinling Orogen for a combined study of the zircon U-Pb geochronology, whole-rock major and trace element compositions and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic characteristics. We obtained zircon crystallization ages of 216 Ma and 212 Ma for the BJZ and the LJ plutons, respectively. The granitoid samples from both plutons have high K2O metaluminous to peraluminous compositions. They are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), light rare earth elements (LREEs) and depleted in high field-strength elements (HFSEs) with significant negative Eu anomalies. The BJZ samples have initial Sr isotopic ratios of 0.7032 to 0.7078, εNd(t) of - 10.99 to - 8.54 and εHf (t) of - 10.22 to - 6.41. The LJ granitoids have initial Sr isotopic ratios of 0.7070 to 0.7080, εNd(t) of - 5.37 to - 4.58 and εHf(t) of - 3.64 to - 1.78. The enriched isotopic characteristics of the two plutons are consistent with their source being dominated by ancient continental crust. However, two BJZ samples show depleted Sr isotope compositions, which may infer possible involvement of mantle materials. Mantle-derived melt, which formed from partial melting of mantle wedge peridotite facilitated by dehydration of the subducted/subducting Mianlue ocean crust, provide the required heat for the crustal melting while also contributing to the compositions of these granitoids. That is, the two granitic plutons are magmatic responses to the closure of the Mianlue ocean basin and the continental collision between the Yangtze and South Qinling crustal terranes. (143Nd/144Nd)i = (143Nd/144Nd) - (147Sm/144Nd) × (eλt - 1), εNd(t) = [(143Nd/144Nd) / (143Nd/144Nd)CHUR(t) - 1] × 104, (143Nd/144Nd

Zircon U-Pb ages and geochemistry of migmatites and granites in the Foping dome: Evidence for Late Triassic crustal evolution in South Qinling, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, He; Li, Shuang-Qing; Fang, Bo-Wen; He, Jian-Feng; Xue, Ying-Yu; Siebel, Wolfgang; Chen, Fukun

2018-01-01

Migmatites provide a record of melt formation and crustal rheology. In this study we present zircon U-Pb ages and geochemical composition of migmatites from the Foping dome and granites from the Wulong pluton. U-Pb results from migmatite zircons indicate two episodes of partial melting. Rim domains from a leucosome in the Longcaoping area yield an age of ca. 209 Ma. Migmatites collected from the Foping dome yield U-Pb zircon ages of 2910 to 190 Ma, suggesting the involvement of meta-sedimentary source components. Rim domains of the zircons with low Th/U ratios (< 0.1) give ages of 225-190 Ma and the youngest age domains (ca. 195 Ma) are characterized by low contents of heavy rare earth elements, which is related to crystallization of garnet. Magmatic rocks from the Wulong pluton can be subdivided into high Sr/Y and low Sr/Y granites. U-Pb zircon ages vary from 219 to 214 Ma for the high Sr/Y granites and from 214 to 192 Ma for the low Sr/Y granites. High Sr/Y granites have higher Na2O and Sr contents than the low Sr/Y granites. They also lack negative Eu anomalies and are depleted in HREE compared to the low Sr/Y granites. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and εNd values of all the samples roughly overlap with those of Neoproterozoic basement rocks exposed in South Qinling. Including previous studies, we propose that the high and low Sr/Y granites formed by melting of thickened and normal crust, respectively. Close temporal-spatial relationship of the high and low Sr/Y granites with the two-stage migmatization events implies variation of crustal thickness and thermal overprints of the orogenic crust in post-collisional collapse. Following the collision of South Qinling and the Yangtze block prior to 219 Ma, partial melting of the deep crust occurred. The melts migrated upwards to form the high Sr/Y granites. This process occurred rapidly and caused collapse of the thickened crust and carried heat upwards, leading to further partial melting within the shallower crust and

Modification of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in Central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jin Nong; Peng, Bo; Zhao, Ting Ting; Xiang, Min; Fu, Wei; Peng, Yi

2011-12-01

The well-known excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) assessment, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), is not consistently qualified for patients with diverse living habits. This study is aimed to build a modified ESS (mESS) and then to verify its feasibility in the assessment of EDS for patients with suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in central China. A Ten-item Sleepiness Questionnaire (10-ISQ) was built by adding two backup items to the original ESS. Then the 10-ISQ was administered to 122 patients in central China with suspected SDB [among them, 119 cases met the minimal diagnostic criteria for obstructive sleep apnea by sleep study, e.g., apnea and hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 h(-1)] and 117 healthy central Chinese volunteers without SDB. Multivariate exploratory techniques were used for item validation. The unreliable item in the original ESS was replaced by the eligible backup item, thus a modified ESS (mESS) was built, and then verified. Item 8 proved to be the only unreliable item in central Chinese patients, with the least factor loading on the main factor and the lowest item-total correlation both in the 10-ISQ and in the original ESS, deletion of it would increase the Cronbach's alpha (from 0.86 to 0.87 in the 10-ISQ; from 0.83 to 0.85 in the original ESS). The mESS was subsequently built by replacing item 8 in the original ESS with item 10 in the 10-ISQ. Verification with patients' responses revealed that the mESS was a single-factor questionnaire with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). The sum score of the mESS not only correlated with AHI (P < 0.01) but was also able to discriminate the severity of obstructive apnea (P < 0.01). Nasal CPAP treatment for severe OSA reduced the score significantly (P < 0.001). The performance of the mESS was poor in evaluating normal subjects. The mESS improves the validity of ESS for our patients. Therefore, it is justified to use it instead of the original one in assessment of EDS for patients with SDB

Tree-Ring Based May-July Temperature Reconstruction Since AD 1630 on the Western Loess Plateau, China

PubMed Central

Song, Huiming; Liu, Yu; Li, Qiang; Gao, Na; Ma, Yongyong; Zhang, Yanhua

2014-01-01

Tree-ring samples from Chinese Pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) collected at Mt. Shimen on the western Loess Plateau, China, were used to reconstruct the mean May–July temperature during AD 1630–2011. The regression model explained 48% of the adjusted variance in the instrumentally observed mean May–July temperature. The reconstruction revealed significant temperature variations at interannual to decadal scales. Cool periods observed in the reconstruction coincided with reduced solar activities. The reconstructed temperature matched well with two other tree-ring based temperature reconstructions conducted on the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains (on the southern margin of the Loess Plateau of China) for both annual and decadal scales. In addition, this study agreed well with several series derived from different proxies. This reconstruction improves upon the sparse network of high-resolution paleoclimatic records for the western Loess Plateau, China. PMID:24690885

Central-provincial relations for anti-schistosomiasis policy in china.

PubMed

Fan, Ka-Wai

2012-01-01

This paper discusses central-local relations for healthcare policy in China from a principal-agent perspective, based on schistosomiasis control. In order to control the disease, the central government produced the Outline of the Mid-Long-Term National Plan for Schistosomiasis Prevention and Control (2004-2015) in 2004. By discussing the implementation of the National Outline at the provincial level, the author uses principal-agent theory to examine conflict and coordination between the central and provincial governments. The documents were collected from the Internet. Although the central and provincial governments all want to eliminate schistosomiasis, allocating funding among them creates conflict and forms an obstacle to achieving the goal. This paper extensively discusses the topics related to central-provincial relation and schistosomiasis control program. Further case study on a single province may be needed to intensify the discussion from a micro perspective. The conflict between central and provincial relations needs to be resolved in order to implement the national policy.

Central-Provincial Relations for Anti-Schistosomiasis Policy in China

PubMed Central

FAN, Ka-wai

2012-01-01

This paper discusses central-local relations for healthcare policy in China from a principal-agent perspective, based on schistosomiasis control. In order to control the disease, the central government produced the Outline of the Mid-Long-Term National Plan for Schistosomiasis Prevention and Control (2004–2015) in 2004. By discussing the implementation of the National Outline at the provincial level, the author uses principal-agent theory to examine conflict and coordination between the central and provincial governments. The documents were collected from the Internet. Although the central and provincial governments all want to eliminate schistosomiasis, allocating funding among them creates conflict and forms an obstacle to achieving the goal. This paper extensively discusses the topics related to central-provincial relation and schistosomiasis control program. Further case study on a single province may be needed to intensify the discussion from a micro perspective. The conflict between central and provincial relations needs to be resolved in order to implement the national policy. PMID:23113188

Genetic diversity and population structure of Plasmodium vivax in Central China

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In Central China the declining incidence of Plasmodium vivax has been interrupted by epidemic expansions and imported cases. The impact of these changes on the local parasite population, and concurrent risks of future resurgence, was assessed. Methods Plasmodium vivax isolates collected from Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, Central China between 2007 and 2010 were genotyped using capillary electrophoresis at seven polymorphic short tandem repeat markers. Spatial and temporal analyses of within-host and population diversity, population structure, and relatedness were conducted on these isolates. Results Polyclonal infections were infrequent in the 94 isolates from Anhui (4%) and 25 from Jiangsu (12%), with a trend for increasing frequency from 2008 to 2010 (2 to 19%) when combined. Population diversity was high in both provinces and across the years tested (HE = 0.8 – 0.85). Differentiation between Anhui and Jiangsu was modest (F’ ST  = 0.1). Several clusters of isolates with identical multi-locus haplotypes were observed across both Anhui and Jiangsu. Linkage disequilibrium was strong in both populations and in each year tested (IAS = 0.2 – 0.4), but declined two- to four-fold when identical haplotypes were accounted for, indicative of occasional epidemic transmission dynamics. None of five imported isolates shared identical haplotypes to any of the central Chinese isolates. Conclusions The population genetic structure of P. vivax in Central China highlights unstable transmission, with limited barriers to gene flow between the central provinces. Despite low endemicity, population diversity remained high, but the reservoirs sustaining this diversity remain unclear. The challenge of imported cases and risks of resurgence emphasize the need for continued surveillance to detect early warning signals. Although parasite genotyping has potential to inform the management of outbreaks, further studies are required to identify suitable marker panels

Species presence frequency and diversity in different patch types along an altitudinal gradient: Larix chinensis Beissn in Qinling Mountains (China).

PubMed

Huang, Minyi; Duan, Renyan; Wang, Shixiong; Wang, Zhigao; Fan, Weiyi

2016-01-01

Forest communities are mosaic systems composed of patches classified into four different developmental patch types: gap patch (G), building patch (B), mature patch (M) and degenerate patch (D). To study the mechanisms maintaining diversity in subalpine coniferous forests, species presence frequency and diversity in the four distinct patch types (G, B, M and D) of Larix chinensis conifer forests at three altitudinal gradients in the Qinling Mountains were analyzed. Our results were as follows: (1) Different species (or functional groups) had distinct presence frequencies in the four different patch types along the altitudinal gradient; (2) Some species or functional groups (species groups sharing similar traits and responses to the environment) only occurred in some specific patches. For seed dispersal, species using wind mainly occurred in G and D, while species using small animals mainly occurred in B and M; (3) Species composition of adjacent patch types was more similar than non-adjacent patch types, based on the lower β diversity index of the former; (4) The maximum numbers of species and two diversity indices (D' and H') were found in the middle altitudes. Various gap-forming processes and dispersal limitation may be the two major mechanisms determining species diversity in Larix chinensis coniferous forests at the patch scale.

Crustal and uppermost mantle structure and deformation in east-central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, H.; Yang, X.; Ouyang, L.; Li, J.

2017-12-01

We conduct a non-linear joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave dispersions to obtain the crustal and upper mantle velocity structure in east-central China. In the meanwhile, the lithosphere and upper mantle deformation beneath east-central China is also evaluated with teleseismic shear wave splitting measurements. The resulting velocity model reveals that to the east of the North-South Gravity Lineament, the crust and the lithosphere are significantly thinned. Furthermore, three extensive crustal/lithospheric thinning sub-regions are clearly identified within the study area. This indicates that the modification of the crust and lithosphere in central-eastern China is non-uniform due to the heterogeneity of the lithospheric strength. Extensive crustal and lithospheric thinning could occur in some weak zones such as the basin-range junction belts and large faults. The structure beneath the Dabie orogenic belt is complex due to the collision between the North and South China Blocks during the Late Paleozoic-Triassic. The Dabie orogenic belt is generally delineated by a thick crust with a mid-crust low-velocity zone and a two-directional convergence in the lithospheric scale. Obvious velocity contrast exhibits in the crust and upper mantle at both sides of the Tanlu fault, which suggests the deep penetration of this lithospheric-scale fault. Most of our splitting measurements show nearly E-W trending fast polarization direction which is slightly deviating from the direction of plate motion. The similar present-day lithosphere structure and upper mantle deformation may imply that the eastern NCC and the eastern SCB were dominated by a common dynamic process after late Mesozoic, i.e., the westward subduction of Pacific plate and the retreat of the subduction plate. The westward subduction of the Philippine plate and the long-range effects of the collision between the Indian plate and Eurasia plate during Cenozoic may have also contributed to the present

Diffusion on social networks: Survey data from rural villages in central China.

PubMed

Xiong, Hang; Wang, Puqing; Zhu, Yueji

2016-06-01

Empirical studies on social diffusions are often restricted by the access to data of diffusion and social relations on the same objects. We present a set of first-hand data that we collected in ten rural villages in central China through household surveys. The dataset contains detailed and comprehensive data of the diffusion of an innovation, the major social relationships and the household level demographic characteristics in these villages. The data have been used to study peer effects in social diffusion using simulation models, "Peer Effects and Social Network: The Case of Rural Diffusion in Central China" [1]. They can also be used to estimate spatial econometric models. Data are supplied with this article.

Comparison of some sediment-hosted, stratiform barite deposits in China, the United States, and India

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, S.H.B.; Poole, F.G.; Wang, Z.

2004-01-01

Shifts in world barite production since the 1980s have resulted in China becoming the world's largest barite-producing country followed by the US and India. Most barite produced for use in drilling fluids is derived from black shale- and chert-hosted, stratiform marine deposits. In China, Late Proterozoic to Early Cambrian marine barite deposits occur on the oceanic margins of the Yangtze platform, in the Qinling region in the north and the Jiangnan region in the south. Most US ore-grade deposits are in the Nevada barite belt; most commercial deposits occur in Ordovician and Devonian marine rocks along the western margin of the early Paleozoic North American continent. Production in India is predominantly from a single Middle Proterozoic deposit in a sedimentary basin located on Archean basement in Andrah Pradesh.The geologic and geochemical characteristics of the deposits are consistent with origins from a variety of sedimentary-exhalative processes, with biogenic processes contributing to the concentration of some seafloor barite. Linear distributions of clusters of lenticular deposits suggest a geographic relationship to syndepositional seafloor fault zones. Sulfur isotope data of the barite deposits range from values that are similar to coeval seawater sulfate to significantly higher ??34S values. Strontium isotope values of continental-margin-type deposits in Nevada and China are less radiogenic than those of cratonic-rift deposits (e.g. Meggen and Rammelsberg). Comparison of Lan/ Cen ratios of barite in the Qinling region of China with marine chert ratios suggests a relationship to hydrothermal fluids, whereas ratios from the Jiangnan region and Nevada can be interpreted as reflecting a biogenic influence.The California Borderland provides a potential modern analog where hydrothermal barium is being deposited on the seafloor in fault-block-bounded basins. Anoxic to dysaerobic conditions on some marine basin floors result from upwelling, nutrient-rich currents

Study on evaluation of environmental carrying capacity of pig breeding in Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Bi-Bin; Liu, Wei; Ji, Xue-Qiang; Zhang, Qi-Zhen

2017-08-01

China’s central six provinces are located in the hinterland of the mainland of China and play an increasingly important role in the process of China’s economic and social development. This paper uses the 2016 statistical yearbook data to synthesize the environmental carrying capacity of six provinces in central China Evaluation. The results show that Shanxi Province has the highest environmental pollution carrying index, followed by Jiangxi Province, Anhui Province, Hunan Province and Hubei Province. Henan Province is with the lowest index, which shows that the carrying capacity of pig breeding in Shanxi outpaces the other provinces. And Henan Province owns the weakest carrying capacity.

The Luanchuan Mo-W-Pb-Zn-Ag magmatic-hydrothermal system in the East Qinling metallogenic belt, China: Constrains on metallogenesis from C-H-O-S-Pb isotope compositions and Rb-Sr isochron ages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Hua-Wen; Zhang, Shou-Ting; Santosh, M.; Zheng, Luo; Tang, Li; Li, Dong; Zhang, Xu-Huang; Zhang, Yun-Hui

2015-11-01

The Luanchuan Mo-W-Pb-Zn-Ag polymetallic ore district is located in the East Qinling metallogenic belt on the southern margin of the North China Craton. Two ore fields (Nannihu and Yuku) are recognized in the district, and three types of deposits are identified from the two ore fields as follows: (1) the 6 proximal porphyry-skarn type Mo-W deposits occurring at the inner contact zone of the granite porphyries, (2) the 3 middle skarn-hydrothermal type Zn deposits, and (3) the 8 distal hydrothermal type Pb-Zn-Ag deposits at the periphery of the porphyry. We present C-H-O isotope compositions of hydrothermal quartz and calcite, S-Pb isotope compositions of sulfide minerals, and sphalerite Rb-Sr isochron ages from the 17 deposits. The geochemical and geochronological data from the two ore fields all show systematic temporal and spatial variation, and primarily lead to the following inferences. (1) The temperatures and salinities of the ore-forming fluids decreased during mineralization. The ore-forming fluids gradually evolved from magmatic water to mixed magmatic-meteoric water. (2) The metallogenic components were primarily derived from igneous rocks, with increasing proportions of the materials from the ore-bearing rocks. (3) The mineralization ages of these deposits are close (147-136 Ma), which correspond to the emplacement of the granite intrusions. (4) The three types of deposits and the ore-related late Mesozoic intrusives constitute a unified magmatic-hydrothermal-mineralization system. Finally, we also suggest exploration strategies for the Luanchuan ore district.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in sheep and goats in central and southeastern China.

PubMed

Yang, Jifei; Liu, Zhijie; Niu, Qingli; Liu, Junlong; Han, Rong; Guan, Guiquan; Li, Youquan; Liu, Guangyuan; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2016-11-21

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is wide spread throughout the world and impacts both human and animal health. Several distinct ecological clusters and ecotypes of the agent have been established on the basis of various genetic loci. However, information on the genetic variability of A. phagocytophilum isolates in China represents a gap in knowledge. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic characterization of A. phagocytophilum in small ruminants in central and southeastern China. The presence of A. phagocytophilum was determined in 421 blood samples collected from small ruminants by PCR. Positive samples were genetically characterized based on 16S rRNA and groEL genes. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify ecotypes of A. phagocytophilum strains, to assess their host range and zoonotic potential. Out of 421 sampled small ruminants, 106 (25.2%) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. The positive rate was higher in sheep (35.1%, 40/114) than in goats (26.4%, 66/307) (P < 0.05). Sequence analyses revealed that the isolates identified in this study were placed on two separate clades, indicating that two 16S rRNA variants of A. phagocytophilum were circulating in small ruminants in China. However, analysis using obtained groEL sequences in this study formed one cluster, which was separate from other known ecotypes reported in Europe. In addition, a novel Anaplasma sp. was identified and closely related to an isolate previously reported in Hyalomma asiaticum, which clustered independently from all recognized Anaplasma species. A molecular survey of A. phagocytophilum was conducted in sheep and goats from ten provinces in central and southeastern China. Two 16S rRNA variants and a new ecotype of A. phagocytophilum were identified in small ruminants in China. Moreover, a potential novel Anaplasma species was reported in goats. Our findings provide additional information on the complexity of A. phagocytophilum in terms of genetic

Early Paleozoic high-Mg granodiorite from the Erlangping unit, North Qinling orogen, central China: Partial melting of metasomatic mantle during the initial back-arc opening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdallsamed, Mohammed I. M.; Wu, Yuan-Bao; Zhang, Wenxiang; Zhou, Guangyan; Wang, Hao; Yang, Saihong

2017-09-01

This study discussed the petrological classification, petrogenesis, and tectonic significance of early Paleozoic high-Mg granodiorite from the Erlangping unit, in the North Qinling orogen. To achieve this target, we conducted integrated investigation of in situ zircon U-Pb dating, whole-rock geochemical, as well as Sr-Nd-Hf-O isotopic compositions for the Kanfenggou pluton from the Erlangping unit. LA-ICP-MS zircon dating for the Kanfenggou samples yields U-Pb ages of 442.9 ± 6.2 and 438.0 ± 6.7 Ma, suggesting that the pluton was emplaced at ca. 440 Ma. Whole-rock geochemical compositions of the samples display intermediate SiO2 (60.48-64.67 wt%) and K2O (1.21 to 2.10 wt%), but high Al2O3 (15.44 to 16.51 wt%) and Na2O (4.01 to 4.81 wt%) contents. The granodiorite samples are characterized by elevated MgO ranging from 2.30 to 3.44 wt% and Mg# values of 53.35to 56.66, implying they are high-Mg granodiorites. They are characterized by very high Ba (524-1132 ppm) and Sr (684-980 ppm) contents, but depleted in HREE, and high (La/Yb)N ratios of 6.34 to 16.5 and slightly negative to weak positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.68-1.09). These evidence that the Kanfenggou pluton belongs to the sanukitoid series. The high-Mg granodiorite samples exhibit a mantle signature with high Mg# values (53.35-56.66), Cr (45.8 to 93.3 ppm) and Ni (28.2 to 48.2 ppm) contents, but enriched in LILE, pointing to an enriched mantle source. The samples show relatively depleted radiogenic isotopic compositions with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios varying from 0.7044 to 0.7047, εNd(t) values from 0.31 to 4.21, and zircon εHf (t) values from 7.3 to 8.3. The zircons have a mean δ18O value of 5.20 ± 0.17 ‰. Based on the trace element geochemical features, the metasomatic agent was suggested to be the fluids generated from dehydration of subducted slab. Therefore, we suggest two-stage processes for the formation of the Erlangping high-Mg granodiorites: (1) interaction between slab fluids and mantle

Bootstrapping data envelopment analysis of efficiency and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the public hospital reform.

PubMed

Wang, Man-Li; Fang, Hai-Qing; Tao, Hong-Bing; Cheng, Zhao-Hui; Lin, Xiao-Jun; Cai, Miao; Xu, Chang; Jiang, Shuai

2017-10-01

China implemented the public hospital reform in 2012. This study utilized bootstrapping data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the technical efficiency (TE) and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the 2012 public hospital reform. Data from 127 county public hospitals (39, 45, and 43 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, respectively) were collected during 2012-2015. Changes of TE and productivity over time were estimated by bootstrapping DEA and bootstrapping Malmquist. The disparities in TE and productivity among public hospitals in the three regions of China were compared by Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann-Whitney U test. The average bias-corrected TE values for the four-year period were 0.6442, 0.5785, 0.6099, and 0.6094 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, and the entire country respectively, with average non-technical efficiency, low pure technical efficiency (PTE), and high scale efficiency found. Productivity increased by 8.12%, 0.25%, 12.11%, and 11.58% in China and its three regions during 2012-2015, and such increase in productivity resulted from progressive technological changes by 16.42%, 6.32%, 21.08%, and 21.42%, respectively. The TE and PTE of the county hospitals significantly differed among the three regions of China. Eastern and Western China showed significantly higher TE and PTE than Central China. More than 60% of county public hospitals in China and its three areas operated at decreasing return scales. There was a considerable space for TE improvement in county hospitals in China and its three regions. During 2012-2015, the hospitals experienced progressive productivity; however, the PTE changed adversely. Moreover, Central China continuously achieved a significantly lower efficiency score than Eastern and Western China. Decision makers and administrators in China should identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and take appropriate measures to increase the efficiency of county

[Characteristics of soil macrofaunal community structure in secondary forest and forest plantations in western Qinling Mountains of Northwest China].

PubMed

Liu, Ji-Liang; Cao, Jing; Li, Shi-Jie; Pan, Chun-Lin; Pan, Cheng-Chen

2012-09-01

Long-term disturbance of human beings on secondary forest ecosystem would have profound impacts on belowground ecological processes, whereas the community structure and functional diversity of soil fauna would be sensitive to the changes of belowground ecological processes, with significance as an indicator of the changes. In this study, the method of hand-sorting was adopted to investigate the density of soil macrofaunal community in a secondary forest and the Pinus tabulaeformis, Larix kaempferi, Picea abie, and Picea asperata plantations of nearly 30 years old in Xiaolongshan forest area of western Qinling Mountains, and the PCA ordination and one-way ANOVA analysis were applied to analyze the community structure and trophic group composition of soil macrofauna in the five forest types. In the P. tabulaeformis and L. kaempferi plantations, the density of soil macrofaunal community was 3.0 and 2.1 times of that in the secondary forest, respectively, and the consumers/decomposers ratio of the community was obviously higher than that in the secondary forest. Among the plantations, P. tabulaeformis and L. kaempferi plantations had a significantly higher consumers/decomposers ratio of soil macrofaunal community than P. abies and P. asperata plantations. There was an obvious difference in community structure of soil macrofauna among the four plantations. The density of soil macrofaunal community in P. tabulaeformis and L. kaempferi plantations was 3.5 and 2.1 times higher than that in P. asperata plantation, respectively, whereas the group richness of soil macrofaunal community in P. tabulaeformis plantation was 1.5 times of that in P. abies and P. asperata plantations.

Geologic and geochemical insights into the formation of the Taiyangshan porphyry copper–molybdenum deposit, Western Qinling Orogenic Belt, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kun-Feng Qiu,; Taylor, Ryan D.; Yao-Hui Song,; Hao-Cheng Yu,; Kai-Rui Song,; Nan Li,

2016-01-01

Taiyangshan is a poorly studied copper–molybdenum deposit located in the Triassic Western Qinling collisional belt of northwest China. The intrusions exposed in the vicinity of the Taiyangshan deposit record episodic magmatism over 20–30 million years. Pre-mineralization quartz diorite porphyries, which host some of the deposit, were emplaced at 226.6 ± 6.2 Ma. Syn-collisional monzonite and quartz monzonite porphyries, which also host mineralization, were emplaced at 218.0 ± 6.1 Ma and 215.0 ± 5.8 Ma, respectively. Mineralization occurred during the transition from a syn-collisional to a post-collisional setting at ca. 208 Ma. A barren post-mineralization granite porphyry marked the end of post-collisional magmatism at 200.7 ± 5.1 Ma. The ore-bearing monzonite and quartz monzonite porphyries have a εHf(t) range from − 2.0 to + 12.5, which is much more variable than that of the slightly older quartz diorite porphyries, with TDM2 of 1.15–1.23 Ga corresponding to the positive εHf(t) values and TDM1 of 0.62–0.90 Ga corresponding to the negative εHf(t) values. Molybdenite in the Taiyangshan deposit with 27.70 to 38.43 ppm Re suggests metal sourced from a mantle–crust mixture or from mafic and ultramafic rocks in the lower crust. The δ34S values obtained for pyrite, chalcopyrite, and molybdenite from the deposit range from + 1.3‰ to + 4.0‰, + 0.2‰ to + 1.1‰, and + 5.3‰ to + 5.9‰, respectively, suggesting a magmatic source for the sulfur. Calculated δ18Ofluid values for magmatic K-feldspar from porphyries (+ 13.3‰), hydrothermal K-feldspar from stockwork veins related to potassic alteration (+ 11.6‰), and hydrothermal sericite from quartz–pyrite veins (+ 8.6 to + 10.6‰) indicate the Taiyangshan deposit formed dominantly from magmatic water. Hydrogen isotope values for hydrothermal sericite ranging from − 85 to − 50‰ may indicate that magma degassing progressively depleted residual liquid in

[Spatial point pattern analysis of main trees and flowering Fargesia qinlingensis in Abies fargesii forests in Mt Taibai of the Qinling Mountains, China].

PubMed

Li, Guo Chun; Song, Hua Dong; Li, Qi; Bu, Shu Hai

2017-11-01

In Abies fargesii forests of the giant panda's habitats in Mt. Taibai, the spatial distribution patterns and interspecific associations of main tree species and their spatial associations with the understory flowering Fargesia qinlingensis were analyzed at multiple scales by univariate and bivaria-te O-ring function in point pattern analysis. The results showed that in the A. fargesii forest, the number of A. fargesii was largest but its population structure was in decline. The population of Betula platyphylla was relatively young, with a stable population structure, while the population of B. albo-sinensis declined. The three populations showed aggregated distributions at small scales and gradually showed random distributions with increasing spatial scales. Spatial associations among tree species were mainly showed at small scales and gradually became not spatially associated with increasing scale. A. fargesii and B. platyphylla were positively associated with flowering F. qinlingensis at large and medium scales, whereas B. albo-sinensis showed negatively associated with flowering F. qinlingensis at large and medium scales. The interaction between trees and F. qinlingensis in the habitats of giant panda promoted the dynamic succession and development of forests, which changed the environment of giant panda's habitats in Qinling.

Effect of anthropogenic sulphate aerosol in China on the drought in the western-to-central US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Sang-Wook; Park, Rokjin J.; Kim, Minjoong J.; Jeong, Jaein I.; Song, Chang-Keun

2015-09-01

In recent decades, droughts have occurred in the western-to-central United States (US), significantly affecting food production, water supplies, ecosystem health, and the propagation of vector-borne diseases. Previous studies have suggested natural sea surface temperature (SST) forcing in the Pacific as the main driver of precipitation deficits in the US. Here, we show that the aerosol forcing in China, which has been known to alter the regional hydrological cycle in East Asia, may also contribute to reducing the precipitation in the western-to-central US through atmospheric teleconnections across the Pacific. Our model experiments show some indications that both the SST forcing and the increase in regional sulphate forcing in China play a similar role in modulating the western-to-central US precipitation, especially its long-term variation. This result indicates that regional air quality regulations in China have important implications for hydrological cycles in East Asia, as well as in the US.

Retrieval of Atmospheric Particulate Matter Using Satellite Data Over Central and Eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G. L.; Guang, J.; Li, Y.; Che, Y. H.; Gong, S. Q.

2018-04-01

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a particle cluster with diameters less than or equal to 2.5 μm. Over the past few decades, regional air pollution composed of PM2.5 has frequently occurred over Central and Eastern China. In order to estimate the concentration, distribution and other properties of PM2.5, the general retrieval models built by establishing the relationship between aerosol optical depth (AOD) and PM2.5 has been widely used in many studies, including experimental models via statistics analysis and physical models with certain physical mechanism. The statistical experimental models can't be extended to other areas or historical period due to its dependence on the ground-based observations and necessary auxiliary data, which limits its further application. In this paper, a physically based model is applied to estimate the concentration of PM2.5 over Central and Eastern China from 2007 to 2016. The ground-based PM2.5 measurements were used to be as reference data to validate our retrieval results. Then annual variation and distribution of PM2.5 concentration in the Central and Eastern China was analysed. Results shows that the annual average PM2.5 show a trend of gradually increasing and then decreasing during 2007-2016, with the highest value in 2011.

Seasonal variations in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and C:N:P stoichiometry in different organs of a Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr. plantation in the Qinling Mountains, China

PubMed Central

Li, Hailiang; C. Crabbe, M. James; Wang, Weiling; Ma, Lihui; Niu, Ruilong; Gao, Xing; Li, Xingxing; Zhang, Pei; Ma, Xin; Chen, Haikui

2017-01-01

Understanding how concentrations of elements and their stoichiometry change with plant growth and age is critical for predicting plant community responses to environmental change. We used long-term field experiments to explore how the leaf, stem and root carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) concentrations and their stoichiometry changed with growth and stand age in a L. principis-rupprechtii Mayr. plantation from 2012–2015 in the Qinling Mountains, China. Our results showed that the C, N and P concentrations and stoichiometric ratios in different tissues of larch stands were affected by stand age, organ type and sampling month and displayed multiple correlations with increased stand age in different growing seasons. Generally, leaf C and N concentrations were greatest in the fast-growing season, but leaf P concentrations were greatest in the early growing season. However, no clear seasonal tendencies in the stem and root C, N and P concentrations were observed with growth. In contrast to N and P, few differences were found in organ-specific C concentrations. Leaf N:P was greatest in the fast-growing season, while C:N and C:P were greatest in the late-growing season. No clear variations were observed in stem and root C:N, C:P and N:P throughout the entire growing season, but leaf N:P was less than 14, suggesting that the growth of larch stands was limited by N in our study region. Compared to global plant element concentrations and stoichiometry, the leaves of larch stands had higher C, P, C:N and C:P but lower N and N:P, and the roots had greater P and C:N but lower N, C:P and N:P. Our study provides baseline information for describing the changes in nutritional elements with plant growth, which will facilitates plantation forest management and restoration, and makes a valuable contribution to the global data pool on leaf nutrition and stoichiometry. PMID:28938020

Y-chromosome distributions among populations in Northwest China identify significant contribution from Central Asian pastoralists and lesser influence of western Eurasians.

PubMed

Shou, Wei-Hua; Qiao, En-Fa; Wei, Chuan-Yu; Dong, Yong-Li; Tan, Si-Jie; Shi, Hong; Tang, Wen-Ru; Xiao, Chun-Jie

2010-05-01

Northwest China is closely adjacent to Central Asia, an intermediate region of the Eurasian continent. Moreover, the Silk Road through the northwest of China once had a vital role in the east-west intercommunications. Nevertheless, little has been known about the genetic makeup of populations in this region. We collected 503 male samples from 14 ethnic groups in the northwest of China, and surveyed 29 Y-chromosomal biallelic markers and 8 short tandem repeats (STRs) loci to reconstruct the paternal architecture. Our results illustrated obvious genetic difference among these ethnic groups, and in general their genetic background is more similar with Central Asians than with East Asians. The ancestors of present northwestern populations were the admixture of early East Asians peopling northwestward and later Central Asians immigrating eastward. This population mixture was dated to occur within the past 10 000 years. The J2-M172 lineages likely entered China during the eastward migration of Central Asians. The influence from West Eurasia through gene flows on the extant ethnic groups in Northwest China was relatively weak.

Plants as highly diverse sources of construction wood, handicrafts and fibre in the Heihe valley (Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China): the importance of minor forest products.

PubMed

Kang, Jin; Kang, Yongxiang; Feng, Jing; Liu, Mengying; Ji, Xiaolian; Li, Dengwu; Stawarczyk, Kinga; Łuczaj, Łukasz

2017-06-30

Chinese rural communities living among species-rich forests have little documentation on species used to make handicrafts and construction materials originating from the surrounding vegetation. Our research aimed at recording minor wood uses in the Heihe valley in the Qinling mountains. We carried out 37 semi-structured interviews in seven villages. We documented the use of 84 species of plants. All local large canopy trees are used for some purpose. Smaller trees and shrubs which are particularly hard are selectively cut. The bark of a few species was used to make shoes, hats, steamers and ropes, but this tradition is nearly gone. A few species, mainly bamboo, are used for basket making, and year-old willow branches are used for brushing off the chaff during wheat winnowing. The traditional use of wood materials documented suggests that some rare and endangered tree species may have been selectively cut due to their valuable wood, e.g. Fraxinus mandshurica and Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis. Some other rare species, e.g. Dipteronia sinensis, are little used and little valued.

Mineral magnetism and other characteristics of sediments from a sub-alpine lake (3080 m a.s.l.) in central east China and their implications on environmental changes for the last 5770 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongya; Song, Yaqiong; Cheng, Ying; Luo, Yao; Zhang, Cai'na; Gao, Yishen; Qiu, An'an; Deng, Lei; Liu, Hongyan

2016-10-01

A sediment sequence (SQC07) was recovered from Sanqing Chi, a small sub-alpine lake (3080 m a.s.l.) on Taibai (3767 m a.s.l.), the highest mountain in east mainland China (east of 105°). The Mountain is also the highest part and central massif of the Qinling Mountain Range functioning as the boundary between the warm temperate climate zone to the north and sub-tropical climate zone to the south in east China. Soils and debris were also sampled from the catchment of Sanqing Chi. SQC07 was AMS 14C dated. Mineral magnetism was measured for the sediment sequence and catchment samples. Particle-size, TOC and TN analysis were undertaken on SQC07, while pollen analysis was made for the sediment sequence and surface-soil samples. With the mineral magnetism of the catchment materials, the magnetic and other characteristics of SQC07 indicate the environmental changes occurring on the high altitudes of Taibai Mountain during the past 5770 years. Environments were still moderately warm and wet over 5770-5100 cal. yr BP around this sub-alpine lake. Then cold and dry conditions persisted in the period of 5100-4000 cal. yr BP. Local environments began to ameliorate from 4000 cal. yr BP onwards and were thus generally warm and wet over 4000-1200 cal. yr BP. The warmth and wetness culminated in 1200-800 cal. yr BP. During the period of 800-400 cal. yr BP, cold and arid conditions again predominated. Environments have subsequently become warm and humid since ∼400 cal. yr BP. The overall trend of the changes is coincident with what have been identified at several other sites in east mainland China and Taiwan. Presumably, the deterioration over 5100-4000 cal. yr BP marks the termination of the Holocene optimum, corresponds to or encompasses Holocene event 3, while the deterioration occurring in 800-400 cal. yr BP may correspond to LIA cooling. However, they appear to have commenced earlier than the aforementioned sites at relatively low altitudes in east mainland China or even

Mantle dynamics and Cretaceous magmatism in east-central China: Insight from teleseismic tomograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Guoming; Zhang, Guibin; Zhao, Dapeng; Lü, Qingtian; Li, Hongyi; Li, Xinfu

2015-11-01

Both the rich mineralization in the Lower Yangtze Block (LYB) and the post-collisional mafic rocks in the Dabie Orogen (DBO) are closely related to the Cretaceous magmatism in east-central China. Various geodynamic models have been proposed for explaining the mechanism of the Cretaceous magmatism, but these models are controversial and even contradictory with each other, especially on the mechanism of adakites. A unified geodynamic model is required for explaining the magmatism in east-central China, in particular, the spatial and temporal correlations of magmatic activity in the DBO and that in the LYB. For this purpose, we apply teleseismic tomography to study P-wave velocity structure down to 800 km depth beneath east-central China. A modified multiple-channel cross-correlation method is used to collect 28,805 high-quality P-wave arrival-time data from seismograms of distant earthquakes recorded by permanent seismic stations and our temporary stations in the study region. To remove the influence of crustal heterogeneity on the mantle tomography, we used the CRUST1.0 model to correct the teleseismic relative residuals. Our tomography revealed distinct high-velocity (high-V) anomalies beneath the DBO and two flanks of the LYB, and low-velocity (low-V) anomalies above the high-V zones. Combining our tomographic images with previous geological, geochemical and geophysical results, we infer that these high-V and low-V anomalies reflect the detached lithosphere and upwelling asthenospheric materials, respectively, which are associated with the Late Mesozoic dynamic process and the Cretaceous magmatism. We propose a double-slab subduction model that a ridge subduction yielded the adakitic rocks in the LYB during 150-135 Ma and the subsequent Pacific Plate subduction played a crucial role in not only the formation of igneous rocks in the LYB but also remelting of the subducted South China Block beneath the DBO during 135-101 Ma.

Blood Stage of Plasmodium vivax in Central China Is Still Susceptible to Chloroquine Plus Primaquine Combination Therapy

PubMed Central

Zhu, Guoding; Lu, Feng; Cao, Jun; Zhou, Huayun; Liu, Yaobao; Han, Eun-Taek; Gao, Qi

2013-01-01

In central China, Plasmodium vivax accounts for all of the native reported cases of malaria. Chloroquine (CQ) plus primaquine (PQ) have been used for more than 60 years as the frontline drugs, but the risk of treatment failure remains unknown. To measure the effectiveness and safety of CQ-PQ among vivax malaria patients, a total of 39 subjects with monoinfection vivax malaria was enrolled in a study from 2008 to 2009. There were no recrudescence or danger signs observed within the 28-day follow-up period, showing that blood stage of P. vivax isolates from central China is still susceptible to CQ plus PQ combination therapy. However, the antirelapse efficacy of PQ is difficult to assess because of the high rate of loss to follow-up after 28 days; also, parasites persisted in a single case at 3 days post-antimalarial drug treatment, indicating that continuous annual monitoring is needed in central China. PMID:23669232

Back-arc basin development: Constraints on geochronology and geochemistry of arc-like and OIB-like basalts in the Central Qilian block (Northwest China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zhong; Zhang, Hong-Fei; Yang, He; Pan, Fa-Bin; Luo, Bi-Ji; Guo, Liang; Xu, Wang-Chun; Tao, Lu; Zhang, Li-Qi; Wu, Jing

2018-06-01

The Lajishan belt of the Central Qilian block was a back-arc basin during Early Paleozoic. The basaltic magmatism and temporal evolution in this basin provide an opportunity to study the development of back-arc basin in an active continental margin. In this study, we carry out an integrated study of geochronological, geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions for the Early Paleozoic arc-like and OIB-like basalts. The Lajishan arc-like basalts are enriched in large ion lithophile element (LILE) and show negative Nb and Ta anomalies whereas the OIB-like basalts have high LILE abundances and show positive Nb and Ta anomalies. The arc-like basalts have initial 87Sr/86Sr values of 0.7050-0.7054 and εNd(t) values of +0.51-+2.63, and the OIB-like basalts have initial 87Sr/86Sr values of 0.7049-0.7050 and εNd(t) values of +0.66-+1.57. The geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions suggest that the arc-like basalts are derived from partial melting of a depleted mantle source metasomatized by slab-derived components at shallow depth levels, and the OIB-like basalts also originated from a metasomatized mantle wedge source. U-Pb zircon dating yielded the ages of 494 ± 4 Ma for the arc-like basalts and 468 ± 6 Ma for the OIB-like basalts. We argue that the arc-like basalts are products of back-arc extension before the back-arc rifting initiated in earlier stage, resulting from the northward subduction of the Qaidam-West Qinling oceanic slab, while the OIB-like basalts represent products of further back-arc spreading in response to rollback of the Qaidam-West Qinling oceanic lithospheric slab. The association of arc-like and OIB-like basalts in the Lajishan belt records the development of back-arc basin from initial rifting to subsequent spreading, offering insight into how basaltic magmatism generates in the formation of back-arc basin in subduction zone setting.

Updated precipitation reconstruction (AD 1482-2012) for Huashan, north-central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Feng; Zhang, Ruibo; Wang, Huiqin; Qin, Li; Yuan, Yujiang

2016-02-01

We developed a tree-ring width chronology from pine trees ( Pinus tabulaeformis and Pinus armandii) stand near the peaks of Huashan, Shaanxi, north-central China. Growth-climate response analyses showed that the radial growth of pine trees is mainly influenced by April-June precipitation. A model to reconstruct precipitation based on tree widths was constructed, accounting for 55 % of the instrumental variance during the period 1953-2012. Spatial correlation analyses between the reconstruction and observed gridded precipitation data shows that the seasonal precipitation reconstruction captures regional climatic variations over north China. Compared with the historical archives and other tree-ring records in north China, many large-scale drought events, linked to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), were found. Many of these events have had profound impacts on the people of north China over the past several centuries. Composite maps of sea surface temperatures and 500 hPa geopotential heights for selected extremely dry and wet years in Huashan show characteristics similar to those related to the ENSO patterns, particularly with regard to ocean and atmospheric conditions in the equatorial and north Pacific. Our 531-year precipitation reconstruction for Huashan provides a long-term perspective on current and 20th century wet and dry events in north China, and is useful to guide expectations of future variability, and helps us to address climate change.

Health disparities among the western, central and eastern rural regions of China after a decade of health promotion and disease prevention programming.

PubMed

Zhang, Xi-Fan; Tian, Xiang-Yang; Cheng, Yu-Lan; Feng, Zhan-Chun; Wang, Liang; Southerland, Jodi

2015-08-01

Health disparities between the western, central and eastern regions of rural China, and the impact of national health improvement policies and programming were assessed. A total of 400 counties were randomly sampled. ANOVA and Logistic regression modeling were employed to estimate differences in health outcomes and determinants. Significant differences were found between the western, central and eastern rural regions in community infrastructure and health outcomes. From 2000 to 2010, health indicators in rural China were improved significantly, and the infant mortality rate (IMR), maternal mortality rate (MMR) and under 5 mortality rate (U5MR) had fallen by 62.79%, 71.74% and 61.92%, respectively. Central rural China had the greatest decrease in IMR (65.05%); whereas, western rural China had the greatest reduction in MMR (72.99%) but smallest reduction in U5MR (57.36%). Despite these improvements, Logistic regression analysis showed regional differences in key health outcome indicators (odds ratios): IMR (central: 2.13; western: 5.31), U5MR (central: 2.25; western: 5.69), MMR (central: 1.94; western: 3.31), and prevalence of infectious diseases (central: 1.62; western: 3.58). The community infrastructure and health outcomes of the western and central rural regions of China have been improved markedly during the first decade of the 21st century. However, health disparities still exist across the three regions. National efforts to increase per capita income, community empowerment and mobilization, community infrastructure, capacity of rural health facilities, and health literacy would be effective policy options to attain health equity.

Prevalence of Central Obesity among Adults with Normal BMI and Its Association with Metabolic Diseases in Northeast China.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Wang, Rui; Gao, Chunshi; Jiang, Lingling; Lv, Xin; Song, Yuanyuan; Li, Bo

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of central obesity among adults with normal BMI and its association with metabolic diseases in Jilin Province, China. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 in Jilin Province of China. Information was collected by face to face interview. Descriptive data analysis and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of prevalence/frequency were conducted. Log-binomial regression analyses were used to find the independent factors associated with central obesity and to explore the adjusted association between central obesity and metabolic diseases among adults with normal BMI. Among the adult residents with normal BMI in Jilin Province, 55.6% of participants with central obesity self-assessed as normal weight and 27.0% thought their body weight were above normal. 12.7% of central obesity people took methods to lose weight, while 85.3% didn't. Female, older people and non-manual worker had higher risk to be central obesity among adults with normal BMI. Hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with central obesity among adults with normal BMI, the PRs were 1.337 (1.224-1.461), 1.323 (1.193-1.456) and 1.261 (1.152-1.381) separately when adjusted for gender, age and BMI. Hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with central obesity among adults with normal BMI in Jilin Province, China. The low rates of awareness and control of central obesity among adults with normal BMI should be improved by government and health department.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum infection among domestic sheep in Henan province, central China

PubMed Central

Wang, Shuai; Li, Lingjuan; Lu, Yi; Zhang, Haizhu; Xie, Qing; Zhang, Zhenchao

2018-01-01

This study aimed to determine the frequency of antibodies to Neospora caninum in domestic sheep raised in Henan province, central China. Serum samples from 779 domestic sheep were collected from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to N. caninum were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed an overall IgG positive rate of 7.32% (57/779). The risk factors significantly related to seropositivity to N. caninum in sheep were the age, the presence of dogs, and the rearing system. This is the first report of N. caninum infection and associated risk factors in domestic sheep in central China. PMID:29557776

[Spatial distribution pattern and fractal analysis of Larix chinensis populations in Qinling Mountain].

PubMed

Guo, Hua; Wang, Xiaoan; Xiao, Yaping

2005-02-01

In this paper, the fractal characters of Larix chinensis populations in Qinling Mountain were studied by contiguous grid quadrate sampling method and by boxing-counting dimension and information dimension. The results showed that the high boxing-counting dimension (1.8087) and information dimension (1.7931) reflected a higher spatial occupational degree of L. chinensis populations. Judged by the dispersal index and Morisita's pattern index, L. chinensis populations clumped at three different age stages (0-25, 25-50 and over 50 years). From Greig-Smiths' mean variance analysis, the figure of pattern scale showed that L. chinensis populations clumped in 128 m2 and 512 m2, and the different age groups clumped in different scales. The pattern intensities decreased with increasing age, and tended to reduce with increasing area when detected by Kershaw's PI index. The spatial pattern characters of L. chinensis populations may be their responses to environmental factors.

Evaluation research on natural resource supply index of the pig breeding scale in the six provinces of central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Bi-Bin; Ji, Xue-Qiang; Huang, Li-Hua

2017-08-01

Promoting the development of the central region has become a basic national policy of China. Based on the data in 2015, this article has used factor analytic method to compare and evaluate the natural resources supply indexes of the pig breeding scale of the six provinces in central China. The results show that Jiangxi province has the highest index, followed by Hunan, Anhui, Henan, Hubei. However, Shanxi province has the lowest index.

High resolution 3-D shear wave velocity structure in South China from surface wave tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, S.; Guo, Z.; Chen, Y. J.

2017-12-01

Using continuous data from a total of 638 seismic stations, including 484 from CEArray between 2008 and 2013 and 154 from SINOPROBE between 2014 and 2015, we perform both ambient noise and earthquake Rayleigh wave tomography across South China. Combining Rayleigh wave phase velocity between 6and 40s periods from ambient noise tomography and Rayleigh wave phase velocity between 20and 140s from teleseismic two-plane-wave tomography, we obtain phase velocity maps between 6 and140 s periods. We then invert Rayleigh wave phase velocity to construct a 3-D shear wave velocity structure of South China by Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. Similar to other inversion results, our results correspond topography well. Moreover, our results also reveal that velocity structure of the eastern South China in mantle depth is similar to eastern North China, the core of the western South China, Sichuan Block (SB),still exists thick lithosphere. However, owing to much more data employed and some data quality control techniques in this research, our results reveal more detailed structures. Along Qinling-Dabie Orogenic Belt (QDOB), North-South Gravity Lineament (NSGL) and the Sichuan-Yunnan Rhombic Block (SYRB), there are obvious high speed anomalies in depths of 10-20 km, which possibly imply ancient intrusions. Moreover, it seems that Tancheng-Lujiang Fault Zone (TLFZ) has already cut through QDOB, forming a deep fracture cutting through the crust of the whole China continent. Although SB still exists thick lithosphere, there are indications for thermal erosion. At the same time, the lithosphere of the central SYRB seems to be experiencing delamination process, obviously forming a barrier to prevent the hot Tibetan Plateau (TP) mantle material from flowing further southeast. Upwelling hot mantle material possibly triggered by this delamination process might be the cause of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province. There exists an intercontinental low velocity layer in the crust of the TP

Empirical study on regional differentiation of rural household energy use in Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wenheng; Zhang, Xin; Guo, Xiaodong

2018-02-01

To better understand regional differentiation of rural household energy use, data of energy use of 232 rural households in the Linwei District located in the lower reaches of the Weihe River of Northwest China were collected by questionnaires combined with face-to-face interview. Location quotient of energy use (LQEU) method is adopted in the paper. The results show that multiple energy sources are utilized due to market orientation in the plain area, and biogas is prominent as a result of policy orientation in the loess tableland, whereas firewood is dominant due to the influence of natural environment in the Qinling mountainous area. Regional differentiation of energy use is comprehensively affected by income level, air temperature, development conditions, energy policy, etc.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum infection among domestic sheep in Henan province, central China.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Li, Lingjuan; Lu, Yi; Zhang, Haizhu; Xie, Qing; Zhang, Zhenchao

2018-01-01

This study aimed to determine the frequency of antibodies to Neospora caninum in domestic sheep raised in Henan province, central China. Serum samples from 779 domestic sheep were collected from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to N. caninum were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed an overall IgG positive rate of 7.32% (57/779). The risk factors significantly related to seropositivity to N. caninum in sheep were the age, the presence of dogs, and the rearing system. This is the first report of N. caninum infection and associated risk factors in domestic sheep in central China. © S. Wang et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2018.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk factors in domestic sheep in Henan province, central China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Nian; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Dong; Li, Chaoying; Zhang, Zhenchao; Yao, Zhijun; Li, Tingting; Xie, Qing; Liu, Shiguo; Zhang, Haizhu

2016-01-01

Sheep are highly susceptible to infections with Toxoplasma gondii and play a major role in the transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. In the present study, 779 serum samples from sheep were collected from Henan province, central China from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to T. gondii were detected by modified agglutination test (MAT). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in sheep was 12.71% (99/779). The risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii seroprevalence were the geographical origin, age, presence of cats, and the rearing system. This is the first report of T. gondii infection in sheep in Henan province, central China, and of an association of seropositivity to T. gondii with risk factors. PMID:27882868

Local Adaptation of Central Policies: The Policymaking and Implementation of Compulsory Education for Migrant Children in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lihua

2016-01-01

This article looks at the central and local governments' policymaking and implementation of compulsory education for migrant children in China. Three distinct models of policy implementation were identified through a case study approach. They indicated a selective adaptation of central policy objective and principles by the local governments and…

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and risk factors in domestic sheep in Henan province, central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Nian; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Dong; Li, Chaoying; Zhang, Zhenchao; Yao, Zhijun; Li, Tingting; Xie, Qing; Liu, Shiguo; Zhang, Haizhu

2016-01-01

Sheep are highly susceptible to infections with Toxoplasma gondii and play a major role in the transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. In the present study, 779 serum samples from sheep were collected from Henan province, central China from March 2015 to May 2016, and antibodies to T. gondii were detected by modified agglutination test (MAT). The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in sheep was 12.71% (99/779). The risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii seroprevalence were the geographical origin, age, presence of cats, and the rearing system. This is the first report of T. gondii infection in sheep in Henan province, central China, and of an association of seropositivity to T. gondii with risk factors. © N. Zhang et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2016.

The strengthening relationship between Eurasian snow cover and December haze days in central North China after the mid-1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Zhicong; Wang, Huijun

2018-04-01

The haze pollution in December has become increasingly serious over recent decades and imposes damage on society, ecosystems, and human health. In addition to anthropogenic emissions, climate change and variability were conducive to haze in China. In this study, the relationship between the snow cover over eastern Europe and western Siberia (SCES) and the number of haze days in December in central North China was analyzed. This relationship significantly strengthened after the mid-1990s, which is attributed to the effective connections between the SCES and the Eurasian atmospheric circulations. During 1998-2016, the SCES significantly influenced the soil moisture and land surface radiation, and then the combined underlying drivers of enhanced soil moisture and radiative cooling moved the the East Asia jet stream northward and induced anomalous, anti-cyclonic circulation over central North China. Modulated by such atmospheric circulations, the local lower boundary layer, the decreased surface wind, and the more humid air were conducive to the worsening dispersion conditions and frequent haze occurrences. In contrast, from 1979 to 1997, the linkage between the SCES and soil moisture was negligible. Furthermore, the correlated radiative cooling was distributed narrowly and far from the key area of snow cover. The associated atmospheric circulations with the SCES were not significantly linked with the ventilation conditions over central North China. Consequently, the relationship between the SCES and the number of hazy days in central North China was insignificant before the mid-1990s but has strengthened and has become significant since then.

Phylogenetic diversity of culturable fungi in the Heshang Cave, central China

PubMed Central

Man, Baiying; Wang, Hongmei; Xiang, Xing; Wang, Ruicheng; Yun, Yuan; Gong, Linfeng

2015-01-01

Caves are nutrient-limited and dark subterranean ecosystems. To date, attention has been focused on geological research of caves in China, whilst indigenous microbial diversity has been insufficiently characterized. Here, we report the fungal diversity in the pristine, oligotrophic, karst Heshang Cave, central China, using a culture-dependent method coupled with the analysis of the fungal rRNA-ITS gene sequences. A total of 194 isolates were obtained with six different media from 14 sampling sites of sediments, weathered rocks, and bat guanos. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the 194 sequenced isolates into 33 genera within 15 orders of three phyla, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota, indicating a high degree of fungal diversity in the Heshang Cave. Notably, 16 out of the 36 fungal genera were also frequently observed in solution caves around the world and 23 genera were previously found in carbonate cave, indicating potential similarities among fungal communities in cave ecosystems. However, 10 genera in this study were not reported previously in any solution caves, thus expanding our knowledge about fungal diversity in cave ecosystems. Moreover, culturable fungal diversity varied from one habitat to another within the cave, being the highest in sediments, followed by weathered rocks and bat guanos as indicated by α-diversity indexes. At the genus level, Penicillium accounted for 40, 54, and 52% in three habitats of sediments, weathered rocks, and bat guanos, respectively. Trichoderma, Paecilomyces, and Aspergillus accounted for 9, 22, and 37% in the above habitats, correspondingly. Despite of the dominance of Penicillium in all samples, β-diversity index indicated significant differences between each two fungal communities in the three habitats in view of both the composition and abundance. Our study is the first report on fungal communities in a natural pristine solution cave system in central China and sheds light on fungal diversity and functions in

New method for estimating daily global solar radiation over sloped topography in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Guoping; Qiu, Xinfa; Zeng, Yan

2018-03-01

A new scheme for the estimation of daily global solar radiation over sloped topography in China is developed based on the Iqbal model C and MODIS cloud fraction. The effects of topography are determined using a digital elevation model. The scheme is tested using observations of solar radiation at 98 stations in China, and the results show that the mean absolute bias error is 1.51 MJ m-2 d-1 and the mean relative absolute bias error is 10.57%. Based on calculations using this scheme, the distribution of daily global solar radiation over slopes in China on four days in the middle of each season (15 January, 15 April, 15 July and 15 October 2003) at a spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km are analyzed. To investigate the effects of topography on global solar radiation, the results determined in four mountains areas (Tianshan, Kunlun Mountains, Qinling, and Nanling) are discussed, and the typical characteristics of solar radiation over sloped surfaces revealed. In general, the new scheme can produce reasonable characteristics of solar radiation distribution at a high spatial resolution in mountain areas, which will be useful in analyses of mountain climate and planning for agricultural production.

The Hulan Group: Its role in the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt of NE China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fu-Yuan; Zhao, Guo-Chun; Sun, De-You; Wilde, Simon A.; Yang, Jin-Hui

2007-05-01

The Hulan Group of central Jilin Province, northeastern (NE) China, consists of felsic volcanic and sedimentary rocks that underwent sub-greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphism and multiple phases of deformation during formation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Young Nd model ages of ˜1100 Ma obtained in this study do not support earlier models that the Hulan Group was either rifted from the North China Craton to the south or from the Jiamusi Block to the north, since both these blocks have much older Nd model ages. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages from a meta-sedimentary rock of the Hulan Group define a maximum age of deposition of 287 ± 6 Ma, not Early Palaeozoic as previously believed. Rb-Sr mineral isochron data indicate that metamorphism of the Hulan Group occurred at ˜250 Ma. This conclusion is further supported by an age of 248 ± 4 Ma for the Dayushan granite, which intruded the Hulan Group. These new isotopic data, together with evaluation of the regional geology, indicate that final oceanic closure in the Chinese segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt took place in the Late Permian. The Hulan area is located along the Solonker-Xra Moron-Changchun suture that extends from Inner Mongolia across to central Jilin Province. It is this zone that marks the final ocean closure, resulting in the amalgamation of the North China and Siberian cratons.

Dietary Patterns in Relation to General and Central Obesity among Adults in Southwest China.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang; Chen, Xinguang; Liu, Zhitao; Varma, Deepthi S; Wan, Rong; Wan, Qingqing; Zhao, Shiwen

2016-11-03

Dietary patterns represent a broader picture of food consumption, and are better correlated with a variety of health outcomes. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the associations between dietary patterns and obesity in Southwest China. Data from the 2010-2012 National Nutrition Survey in the province of Yunnan, Southwest China, were analyzed ( n = 1604, aged 18-80 years). Dietary data were collected using the 24 h dietary recall over three consecutive days. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured following standard methods. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between dietary patterns and obesity. Three distinct dietary patterns were identified, which were labeled as traditional, modern, and tuber according to their key components. With potential confounders adjusted, adults in the highest quartile of the modern pattern were at higher risk of general and central obesity (odds ratio (OR) 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-3.48; OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.37-2.93). In contrast, adults in the highest quartile of the tuber pattern were at lower risk of general and central obesity (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.61; OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.95) but at higher risk of underweight (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.20-6.45). No significant association was found between the traditional pattern and obesity. Moreover, dietary pattern differences occurred due to the differences in socio-demographic characteristics. In conclusion, the modern dietary pattern was positively, and the tuber pattern negatively, associated with general and central obesity among adults in Southwest China.

Population dynamics of rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera, Delphacidae) in Central Vietnam and its effects on their spring migration to China.

PubMed

Hu, G; Lu, M-H; Tuan, H A; Liu, W-C; Xie, M-C; McInerney, C E; Zhai, B-P

2017-06-01

Rice planthopper (RPH) populations of Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera periodically have erupted across Asia. Predicting RPH population dynamics and identifying their source areas are crucial for the management of these migratory pests in China, but the origins of the migrants to temperate and subtropical regions in China remains unclear. In particular, their early migration to China in March and April have not yet been explored due to a lack of research data available from potential source areas, Central Vietnam and Laos. In this study, we examined the population dynamics and migratory paths of N. lugens and S. furcifera in Vietnam and South China in 2012 and 2013. Trajectory modeling showed that in March and April in 2012 and 2013, RPH emigrated from source areas in Central Vietnam where rice was maturing to the Red River Delta and South China. Early migrants originated from Southern Central Vietnam (14-16°N), but later most were from Northern Central Vietnam (16-19°N). Analysis of meteorological and light-trap data from Hepu in April (1977-2013) using generalized linear models showed that immigration increased with precipitation in Southern Central Vietnam in January, but declined with precipitation in Northern Central Vietnam in January. These results determined that the RPH originate from overwintering areas in Central Vietnam, but not from southernmost areas of Vietnam. Winter precipitation, rather than temperature was the most important factor determining the number of RPH migrants. Based on their similar population dynamics and low population densities in Central Vietnam, we further speculated that RPH migrate to track ephemeral food resources whilst simultaneously avoiding predators. Migrations do not seem to be initiated by interspecific competition, overcrowding or host deterioration. Nevertheless, S. furcifera establishes populations earlier than N. lugens South China, perhaps to compensate for interspecific competition. We provide new

Epidemiology and control of echinococcosis in central Asia, with particular reference to the People's Republic of China.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenbao; Zhang, Zhuangzhi; Wu, Weiping; Shi, Baoxin; Li, Jun; Zhou, Xiaonong; Wen, Hao; McManus, Donald P

2015-01-01

At least 270 million people (58% of the total population) are at risk of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in Central Asia including areas of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and western China. The annual surgical incidence rate in Uzbekistan and Tadjikistan has been estimated to be as high as 25-27 cases/100,000 with the highest prevalence reaching 10% (range from 0.8 to 11.9%) in some Tibetan communities in western China. Echinococcus transmission in the region is largely associated with social factors including limited community knowledge of echinococcosis, small-scale household animal production, home killing of livestock, and the feeding of dogs with uncooked offal. Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is also endemic in Central Asia and is recognized as a major problem in some Tibetan communities with up to 6% of villagers infected in some villages. In western China, 5-30% of the population are seropositive against E. granulosus antigens, indicating that a large number of individuals have been exposed to the parasite. Although echinococcosis control programs have been initiated in some countries in Central Asia, control efforts are generally fragmented and uncoordinated. Monthly deworming of dogs with praziquantel (PZQ), as a key measure to control the Echinococcus parasites, has been used in western China. However, the approach has proven difficult in local semi-nomadic communities. Additional control measures including health education, domestic livestock animal treatment/vaccination and dog vaccination are needed in CE-endemic areas to accelerate progress. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Identification and characterization of non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolated from tuberculosis suspects in Southern-central China.

PubMed

Yu, Xiao-li; Lu, Lian; Chen, Gao-zhan; Liu, Zhi-Guo; Lei, Hang; Song, Yan-zheng; Zhang, Shu-lin

2014-01-01

The incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)-related death has increased globally recently. To obtain information of the species and characterization of pathogens involved in NTM pulmonary infection in Southern-central China, we identified 160 non-tuberculous infection cases from 3995 acid-fast bacilli (AFB)-positive tuberculous suspects. We then randomly selected 101 non-tuberculous patients, isolated bacteria from their sputa and genotyped the pathogens using the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer sequences. M. intracellulare (32.67%, 33/101), M. abscessus (32.67%, 33/101) and M. fortuitum (7.92%, 8/101) are identified in these isolates. Surprisingly, non-mycobacteria including Gordonia (8.91%, 9/101), Nocardia (5.94%, 6/101) and Tsukamurella (0.99%, 1/101) are also discovered, and the case of Tsukamurella pulmonis infection is first discovered in Southern-central China. Moreover, species of M. mucogenicum group, M. chubuense, M. kansasii, M. gastri, M. avium, M. porcinum and M. smegmatis are identified. In addition, nine immune compromised cases (8.91%, 9/101), including type two diabetes mellitus and HIV/AIDS are found to be infected with non-tuberculous bacteria. This study revealed the distribution and characteristics of non-tuberculous AFB pathogen infection occurred in Southern-central China, and suggested that physicians should be alert of the emerging of NTM and non-mycobacteria infection in AFB positive cases and take caution when choosing chemotherapy for tuberculosis-like pulmonary infections. Generally, this study may help with the development of new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infection.

An epidemiological survey of Theileria infections in small ruminants in central China.

PubMed

Li, Youquan; Zhang, Xiao; Liu, Zhijie; Chen, Ze; Yang, Jifei; He, Haining; Guan, Guiquan; Liu, Aihong; Ren, Qiaoyun; Niu, Qingli; Liu, Junlong; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2014-02-24

Here, we conducted an epidemiological study in five regions in central China to assess the impact of theileriosis on small ruminants. PCR analysis and microscopic evaluations of blood smears to detect ovine and caprine theileriosis was conducted, in which 256 blood samples and 250 ticks were collected from sheep and goats, and tested for Theileria uilenbergi, T. luwenshuni, and T. ovis. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were deduced from positive samples and used for phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that T. luwenshuni was found most frequently in the five investigated regions and the prevalence of T. luwenshuni was found to be very high by PCR analysis. In contrast, T. uilenbergi and T. ovis infections were not detected in these regions. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that all of the newly isolated Theileria spp. was in the same clade as T. luwenshuni. Haemaphysalis longicornis, which can transmit T. luwenshuni, was also detected in the sampled sheep and goats in these regions. Our results provide important data to increase the understanding of the epidemiology of ovine and caprine theileriosis, and will aid in the implementation of measures to control theileriosis transmission to small ruminants in central China. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Effects of forest gap size on the architecture of Quercus variablis seedlings on the south slope of Qinling Mountains, west China].

PubMed

Yu, Bi-yun; Zhang, Wen-hui; He, Ting; You, Jian-jian; Li, Gang

2014-12-01

Typical sampling method was conducted to survey the effects of forest gap size on branch architecture, leaf characteristics and their vertical distribution of Quercus variablis seedlings from different size gaps in natural secondary Q. variablis thinning forest, on the south slope of Qinling Mountains. The results showed that gap size significantly affected the diameter, crown area of Q. variablis seedlings. The gap size positively correlated with diameter and negatively correlated with crown area, while it had no significant impact on seedling height, crown length and crown rates. The overall bifurcation ratio, stepwise bifurcation ratio, and ratio of branch diameter followed as large gap > middle gap > small gap > understory. The vertical distribution of first-order branches under different size gaps mainly concentrated at the middle and upper part of trunk, larger diameter first-order branches were mainly distributed at the lower part of trunk, and the angle of first-order branch increased at first and then declined with the increasing seedling height. With the increasing forest gap size, the leaf length, leaf width and average leaf area of seedlings all gradually declined, while the average leaf number per plant and relative total leaf number increased, the leaf length-width ratio kept stable, the relative leaf number was mainly distributed at the middle and upper parts of trunk, the changes of leaf area index was consistent with the change of the relative total number of leaves. There was no significant difference between the diameters of middle gap and large gap seedlings, but the diameter of middle gap seedlings was higher than that of large gap, suggesting the middle gap would benefit the seedlings regeneration and high-quality timber cultivation. To promote the regeneration of Q. variabilis seedlings, and to cultivate high-quality timber, appropriate thinning should be taken to increase the number of middle gaps in the management of Q. variabilis forest.

Variation in the Asian monsoon intensity and dry-wet conditions since the Little Ice Age in central China revealed by an aragonite stalagmite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, J.-J.; Yuan, D.-X.; Li, H.-C.; Cheng, H.; Li, T.-Y.; Edwards, R. L.; Lin, Y.-S.; Qin, J.-M.; Tang, W.; Zhao, Z.-Y.; Mii, H.-S.

2014-10-01

This paper focuses on the climate variability in central China since AD 1300, involving: (1) a well-dated, 1.5-year resolution stalagmite δ18O record from Lianhua Cave, central China (2) links of the δ18O record with regional dry-wet conditions, monsoon intensity, and temperature over eastern China (3) correlations among drought events in the Lianhua record, solar irradiation, and ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) variation. We present a highly precise, 230Th / U-dated, 1.5-year resolution δ18O record of an aragonite stalagmite (LHD1) collected from Lianhua Cave in the Wuling Mountain area of central China. The comparison of the δ18O record with the local instrumental record and historical documents indicates that (1) the stalagmite δ18O record reveals variations in the summer monsoon intensity and dry-wet conditions in the Wuling Mountain area. (2) A stronger East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) enhances the tropical monsoon trough controlled by ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone), which produces higher spring quarter rainfall and isotopically light monsoonal moisture in the central China. (3) The summer quarter/spring quarter rainfall ratio in central China can be a potential indicator of the EASM strength: a lower ratio corresponds to stronger EASM and higher spring rainfall. The ratio changed from <1 to >1 after 1950, reflecting that the summer quarter rainfall of the study area became dominant under stronger influence of the Northwestern Pacific High. Eastern China temperatures varied with the solar activity, showing higher temperatures under stronger solar irradiation, which produced stronger summer monsoons. During Maunder, Dalton and 1900 sunspot minima, more severe drought events occurred, indicating a weakening of the summer monsoon when solar activity decreased on decadal timescales. On an interannual timescale, dry conditions in the study area prevailed under El Niño conditions, which is also supported by the spectrum analysis. Hence, our record

Change in the relationship between the Australian summer monsoon circulation and boreal summer precipitation over Central China in the late 1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ruowen; Wang, Jian; Zhang, Tianyu; He, Shengping

2017-09-01

Recent study revealed a close connection between the Australian summer monsoon (ASM) and boreal summer precipitation over Central China (SPCC). This study further revealed a strengthening of the ASM-SPCC relationship around the late 1990s. It is found that the relationship between the ASM and the SPCC during 1979-1997 (1998-2014) relationship is statistically insignificant (significant). Further analysis indicated that during 1998-2014, the weakened ASM is concurrent with significant positive sea surface temperature (SST) in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, which could persist into the following boreal summer and further lead to intensified East Asian summer monsoon, strengthened western North Pacific subtropical high, and anomalous ascending motion over Central China. Consequently, more moisture is transported from the western Pacific northward to Central China where significant anomalous convergence appears. Therefore, the ASM could potentially influence the SPCC during 1998-2014. By contrast, the ASM-related SST and atmospheric circulation anomalies in boreal winter are statistically insignificant during 1979-1997. Such an interdecadal change might be attributed to the interdecadal warming that occurred in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea around the late 1990s. This study might be useful for the prediction of the SPCC.

[Gene-gene interaction on central obesity in school-aged children in China].

PubMed

Fu, L W; Zhang, M X; Wu, L J; Gao, L W; Mi, J

2017-07-10

Objective: To investigate possible effect of 6 obesity-associated SNPs in contribution to central obesity and examine whether there is an interaction in the 6 SNPs in the cause of central obesity in school-aged children in China. Methods: A total of 3 502 school-aged children who were included in Beijing Child and Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome (BCAMS) Study were selected, and based on the age and sex specific waist circumference (WC) standards in the BCAMS study, 1 196 central obese cases and 2 306 controls were identified. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood white cells using the salt fractionation method. A total of 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( FTO rs9939609, MC4R rs17782313, BDNF rs6265, PCSK1 rs6235, SH2B1 rs4788102, and CSK rs1378942) were genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination assays with the GeneAmp 7900 sequence detection system (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). Logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between 6 SNPs and central obesity. Gene-gene interactions among 6 polymorphic loci were analyzed by using the Generalized Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (GMDR) method, and then logistic regression model was constructed to confirm the best combination of loci identified in the GMDR. Results: After adjusting gender, age, Tanner stage, physical activity and family history of obesity, the FTO rs9939609-A, MC4R rs17782313-C and BDNF rs6265-G alleles were associated with central obesity under additive genetic model ( OR =1.24, 95 %CI : 1.06-1.45, P =0.008; OR =1.26, 95 %CI : 1.11-1.43, P =2.98×10(-4); OR =1.18, 95 % CI : 1.06-1.32, P =0.003). GMDR analysis showed a significant gene-gene interaction between MC4R rs17782313 and BDNF rs6265 ( P =0.001). The best two-locus combination showed the cross-validation consistency of 10/10 and testing accuracy of 0.539. This interaction showed the maximum consistency and minimum prediction error among all gene-gene interaction models evaluated. Moreover, the

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection on pig farms in central China.

PubMed

Tao, Qing; Wang, Zhengsong; Feng, Huihui; Fang, Rui; Nie, Hao; Hu, Min; Zhou, Yanqin; Zhao, Junlong

2011-04-01

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that causes severe diseases in mammals, including humans, around the world. In China, pork is the main meat source; accordingly, T. gondii in pigs is considered an important source for human toxoplasmosis. Understanding the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in pig farms is thus important for control of the disease in humans. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the epizootiology of T. gondii infections in pig farms in central China by assessing the seroprevalence and risk factors of this disease. In the present study, 3,558 sera samples were collected from pigs in 37 large-scale pig farms in this region and tested by AG-ELISA. The total seroprevalence was 24.5%, with the greatest prevalence in breeding pigs. The risk factors for toxoplasmosis suggest that high frequency of the contact of pigs with cats (P ≤ 0.01; IC 95%), high density of pig breeding (P ≤ 0.01; IC 95%), the presence of mosquitoes and flies (P ≤ 0.01; IC 95%), semi-patency pens (P ≤ 0.05; IC 95%), and low frequency of scavenging (P ≤ 0.01; IC 95%) were all associated with seroprevalence. In addition, the use of sulfonamides (P ≤ 0.01; IC 95%) significantly decreased seroprevalence. This is the first report of anti- T. gondii antibodies in pigs on large-scale pig farms in central China. The findings will provide useful information for designing control strategies of toxoplasmasis in pig farms.

Zircon trace element and isotopic (Sr, Nd, Hf, Pb) effects of assimilation-fractional crystallization of pegmatite magma: A case study of the Guangshigou biotite pegmatites from the North Qinling Orogen, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Feng; Liu, Jia-Jun; Carranza, Emmanuel John M.; Zhang, Shuai; Zhai, De-Gao; Liu, Gang; Wang, Gong-Wen; Zhang, Hong-Yuan; Sha, Ya-Zhou; Yang, Shang-Song

2018-03-01

Evidence for open-system magmatic processes related to wallrock assimilation accompanied by fractional crystallization (AFC) is present in the Guangshigou biotite pegmatites, North Qinling Orogen. The biotite pegmatite-gneiss contacts generally coincide with the greatest enrichment of U and Th. Zircon Usbnd Pb dating constrains the crystallization ages of the biotite pegmatite (rim zone-415 ± 2.6 Ma; internal zone-413.5 ± 2.5 Ma), in line with a pyrite Pbsbnd Pb isochron age (413 ± 22 Ma). Metamict areas in zircon show generally elevated concentrations of trace elements and expulsion of radioactive Pb. Internal zone samples, representing uncontaminated magma, have negative to positive zircon ( 413 Ma) εHf(t) (- 1.53 - + 3.24), low εNd(t) values (- 2.4), and old Hf and Nd model ages (tDM2 = 1.5-1.19 Ga, T2DM = 1.35 Ga, respectively), indicating a dominantly recycled Mesoproterozoic lower crustal material with involvement of some juvenile materials in the source region. The magmatic oxygen fugacity (fO2) and crystallization temperatures ranges from - 24.81 to - 13.34 of log fO2 and 570 °C to 793 °C, respectively. Compared to the internal zone, pegmatite rim samples display a variable and lower εNd(t) values (- 3.9 to - 2.8) and T2DM (1.47-1.37 Ga), but similar Hf isotopic compositions, favouring a three-component isotopic mixing model (recycled Mesoproterozoic lower crust materials, juvenile materials, and host gneiss). Pronounced variations of Ti, Y, U, Th, Hf, and REE concentrations in zircon from grain to grain in individual samples and from area to area within individual grains suggest a fluctuating crystallization environment in hybridized magma from which the rim-hosted zircons crystallized. Variable and high radiogenic Pb ratios of pyrites forming in the hybridized magma were inherited from the matrix. Zircons from both zones exhibit similar Hf isotope patterns, indicating the rim-hosted zircons crystallized during the early stage of hybridization of

The economic support index evaluation study on the pig breeding scale of the six provinces in central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Bi-Bin; Le, Xi-lin; Yuan, Gang; Ji, Xue-Qiang

2017-11-01

Shanxi province, Anhui province, Jiangxi province, Henan province, Hubei province and Hunan province are located in the central part of China. They are playing an essential role in China’s economic and social development. In this article, we use analytic hierarchy process(AHP), on the basis of the statistical yearbook data of 2016, conduct an appraisal research about the economic support index of the pig breeding scale in the six provinces of central China. The evaluation shows that Hubei tops all of the provinces on the economic support index, followed by Hunan, Anhui, Henan, Jiangxi. The lowest index is in Shanxi province. It indicates the economic conditions in Hubei province is the most capable for it to support the pig breeding scale, Shanxi province is the opposite.

Mobile LiDAR Measurement for Aerosol Investigation in South-Central Hebei, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

qin, kai; Wu, Lixin; Zheng, Yunhui; Wong Man, Sing; Wang, Runfeng; Hu, Mingyu; Lang, Hongmei; Wang, Luyao; Bai, Yang; Rao, Lanlan

2016-04-01

With the rapid industrialization and urbanization in China during the last decades, the increasing anthropogenic pollutant emissions have significantly caused serious air pollution problems which are adversely influencing public health. Hebei is one of the most air polluted provinces in China. In January 2013, an extremely severe and persistent haze episode with record-breaking PM2.5 outbreak affecting hundreds of millions of people occurred over eastern and northern China. During that haze episode, 7 of the top 10 most polluted cities in China were located in the Hebei Province according to the report of China's Ministry of Environmental Protection. To investigate and the spatial difference and to characterize the vertical distribution of aerosol in different regions of south-central Hebei, mobile measurements were carried out using a mini micro pulse LiDAR system (model: MiniMPL) in March 2014. The mobile LiDAR kit consisting of a MiniMPL, a vibration reduction mount, a power inverter, a Windows surface tablet and a GPS receiver were mounted in a car watching though the sunroof opening. For comparison, a fixed measurement using a traditional micro pulse LiDAR system (model: MPL-4B) was conducted simultaneously in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province. The equipped car was driven from downtown Shijiazhuang by way of suburban and rural area to downtown Cangzhou, Handan, and Baoding respectively at almost stable speed around 100Km per hour along different routes which counted in total more than 1000Km. The results can be summarized as: 1) the spatial distribution of total aerosol optical depth along the measurement routes in south-central Hebei was controlled by local terrain and population in general, with high values in downtown and suburban in the plain areas, and low values in rural areas along Taihang mountain to the west and Yan mountain to the north; 2) obviously high AODs were obtained at roads crossing points, inside densely populated area and nearby

Elucidating the relationship between aerosol concentration and summertime boundary layer structure in central China.

PubMed

Liu, Lin; Guo, Jianping; Miao, Yucong; Liu, Lin; Li, Jian; Chen, Dandan; He, Jing; Cui, Chunguang

2018-06-11

Wuhan, a megacity in central China, suffers from frequent aerosol pollution and is accompanied by meteorological factors at both synoptic and local scales. Partly due to the lack of appropriate observations of planetary boundary layer (PBL), the associations between synoptic conditions, PBL, and pollution there are not yet fully understood. Thus, systematic analyses were conducted using the fine-resolution soundings, surface meteorological measurements, and aerosol observations in Wuhan during summer for the period 2013-2016, in combination with T-mode principal component analysis and simulations of backward trajectory. The results showed that the variations of boundary layer height (BLH) not only modulated the diurnal variation of PM 2.5 concentration in Wuhan, but also the daily pollution level. Five different synoptic patterns during summer in Wuhan were identified from reanalysis geopotential height fields. Among these synoptic patterns, two types characterized by northeasterly prevailing winds, were found to be associated with heavy pollution in Wuhan. Driven by the northeasterly winds, the polluted air mass from the heavily polluted regions could be easily transported to Wuhan, such as North China Plain and Yangtze River Delta. Such regional transports of pollutants must be partly responsible for the aerosol pollution in Wuhan. In addition, these two synoptic patterns were also featured by the relatively high cloud cover and low boundary layer height in Wuhan, which would favor the occurrence of pollution there. Overall, this study has important implications for understanding the important roles of meteorological factors in modulating aerosol pollution in central China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of instrumental and interpolated meteorological data-based summer temperature reconstructions on Mt. Taibai in the Qinling Mountains, northwestern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Jin; Bai, Hongying; Su, Kai; Liu, Rongjuan; Zhai, Danping; Wang, Jun; Li, Shuheng; Zhou, Qi; Li, Bin

2018-01-01

Previous dendroclimatical studies have been based on the relationship between tree growth and instrumental climate data recorded at lower land meteorological stations, but the climate conditions somehow differ between sampling sites and distant population centers. Thus, in this study, we performed a comparison between the 152-year reconstruction of June to July mean air temperature on the basis of interpolated meteorological data and instrumental meteorological data. The reconstruction explained 38.7% of the variance in the interpolated temperature data (37.2% after the degrees of freedom were adjusted) and 39.6% of the variance in the instrumental temperature data (38.4% after adjustment for loss of degrees of freedom) during the period 1962-2013 AD. The first global warming (the 1920s) and recent warming (1990-2013) found from the reconstructed temperature series match reasonably well with two other reported summer temperature reconstructions from north-central China. Cold periods occurred three times during 1866-1885, 1901-1921, and 1981-2000, while hot periods occurred four times during 1886-1900, 1922-1933, 1953-1966, and 2001-2007. The extreme warm (cold) years are coherent with the documentary drought (flood) events. Significant 31-22-year, 22-18-year, and 12-8-year cycles indicate major fluctuations in regional temperatures may reflect large-scale climatic shifts.

[Carbon footprint of buildings in the urban agglomeration of central Liaoning, China].

PubMed

Shi, Yu; Yun, Ying Xia; Liu, Chong; Chu, Ya Qi

2017-06-18

With the development of urbanization in China, buildings consumed lots of material and energy. How to estimate carbon emission of buildings is an important scientific problem. Carbon footprint of the central Liaoning agglomeration was studied with carbon footprint approach, geographic information system (GIS) and high-resolution remote sensing (HRRS) technology. The results showed that the construction carbon footprint coefficient of central Liaoning urban agglomeration was 269.16 kg·m -2 . The approach of interpreting total building area and spatial distribution with HRRS was effective, and the accuracy was 89%. The extraction approach was critical for total carbon footprint and spatial distribution estimation. The building area and total carbon footprint of central Liaoning urban agglomeration in descending order was Shenyang, Anshan, Fushun, Liao-yang, Yingkou, Tieling and Benxi. The annual average increment of footprint from 2011 to 2013 in descending order was Shenyang, Benxi, Fushun, Anshan, Tieling, Yingkou and Liaoyang. The accurate estimation of construction carbon footprint spatial and its distribution was of significance for the planning and optimization of carbon emission reduction.

The prevalence and risk indicators of tooth wear in 12- and 15-year-old adolescents in Central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Du, Yangge; Wei, Zhao; Tai, Baojun; Jiang, Han; Du, Minquan

2015-10-09

Tooth wear has been investigated in numerous countries, and the prevalence has varied. However, the data on tooth wear in China are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of tooth wear and to investigate the relative indicators associated with tooth wear in 12- and 15-year-old adolescents in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, Central China. A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among 720 adolescents in Hubei Province, Central China. The age groups in this study were 12- and 15-year-old, and each group consisted of 360 participants in which females and males represented 50 % each. A modified version of the Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) tooth wear index was used for the buccal, cervical, occlusal/incisal and lingual surfaces of all of the teeth in the 720 adolescents. All of the participants were asked to answer a questionnaire consisting of questions about their current and historical dietary habits and oral hygiene. The prevalence of tooth wear was 18.6 and 89.4 % in 12- and 15-year-old adolescents, respectively. The prevalence rates of dentin exposure were 1.9 and 5.6 %, respectively. A significantly higher prevalence of tooth wear and dentin exposure in 15-year-old adolescents was found than in 12-year-old adolescents (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011). Several factors such as drinking soft drinks and fruit juices immediately after sports, taking aspirin, reflux, unilateral chewing, tooth brushing once daily or less often, duration of brushing less than 2 min and swimming in the summer were found to be associated with tooth wear. Tooth wear in 12- and 15-year-old adolescents in Central China is a significant problem and should receive greater attention. The prevalence of tooth wear increases with age and associated with socio-behavioral risk factors.

Unstable relationships between tree ring δ18O and climate variables over southwestern China: possible impacts from increasing central Pacific SSTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Wenling; Liu, Xiaohong; Hou, Shugui; Zeng, Xiaomin; Sun, Weizhen; Wang, Wenzhi; Wang, Yu; Xu, Guobao; Ren, Jiawen

2018-05-01

In this study, we investigated the potential influence of central and eastern Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) on the unstable relationship between earlywood δ18O and climatic factors in the southwestern China from 1902 to 2005. The results show that the strength of the climate signals recorded in the earlywood δ18O series has declined since the late 1970s. This reduction in signal strength may have been caused by the changes in the local hydroclimate, which is associated with the increasing SSTs in the central Pacific Ocean over recent decades. Alongside these increasing SSTs in the central Pacific, southwestern China has experienced more droughts, as well as more severe droughts through the late spring and early summer during the central Pacific (CP) El Niño years than during the eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño years in recent decades. This increased drought frequency may have weakened the response of earlywood δ18O to climate variables.

Field occurrences and petrology of eclogites from the Dabie Mountains, Anhui, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Jing, Y.; Liou, J. G.; Pan, G.; Liang, W.; Xia, M.; Maruyama, S.

1990-11-01

Four distinct types of eclogites are recognized according to their field occurrences and mineral parageneses in a gneiss terrane of the Dabie Mountains, a collision zone between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze cratons in central China. Some eclogites contain coesite and its quartz pseudomorphs enclosed in garnet and omphacite. Type I eclogites occur as layers in serpentinites and contain garnet, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, phengite, rutile, and coesite pseudomorph. Type II eclogites occur as lenticular bodies inside serpentinites and contain garnet, clinopyroxene, quartz, rutile, and edenitic hornblende. Type III eclogites occur as blocks of 2 cm to 20 m in size in a matrix of hornblende gneiss and biotite gneiss, and Type IV eclogites occur as thin layers interbedded with amphibolites. P- T estimates for these different eclogites indicate that they were formed under different physical conditions. All the eclogites were affected by later regional metamorphism for which the P- T conditions are estimated. This paper provides an introduction to the abundant eclogites from central China which have not been reported previously in Western literature. Specifically, the mode of field occurrence, petrography, mineral chemistry and formation conditions of the four types of eclogites are described. The paper is thus designed to establish a petrological framework for future detailed studies of the eclogites and their country rocks in an ancient zone of collision.

Use of Chinese herbal medicine therapies in comprehensive hospitals in central China: A parallel survey in cancer patients and clinicians.

PubMed

Chen, Gang; Qiao, Ting-ting; Ding, Hao; Li, Chen-xi; Zheng, Hui-ling; Chen, Xiao-ling; Hu, Shao-ming; Yu, Shi-ying

2015-12-01

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), as the largest application category of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is widely accepted among cancer patients in China. Herbal slice (HS) and Chinese patent drug (CPD) are commonly used CHM in China. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of CHM among clinicians and cancer patients in central China. Five hundred and twenty-five patients and 165 clinicians in 35 comprehensive hospitals in central China were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire that was designed to evaluate the use of CHM. The results showed that 90.74% clinicians and 72.24% cancer patients used CHM during cancer treatment. The educational backgrounds of the clinicians and the age, education level, annual income, and cancer stage of the cancer patients were related to use of CHM. More than 90% clinicians and cancer patients had used CPD. Comparatively, the percentage of HS use was 10% lower than that of CPD use among clinicians and cancer patients. More clinicians preferred to use CHM after surgery than cancer patients did (20.41% vs. 5.37%). Enhancing physical fitness and improving performance status were regarded as the most potential effect of CHM on cancer treatment (85.71% among clinicians and 94.07% among cancer patients), in comparison with directly killing tumor cells (24.49% among clinicians and 31.36% among patients). As for refusal reasons, imprecise efficacy was the unanimous (100%) reason for clinicians' rejection of CHM, and 95.58% patients objected to using CHM also for this reason. Furthermore, the side effects of CHM were more concerned by clinicians than by patients (33.33% vs. 15.81%). In conclusion, our survey revealed that CHM was popularly accepted by clinicians and cancer patients in central China. The reasons of use and rejection of CHM were different between clinicians and cancer patients.

Webinar Presentation: Black Carbon and Other Light-absorbing Particles in Snow in Central North America and North China

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Black Carbon and Other Light-absorbing Particles in Snow in Central North America and North China, was given at the STAR Black Carbon 2016 Webinar Series: Accounting for Impact, Emissions, and Uncertainty held on Nov. 7, 2016.

Seven new freshwater species of Gammarus from southern China (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Gammaridae)

PubMed Central

Hou, Zhonge; Zhao, Shuangyan; Li, Shuqiang

2018-01-01

Abstract Seven new species of the genus Gammarus are described and illustrated from southern China. The new species Gammarus vallecula Hou & Li, sp. n., G. qinling Hou & Li, sp. n., G. zhigangi Hou & Li, sp. n. and G. jidutanxian Hou & Li, sp. n. are characterized by inner ramus of uropod III half the length of outer ramus. Gammarus longdong Hou & Li, sp. n. is characterized by inner ramus of uropod III 0.9 times as long as outer ramus. Gammarus mosuo Hou & Li, sp. n. is characterized by pereopods V–VII with long setae on anterior margins and both rami of uropod III armed with simple setae. Gammarus caecigenus Hou & Li, sp. n. can be distinguished from other species by eyes absent. DNA barcodes of the new species are documented as proof of molecular differences between species. A key to the new species and a map of their distributions are provided. PMID:29674920

Comparison of Monetary Policy Actions and Central Bank Communication on Tackling Asset Price Bubbles-Evidence from China's Stock Market.

PubMed

Sun, Ou; Liu, Zhixin

2016-01-01

We examine the different effects of monetary policy actions and central bank communication on China's stock market bubbles with a Time-varying Parameter SVAR model. We find that with negative responses of fundamental component and positive responses of bubble component of asset prices, contractionary monetary policy induces the observed stock prices to rise during periods of large bubbles. By contrast, central bank communication acts on the market through expectation guidance and has more significant effects on stock prices in the long run, which implies that central bank communication be used as an effective long-term instrument for the central bank's policymaking.

Characteristics and visual outcomes of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in central China: 2006–2011

PubMed Central

Qi, Ying; Zhang, Feng-Yan; Peng, Guang-Hua; Zhu, Yu; Wan, Guang-Ming; Wang, Wen-Zhan; Ma, Jing; Ren, Shi-Jie

2015-01-01

AIM To complete the data of ocular trauma in central China, as a well-known tertiary referral center for ocular trauma, we documented the epidemiological characteristics and visual outcomes of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in this region. METHODS A retrospective study of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in central China from 2006 to 2011 was performed. RESULTS This study included 5964 eyes of 5799 patients. The average age was 35.5±21.8y with a male-to-female ratio of 2.8:1. The most common age was 45-59y age group. Most patients were farmers and workers (51.9%). The most common injuries were firework related (24.5%), road traffic related (24.2%), and work related (15.0%). Among the most common causative agents were firecrackers (24.5%), followed by metal/knife/scissors (21.4%). Most injuries occurred in January (14.2%), February (27.0%), and August (10.0%). There were 8.5% patients with ocular injuries combined with other injuries. The incidence of open ocular injuries (4585 eyes, 76.9%) was higher than closed ocular injuries (939 eyes, 15.7%). The incidences of chemical and thermal ocular injuries were 1.2% and 0.6%. Ocular trauma score (OTS) predicted final visual acuity at non light perception (NLP), 20/200-20/50 and 20/40 with a sensitivity of 100%, and light perception (LP)/hand motion (HM) and 1/200-19/200 with a specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS This study provides recent epidemiological data of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in central China. Some factors influencing the visual outcome include time interval between injury and visit to the clinic, wound location, open or closed globe injury, initial visual acuity, and OTS. PMID:25709927

Variation in the Asian monsoon intensity and dry-wet condition since the Little Ice Age in central China revealed by an aragonite stalagmite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, J.-J.; Yuan, D.-X.; Li, H.-C.; Cheng, H.; Li, T.-Y.; Edwards, R. L.; Lin, Y.-S.; Qin, J.-M.; Tang, W.; Zhao, Z.-Y.; Mii, H.-S.

2014-04-01

Highlight: this paper focuses on the climate variability in central China since 1300 AD, involving: 1. A well-dated, 1.5 year resolution stalagmite δ18O record from Lianhua Cave, central China; 2. Links of the δ18O record with regional dry-wet condition, monsoon intensity, and temperature over eastern China; 3. Correlations among drought events in the Lianhua record, solar irradiation, and ENSO index. We present a highly precisely 230Th/U dated, 1.5 year resolution δ18O record of an aragonite stalagmite (LHD1) collected from Lianhua Cave in Wuling mountain area of central China. The comparison of the δ18O record with the local instrumental record and historical documents exhibits at least 15 drought events in the Wuling mountain and adjacent areas during the Little Ice Age, in which some of them were corresponding to megadrought events in the broad Asian monsoonal region of China. Thus, the stalagmite δ18O record reveals variations in the summer monsoon precipitation and dry-wet condition in Wuling mountain area. The eastern China temperature varied with the solar activity, showing higher temperature under stronger solar irradiation which produces stronger summer monsoon. During Maunder, Dalton and 1900 sunspot minima, more severe drought events occurred, indicating weakening of the summer monsoon when solar activity decreased on decadal time scales. On interannual time scale, dry conditions in the studying area were prevailing under El Niño condition, which is also supported by the spectrum analysis. Hence, our record illustrates the linkage of Asian summer monsoon precipitation to solar irradiation and ENSO: wetter condition under stronger summer monsoon during warm periods and vice versa; During cold periods, the Walker circulation will shift toward central Pacific under El Niño condition, resulting further weakening of Asian summer monsoon. However, the δ18O of LHD1 record is positively correlated with temperature after ~1940 AD which is opposite to the

Genetic diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis clinical isolates from Henan province in central China.

PubMed

Mao, Meng; Liu, Hui Li

2015-07-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite that infects the human urogenital tract, causing the most common non-viral, sexually transmitted disease worldwide. In this study, genetic variants of T. vaginalis were identified in Henan Province, China. Fragments of the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) were amplified from 32 T. vaginalis isolates obtained from seven regions of Henan Province. Overall, 18 haplotypes were determined from the 18S rRNA sequences. Each sampled population and the total population displayed high haplotype diversity (Hd), accompanied by very low nucleotide diversity (Pi). In these molecular genetic variants, 91.58% genetic variation was derived from intra-regions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed no correlation between phylogeny and geographic distribution. Demographic analysis supported population expansion of T. vaginalis isolates from central China. Our findings showing moderate-to-high genetic variations in the 32 isolates of T. vaginalis provide useful knowledge for monitoring changes in parasite populations for the development of future control strategies.

Subhealth: definition, criteria for diagnosis and potential prevalence in the central region of China.

PubMed

Li, Guolin; Xie, Fuxia; Yan, Siyu; Hu, Xiaofei; Jin, Bo; Wang, Jun; Wu, Jinfeng; Yin, Dazhong; Xie, Qingji

2013-05-04

A full evaluation of health conditions is necessary for the effective implementation of public health interventions. However, terms to address the intermediate state between health and disease are lacking, leading the public to overlook this state and thus increasing the risks of developing disease. A cross-sectional health survey of 1,473 randomly recruited Chinese Han adults of both sexes living in the central region of China. The criteria for diagnosis of subhealth was defined as the presence of ≥ 1 of the following abnormalities: body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 or waist circumference ≥ 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women; systolic pressure 120-139 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure 80-89 mmHg; serum triglyceride level ≥ 150 mg/dL and/or total cholesterol level ≥ 200 mg/dL and/or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level < 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women; serum glucose level 110-125 mg/dL; estimated glomerular filtration rate 60-89 ml/min/1.73 m2; levels of liver enzymes in liver function tests between 41-59 U/L, or with fatty liver disease but < 33% of affected hepatocytes; levels of oxidative stress biomarkers beyond the reference range of 95%; or problems with both sleep quality and psychological state. The prevalences of subhealth and disease in the central region of China were 36.6% and 43.1%, respectively. The prevalence of disease increased from 26.3% in participants aged 20-39 years, to 47.6% and 78.9% for participants aged 40-59 years and those aged 60 years or older, respectively. Compared with participants aged 20-39, the prevalences of health and subhealth in participants aged 60 years or older decreased by 86.7% and 60.3%, respectively. The prevalence of subhealth was increased in association with increases in lifestyle risk scores, while the prevalences of both health and disease were reduced. The prevalences of subhealth and disease are high in central China. Subhealth is associated with high lifestyle risk scores. Both the health care sector

Prevalence and risk factors of fatty liver disease in the Shuiguohu district of Wuhan city, central China

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhongli; Xia, Bing; Ma, Chunwei; Hu, Zhengguo; Chen, Xiangqun; Cao, Ping

2007-01-01

Background Fatty liver disease (FLD) is highly prevalent in Western countries, but recent data have shown that FLD is also emerging in China. Aim To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of FLD in the Shuiguohu district of Wuhan city, central China, during 1995–2004. Methods 12247 individuals (7179 men and 5068 women) over 18 years of age who were living in the area were investigated for FLD in the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from 1995 to 2004. FLD was determined by the ultrasonographic method. Height, weight, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol and triglyceride were determined by routine laboratory methods. Results The prevalence of FLD was 12.5% in 1995, and rose gradually to 24.5% by 2003–4. The prevalence was twice as high in men (28.1%) as in women (13.8%), and increased with age in females, and males <60 years of age. Multivariate analysis showed that several risk factors were profoundly associated with the prevalence of FLD, including male sex, old age, obesity, hyperlipidaemia (cholesterol or triglyceride), fasting hyperglycemia and hypertension. Conclusion The prevalence of FLD in the Shuiguohu district of Wuhan city, central China, was shown to have increased during the 10‐year period, 1995 to 2004. The FLD was found to be closely associated with sex, age, obesity and other metabolic syndrome features. PMID:17344575

Early Cretaceous adakitic magmatism in central eastern China controlled by ridge subduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, M.; Luo, Z.; Sun, W.

2017-12-01

Early Cretaceous adakites are widely distributed in central eastern China, e.g., Lower Yangtze River Belt (LYRB), Dabie orogen and south Tan-Lu Fault (STLF) area. Adakite from the LYRB is closely associated with mineralization, while adakites from Dabie orogen and STLF are ore barren. Their origins, however, remain controversial. Detailed geochemical comparison between these adakites indicates that the LYRB adakite are formed by partial melting of oceanic crust, i.e., slab melting, whereas those from Dabie orogen and STLF (e.g., Guandian pluton) have origin of lower continental crust (LCC) 1,2. Base on the distribution of igneous rocks, e.g., adakite, A-type granite and Nb-enriched basalts, as well as other lines of evidence, ridge subduction of the Pacific and Izanagi plates was proposed to explain the genesis of Cretaceous magmatism and associated mineralization in the LYRB 1. Ridge subduction is a special plate tectonic process that can provide both physical erosion and thermal erosion 3. Flat subduction of a spreading ridge will result in strong physical subduction-related erosion, and trigger destruction (e.g., in the Dabie orogen) or delamination (e.g., in the STLF) of the thickened LCC. Subsequently, ridge subduction, accompanied by opening of a slab window, will facilitate partial melting of the LCC by thermal erosion. References: 1. Ling, M. X. et al. Cretaceous ridge subduction along the Lower Yangtze river belt, eastern China. Econ. Geol. 104, 303-321, doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.104.2.303 (2009). 2. Ling, M. X., Wang, F. Y., Ding, X., Zhou, J. B. & Sun, W. D. Different origins of adakites from the Dabie Mountains and the Lower Yangtze River Belt, eastern China: Geochemical constraints. International Geology Review 53, 727-740 (2011). 3. Ling, M. X. et al. Destruction of the North China Craton Induced by Ridge Subductions. Journal of Geology 121, 197-213 (2013).

Review of the cicada genus Platylomia Stål (Hemiptera, Cicadidae) from China, with description and bioacoustics of a new species from Mts. Qinling.

PubMed

Wang, Xu; Wei, Cong

2014-05-30

The species of Platylomia Stål from China are reviewed and a new species, P. shaanxiensis sp. n., from Shaanxi, China is described. Acoustic signals produced by males of this new species were recorded and analyzed. P. juno Distant is transferred to the genus Macrosemia. A key to the species of Platylomia from China is provided.

Pathological patterns of primary nephrotic syndrome in Central China: a retrospective study of 627 cases.

PubMed

Chu, Fenfen; Chen, Guochun; Liu, Yinghong

2014-05-01

The pathological patterns underlying PNS in adult are poorly studied in Central China. This is a retrospective analysis of the clinical and pathologic data involving 627 adult patients with PNS who have been finished the renal biopsies from January 2009 to September 2012 in XiangYa 2nd Hospital of Central South University. Patients enrolled in our study were all from Central China. There were 379 males and 248 females, formed the ratio of 1.53:1. There existed three main sorts of pathological patterns underlying PNS: membranous nephropathy (MN) 26.63%, minimal change disease (MCD) 23.60%, IgA nephropathy (IgAN) 23.39%. Among all biopsies, the proportion of FSGS underlying PNS increased from 5.8% during the period from 2009 to 2010 to 14.7% during the period from 2011 to 2012. The most common complication of PNS was infectious diseases, and MCD underlying PNS ran a higher risk of encountering acute renal injury. IgAN had the highest incidence of hematuresis. The common pathological patterns of PNS differed in age-brackets: IgAN and MCD were the main pathological lesions in patients aged from 16 to 30 years; MN mostly occurs in patients over 30. MCD was the dominating pathological lesions underlying IgAN which expressed as PNS. (1) MN was the most frequent pathological pattern underlying PNS, the proportion of FSGS underlying PNS increased during the last 2 years. (2) The common pathological patterns of PNS differed in age-brackets and pathological patterns correlated to the complications or comorbidities of PNS to some extent.

Attempt at quantifying human-induced land-cover change during the Holocene in central eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Furong; Gaillard, Marie-José; Mazier, Florence; Sugita, Shinya; Xu, Qinghai; Li, Yuecong; Zhou, Zhongze

2016-04-01

China is one of the key regions of the world where agricultural civilizations already flourished several millennia ago. However, the role of human activity in vegetation change is not yet fully understood. As a contribution to the PAGES LandCover6k initiative, this study aims to achieve a first attempt at Holocene land-cover reconstructions in the temperate zone of China using the REVEALS model (Sugita, 2007). Pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) are key parameters required for the model and were lacking so far for major taxa characteristic of ancient cultural landscapes in that part of the world. Remains of traditional agricultural structures and practices are still found in the low mountain ranges of the Shandong province located in central-eastern China. The area was chosen for a study of pollen-vegetation relationships and calculation of pollen productivity estimates. Pollen counts and vegetation data from 37 random sites within an area of 200 x 100 km are used for calculation. The vegetation inventory within 100 meters from the pollen sampling site follows the standard methods of Bunting et al. (2013). Vegetation data beyond 100 meters up to 1.5 km from the pollen sampling site is extracted from satellite images. The PPEs are calculated using the three sub-models of the Extended R-value model and compared with existing PPEs from northern China's biomes and temperate Europe. The PPEs' relevance for reconstruction of past human-induced land-cover change in temperate China are evaluated. Key words China, traditional agricultural landscape, ERV model, pollen productivity estimates References Bunting, M. J., et al. (2013). "Palynological perspectives on vegetation survey: a critical step for model-based reconstruction of Quaternary land cover." Quaternary Science Reviews 82: 41-55. Sugita, S. (2007). "Theory of quantitative reconstruction of vegetation I: pollen from large sites REVEALS regional vegetation composition." The Holocene 17(2): 229-241.

Late Pleistocene Activity and deformation features of the North Margin Fault of West Qinling Mountains, northeastern Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, P.; Lin, A.; Yan, B.

2017-12-01

Abstract: A precise constraints of slip rates of active faults within and around Tibetan Plateau will provide us a definite and explicit knowledge of continental dynamics and present-day tectonic evolution. The major strike-slip faults in the northern and northeastern Tibetan Plateau, including the Altyn Tagh fault and Kunlun fault play a vital role in dissipating and transferring the strain energy. The WNW-trending North Margin Fault of West Qinling Mountains (hereafter name NMFWQM, the target of this study) developed along the topographic boundary between Longzhong basin and the Qinling mountains. Intensive Historic records show that large earthquakes repeatedly in the area around the NMFWQM, including the AD 143 M 7.0 Gangu West earthquake; AD 734 M≥7.0 Tianshui earthquake; AD 1654 M 8.0 Tianshui South earthquake and the most recent 2013 Mw6.0 Zhangxian earthquake. In this study, we investigated the structural features and activity of the NMFWQM including the nature of the fault, slip rate, and paleoseismicity by interpretation of high-resolution remote sensing images and field investigation. Based on the interpretations of high resolution satellite images, field investigations and 14C dating ages, we conclude the following conclusions: 1) The drainage systems have been systematical deflected or offset sinistrally along the fault trace; 2) The amounts of displacement (D) show a positive linear correlation with the upstream length (L) from the deflected point of offset river channels as DaL (a: a certain coefficient); 3) The alluvial fans and terrace risers formed in the last interglacial period are systematically offset by 16.4m to 93.9 m, indicating an accumulation of horizontal displacements as that observed in the offset drainages; 4) A horizontal slip rate is estimated to be 2.5-3.1 mm/yr with an average of 2.8 mm/yr. Comparing with the well-know strike-slip active faults developed in the northern Tibetan Plateau, such as the Altyn Tagh fault and Kunlun

Groundwater flow and hydrogeochemical evolution in the Jianghan Plain, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Yiqun; Zhao, Ke; Deng, Yamin; Liang, Xing; Ma, Teng; Wang, Yanxin

2018-05-01

Hydrogeochemical analysis and multivariate statistics were applied to identify flow patterns and major processes controlling the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater in the Jianghan Plain, which is located in central Yangtze River Basin (central China) and characterized by intensive surface-water/groundwater interaction. Although HCO3-Ca-(Mg) type water predominated in the study area, the 457 (21 surface water and 436 groundwater) samples were effectively classified into five clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis. The hydrochemical variations among these clusters were governed by three factors from factor analysis. Major components (e.g., Ca, Mg and HCO3) in surface water and groundwater originated from carbonate and silicate weathering (factor 1). Redox conditions (factor 2) influenced the geogenic Fe and As contamination in shallow confined groundwater. Anthropogenic activities (factor 3) primarily caused high levels of Cl and SO4 in surface water and phreatic groundwater. Furthermore, the factor score 1 of samples in the shallow confined aquifer gradually increased along the flow paths. This study demonstrates that enhanced information on hydrochemistry in complex groundwater flow systems, by multivariate statistical methods, improves the understanding of groundwater flow and hydrogeochemical evolution due to natural and anthropogenic impacts.

Challenges for the surgical capacity building of township hospitals among the Central China: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Li, Zhong; Yang, Jian; Wu, Yue; Pan, Zijin; He, Xiaoqun; Li, Boyang; Zhang, Liang

2018-05-02

China's rapid transition in healthcare service system has posed considerable challenges for the primary care system. Little is known regarding the capacity of township hospitals (THs) to deliver surgical care in rural China with over 600 million lives. We aimed to ascertain its current performance, barriers, and summary lessons for its re-building in central China. This study was conducted in four counties from two provinces in central China. The New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NRCMS) claim data from two counties in Hubei province was analyzed to describe the current situation of surgical care provision. Based on previous studies, self-administered questionnaire was established to collect key indicators from 60 THs from 2011 to 2015, and social and economic statuses of the sampling townships were collected from the local statistical yearbook. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among seven key administrators in the THs that did not provide appendectomy care in 2015. Determinants of appendectomy care provision were examined using a negative binominal regression model. First, with the rapid increase in inpatient services provided by the THs, their proportion of surgical service provision has been nibbled by out-of-county facilities. Second, although DY achieved a stable performance, the total amount of appendectomy provided by the 60 THs decreased to 589 in 2015 from 1389 in 2011. Moreover, their proportion reduced to 26.77% in 2015 from 41.84% in 2012. Third, an increasing number of THs did not provide appendectomy in 2015, with the shortage of anesthesiologists and equipment as the most mentioned reasons (46.43%). Estimation results from the negative binomial model indicated that the annual average per capita disposable income and tightly integrated delivery networks (IDNs) negatively affected the amount of appendectomy provided by THs. By contrast, the probability of appendectomy provision by THs was increased by performance-related payment (PRP). Out

Multiscale analyses on a massive immigration process of Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) in south-central China: influences of synoptic-scale meteorological conditions and topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiu-Lin; Westbrook, John K.; Hu, Gao; Lu, Ming-Hong; Liu, Wan-Cai; Sword, Gregory A.; Zhai, Bao-Ping

2018-04-01

Mass landings of migrating white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), can lead to severe outbreaks that cause heavy losses for rice production in East Asia. South-central China is the main infestation area on the annual migration loop of S. furcifera between the northern Indo-China Peninsula and mainland China; however, rice planthopper species are not able to survive in this region over winter. In this study, a trajectory analysis of movements from population source areas and a spatiotemporal dynamic analysis of mesoscale and synoptic weather conditions from 7 to 10 May 2012 were conducted using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to identify source areas of immigrants and determine how weather and topographic terrain influence insect landing. A sensitivity experiment was conducted with reduced topography using the WRF model to explain the associations among rainfall, topography, and light-trap catches of S. furcifera. The trajectory modeling results suggest that the source areas of S. furcifera immigrants into south-central China from 8 to 10 May were mainly southern Guangxi, northern Vietnam, and north-central Vietnam. The appearance of enormous catches of immigrant S. furcifera coincided with a period of rainstorms. The formation of transporting southerly winds was strongly associated with the topographic terrain. Additionally, the rainfall distribution and intensity over south-central China significantly decreased when topography was reduced in the model and were directly affected by wind circulation, which was associated with mountainous terrain that caused strong convection. This study indicates that migrating populations of S. furcifera were carried by the southwesterly low-level jets and that topographically induced convergent winds, precipitation, low temperatures, and wind shear acted as key factors that led to massive landings.

Multiscale analyses on a massive immigration process of Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) in south-central China: influences of synoptic-scale meteorological conditions and topography.

PubMed

Wu, Qiu-Lin; Westbrook, John K; Hu, Gao; Lu, Ming-Hong; Liu, Wan-Cai; Sword, Gregory A; Zhai, Bao-Ping

2018-04-30

Mass landings of migrating white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), can lead to severe outbreaks that cause heavy losses for rice production in East Asia. South-central China is the main infestation area on the annual migration loop of S. furcifera between the northern Indo-China Peninsula and mainland China; however, rice planthopper species are not able to survive in this region over winter. In this study, a trajectory analysis of movements from population source areas and a spatiotemporal dynamic analysis of mesoscale and synoptic weather conditions from 7 to 10 May 2012 were conducted using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to identify source areas of immigrants and determine how weather and topographic terrain influence insect landing. A sensitivity experiment was conducted with reduced topography using the WRF model to explain the associations among rainfall, topography, and light-trap catches of S. furcifera. The trajectory modeling results suggest that the source areas of S. furcifera immigrants into south-central China from 8 to 10 May were mainly southern Guangxi, northern Vietnam, and north-central Vietnam. The appearance of enormous catches of immigrant S. furcifera coincided with a period of rainstorms. The formation of transporting southerly winds was strongly associated with the topographic terrain. Additionally, the rainfall distribution and intensity over south-central China significantly decreased when topography was reduced in the model and were directly affected by wind circulation, which was associated with mountainous terrain that caused strong convection. This study indicates that migrating populations of S. furcifera were carried by the southwesterly low-level jets and that topographically induced convergent winds, precipitation, low temperatures, and wind shear acted as key factors that led to massive landings.

Genetic structure of Chinese indigenous goats and the special geographical structure in the Southwest China as a geographic barrier driving the fragmentation of a large population.

PubMed

Wei, Caihong; Lu, Jian; Xu, Lingyang; Liu, Gang; Wang, Zhigang; Zhao, Fuping; Zhang, Li; Han, Xu; Du, Lixin; Liu, Chousheng

2014-01-01

China has numerous native domestic goat breeds, however, extensive studies are focused on the genetic diversity within the fewer breeds and limited regions, the population demographic history and origin of Chinese goats are still unclear. The roles of geographical structure have not been analyzed in Chinese goat domestic process. In this study, the genetic relationships of Chinese indigenous goat populations were evaluated using 30 microsatellite markers. Forty Chinese indigenous populations containing 2078 goats were sampled from different geographic regions of China. Moderate genetic diversity at the population level (H(S) of 0.644) and high population diversity at the species level (H(T) value of 0.737) were estimated. Significant moderate population differentiation was detected (F(ST) value of 0.129). Significant excess homozygosity (F(IS) of 0.105) and recent population bottlenecks were detected in thirty-six populations. Neighbour-joining tree, principal components analysis and Bayesian clusters all revealed that Chinese goat populations could be subdivided into at least four genetic clusters: Southwest China, South China, Northwest China and East China. It was observed that the genetic diversity of Northern China goats was highest among these clusters. The results here suggested that the goat populations in Southwest China might be the earliest domestic goats in China. Our results suggested that the current genetic structure of Chinese goats were resulted from the special geographical structure, especially in the Western China, and the Western goat populations had been separated by the geographic structure (Hengduan Mountains and Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River Line) into two clusters: the Southwest and Northwest. It also indicated that the current genetic structure was caused by the geographical origin mainly, in close accordance with the human's migration history throughout China. This study provides a fundamental genetic profile for the conservation of

Mesozoic-Cenozoic evolution of the Zoige depression in the Songpan-Ganzi flysch basin, eastern Tibetan Plateau: Constraints from detrital zircon U-Pb ages and fission-track ages of the Triassic sedimentary sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yan; Zhang, Yunpeng; Tong, Lili

2018-01-01

The Zoige depression is an important depocenter within the northeast Songpan-Ganzi flysch basin, which is bounded by the South China, North China and Qiangtang Blocks and forms the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. This paper discusses the sediment provenance and Mesozoic-Cenozoic evolution of the Zoige depression in the Songpan-Ganzi flysch basin, eastern Tibetan Plateau, using the detrital zircon U-Pb ages and apatite fission-track data from the Middle to Late Triassic sedimentary rocks in the area. The U-Pb ages of the Middle to Late Triassic zircons range from 260-280 Ma, 429-480 Ma, 792-974 Ma and 1800-2500 Ma and represent distinct source region. Our new results demonstrate that the detritus deposited during the Middle Triassic (Ladinian, T2zg) primarily originated from the Eastern Kunlun and North Qinling Orogens, with lesser contributions from the North China Block. By the Late Triassic (early Carnian, T3z), the materials at the southern margin of the North China Block were generally transported westward to the basin along a river network that flowed through the Qinling region between the North China and South China Blocks: this interpretation is supported by the predominance of the bimodal distribution of 1.8 Ga and 2.5 Ga age peaks and a lack of significant Neoproterozoic zircon. Since the Late Triassic (middle Carnian, T3zh), considerable changes have occurred in the source terranes, such as the cessation of the Eastern Kunlun Orogen and North China Block sources and the rise of the northwestern margin of the Yangtze Block and South Qinling Orogen. These drastic changes are compatible with a model of a sustained westward collision between the South China and North China Blocks during the late Triassic and the clockwise rotation of the South China Block progressively closed the basin. Subsequently, orogeny-associated folds have formed in the basin since the Late Triassic (late Carnian), and the study area was generally subjected to uplifting and

The Prevalence of and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Sonographers in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Feng, Qingmin; Liu, Shenglin; Yang, Lei; Xie, Mingxing

2016-01-01

Objective Studies from industrialized countries show that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) occur commonly in sonographers. However, little is known about sonographers in China, where the awareness of ergonomics and MSD, workload, and available equipment/facilities may differ. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MSD and associated risk factors in sonographers in central China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 381 sonographers from 14 randomly selected tertiary hospitals in Hubei province, central China. Musculoskeletal symptoms (using the Nordic Questionnaire) and risk factors (mostly derived from the Health Benefit Trust survey instrument and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire) were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to quantify associations between risk factors and MSD. Results The 12-month period prevalence of MSD was 98.3%, being highest in the neck (93.5%) and shoulder (92.2%), followed by the lower back (83.2%), wrist/hand, upper back, and elbow. Factors contributing to neck pain were psychological fatigue, shoulder abduction and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable tables and chairs were protective factors. Shoulder pain was associated with female sex, health status, mental stress, shoulder abduction, and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable chairs and the awareness of adjusting the workstation before scanning were protective factors. Elbow pain was associated with health status and height-adjustable tables. Wrist/hand pain was associated with female sex, bending the wrist, and working with obese patients. Upper back pain was associated with shoulder abduction, height-adjustable chairs, and device location. Lower back pain was associated with the number of scans performed per day, awkward postures, bending the trunk, twisting or bending the neck forward, and using a footrest. Conclusions This study suggests a high prevalence of MSD in sonographers in central China. Hence, it is necessary to

The August 1975 Flood over Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Long; Smith, James; Liu, Maofeng; Baeck, MaryLynn

2016-04-01

The August 1975 flood in Central China was one of the most destructive floods in history, resulting in 26 000 fatalities, leaving about 10 million people with insufficient shelter, and producing long-lasting famine and disease. Extreme rainfall responsible for this flood event was associated with typhoon Nina during 5-7 August 1975. Despite the prominence of the August 1975 flood, analyses of the storms producing the flood and the resulting flood are sparse. Even fewer attempts were made from the perspective of numerical simulations. We examine details of extreme rainfall for the August 1975 flood based on downscaling simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model driven by 20th Century Reanalysis fields. We further placed key hydrometeorological features for the flood event in a climatological context through the analyses of the 20th Century Reanalysis fields. Results indicate interrelated roles of multiple mesoscale ingredients for deep, moist convection in producing extreme rainfall for the August 1975 flood, superimposed over an anomalous synoptic environment. Attribution analyses on the source of water vapor for this flood event will be conducted based on a Lagrangian parcel tracking algorithm LAGRANTO. Analytical framework developed in this study aims to explore utilization of hydrometeorological approach in flood-control engineering designs by providing details on key elements of flood-producing storms.

U.S.-China Maritime Confidence Building. Paradigms, Precedents, and Prospects (China Maritime Study, Number 6)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

China Maritime Confidence Building www.usnwc.edu/Research--- Gaming /China-Maritime-Studies-Institute.aspx Paradigms, Precedents, and Prospects David...addressed to the director of the China Maritime Studies Institute, www.usnwc.edu/Research--- Gaming / China-Maritime-Studies-Institute.aspx. To...Businesspeople enjoying a drink in Shanghai, young women having their nails manicured in trendy Beijing salons , and poor peasant farmers in central China

Finite-Frequency Seismic Imaging of Upper-Mantle Velocity Structures Beneath the South China Continent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, P.; Chen, Y. J.; Yu, Y.

2017-12-01

South China Continent is major formed from the Paleo-South China plate. The continent has experienced complicated tectonic history after Neoproterozoic. Previous studies suggested some possible model for the collision between South China Continent and North China Continent. Body wave tomography and surface wave tomography are widely used to inverse upper mantle velocity structure. In our study, finite frequency tomography were carried on to get explanation more correctly. We gathered nearly 60000 pieces of teleseismic event records by 166 broad band seismic stations with Mw > 5.5. Here sensitive kernel of ak135 velocity structure was calculated, which is based on Born approximation, and then we applied multi-channel cross-correlation to pick arrival time difference under 3 frequency band. Combining with crust thickness correct from receiver function, we solve the inversion matrix by LSQR method, and get accurate upper mantle structure of P, S velocity. For more accurate results, we apply a method to calculate Vp/Vs ratio, to help to verify the velocity anomaly. The result in this research shows: 1. A strong velocity anomaly exists in the northern of South China Continent, in an area 31°N between 112°-118°E. The anomaly is about . We suggest that, this anomaly is related to the collision from North China Continent. It implies the collision underthrusted to southward. 2. A clearly slow velocity anomaly exists in the northern of Cathaysia block. This low velocity anomaly exist on the boundary of Yangtz block and Cathysian block, it is related to the left over of block collision in early phanerozoic. 3. We recognized some little velocity anomaly exit in the research area. Comparing these velocity anomaly with U-Pb zircon ages, we suggest complicated orogenesis in Phanerozoic is the cause of the formation of these little anomaly. The result in our study support the collision model, which shows the underthrust direction is southward, on the south of Qinling

Molecular epidemiology of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in Central China since 2014: The prevalence of NADC30-like PRRSVs.

PubMed

Wang, Lin-Jian; Xie, Weitao; Chen, Xin-Xin; Qiao, Songlin; Zhao, Mengmeng; Gu, Yu; Zhao, Bao-Lei; Zhang, Gaiping

2017-08-01

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), characterized by respiratory disorders in piglets and reproductive failure in sows, is still the great threat of swine industry. Recently, Emergence of the novel NADC30-like PRRS viruses (PRRSVs) has caused widespread outbreaks of PRRS. To investigate the epidemic characteristics of PRRSVs in Central China since 2014, 6372 clinical serum samples were tested by ELISA, 250 tissue samples were tested by RT-PCR, and among these, 30 ORF5 and 17 Nsp2 genes sequences were analyzed. Phylogenetic tree based on ORF5 revealed that, 17 isolates were clustered into subgroup 1, represented by the NADC30. And for the Nsp2, The strains which had a discontinuous 131-amino-acid deletion in Nsp2, called NADC30-like strains, were clustered into subgroup 2. Our data suggested that the NADC30-like PRRSV strains spread quickly and are now circulating and prevalent in Central China as well as the classical HP-PRRSV strains. In addition, amino acid variation analysis of GP5 revealed that the amino acid sequences of NADC30-like PRRSV strains underwent rapid evolution and contained extensive amino acid substitutions in important motifs, such as potential neutralization epitope and the N-glycosylation sites. In summary, our data would provide a large amount of detailed information on molecular variation and genetic diversity of PRRSV in central China. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Analysis of 4931 renal biopsy data in central China from 1994 to 2014.

PubMed

Xu, Xiu; Ning, Yong; Shang, Weifeng; Li, Menglan; Ku, Ming; Li, Qing; Li, Yueqiang; Dai, Wei; Shao, Jufang; Zeng, Rui; Han, Min; He, Xiaofeng; Yao, Ying; Lv, Yongman; Liu, Xiaocheng; Ge, Shuwang; Xu, Gang

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changing spectrum and clinicopathologic correlation of biopsy-proven renal diseases in central China. We retrospectively analyzed data of 4931 patients who underwent renal biopsy in ten hospitals between September 1994 and December 2014. Among them, 81.55% were primary glomerular diseases (GD), and 13.02% were secondary GD. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) was the most common primary GD (43.45%), followed by focal glomerulonephritis (16.79%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN, 14.35%), and membranous nephropathy (MN, 13.28%). IgAN was leading primary GD in patients under 60 years old, while MN was the leading one over 60 years old. The most frequent secondary GD was lupus nephritis (LN) (47.35%). The prevalence of IgAN, MN and minimal change disease was found to increase significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.01, respectively), while that of MsPGN, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and LN decreased significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.05, respectively). The main indication for renal biopsy was proteinuria and hematuria (49.03%), followed by nephrotic syndrome (NS, 20.36%). IgAN was the most common cause in patients with proteinuria and hematuria, chronic-progressive kidney injury, hematuria and acute kidney injury; and MN was the leading cause of NS. Primary GD remained the predominant renal disease in central China. IgAN and LN were the most prevalent histopathologic lesions of primary and secondary GD, respectively. The spectrum of biopsy-proven renal disease had a great change in the past two decades. Proteinuria and hematuria was the main indication for renal biopsy.

Analysis of photosynthetically active radiation under various sky conditions in Wuhan, Central China.

PubMed

Wang, Lunche; Gong, Wei; Lin, Aiwen; Hu, Bo

2014-10-01

Observations of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and global solar radiation (G) at Wuhan, Central China during 2005-2012 were first reported to investigate PAR variability at different time scales and its PAR fraction (F(p)) under different sky conditions. Both G irradiances (I(g)) and PAR irradiances (I(p)) showed similar seasonal features that peaked in values at noon during summer and reached their lower values in winter. F(p) reached higher values during either sunrise or sunset; lower values of F p appeared at local noon because of the absorption effects of water vapor and clouds on long-wave radiation. There was an inverse relationship between clearness index (K(t)) and F(p); the maximum I(p) decreased by 22.3 % (39.7 %) when sky conditions changed from overcast to cloudless in summer (winter); solar radiation was more affected by cloudiness than the seasonal variation in cloudy skies when compared with that in clear skies. The maximum daily PAR irradiation (R(p)) was 11.89 MJ m⁻² day⁻¹ with an annual average of 4.85 MJ m⁻² day⁻¹. F p was in the range of 29-61.5 % with annual daily average value being about 42 %. Meanwhile, hourly, daily, and monthly relationships between R p and G irradiation (R g) under different sky conditions were investigated. It was discovered that cloudy skies were the dominated sky condition in this region. Finally, a clear-sky PAR model was developed by analyzing the dependence of PAR irradiances on optical air mass under various sky conditions for the whole study period in Central China, which will lay foundations for ecological process study in the near future.

SO2 over Central China: Measurements, Numerical Simulations and the Tropospheric Sulfur Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Hao; Li, Can; Loughner, Christopher P.; Li, Zhangqing; Krotkov, Nickolay A.; Yang, Kai; Wang, Lei; Zheng, Youfei; Bao, Xiangdong; Zhao, Guoqiang;

A geochemical record of the link between chemical weathering and the East Asian summer monsoon during the late Holocene preserved in lacustrine sediments from Poyang Lake, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chao; Wei, Gangjian; Li, Wuxian; Liu, Ying

2018-04-01

This paper presents relatively high-resolution geochemical records spanning the past 4000 cal yr BP obtained from the lacustrine sediments of Poyang Lake in central China. The variations in the intensity of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) are traced using the K/Na, Ti/Na, Al/K, kaolinite/illite and clay/feldspar ratios, together with the chemical index of alteration (CIA), as indicators of chemical weathering. During the last 4000 years, the proxy records of chemical weathering from Poyang Lake exhibit an overall enhanced trend, consistent with regional hydrological changes in previous independent records. Further comparisons and analyses demonstrate that regional moisture variations in central China is inversely correlated with the EASM intensity, with weak EASM generating high precipitation in central China. Our data reveal three intervals of dramatically dry climatic conditions (i.e., ca. 4000-3200 cal yr BP, ca. 2800-2400 cal yr BP, and ca. 500-200 cal yr BP). A period of weak chemical weathering, related to cold and dry climatic conditions, occurred during the Little Ice Age (LIA), whereas more intense chemical weathering, reflecting warm and humid climatic conditions, was recorded during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). Besides, an intensification of chemical weathering in Poyang Lake during the late Holocene agrees well with strong ENSO activity, suggesting that moisture variations in central China may be predominantly driven by ENSO variability.

Aerosol optical properties and radiative effects: Assessment of urban aerosols in central China using 10-year observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ming; Ma, Yingying; Gong, Wei; Liu, Boming; Shi, Yifan; Chen, ZhongYong

2018-06-01

Poor air quality episodes are common in central China. Here, based on 10 years of ground-based sun-photometric observations, aerosol optical and radiative forcing characteristics were analyzed in Wuhan, the biggest metropolis in central China. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the last decade declined significantly, while the Ångström exponent (AE) showed slight growth. Single scattering albedo (SSA) at 440 nm reached the lowest value (0.87) in winter and highest value (0.93) in summer. Aerosol parameters derived from sun-photometric observations were used as input in a radiative transfer model to calculate aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) on the surface in ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and shortwave (SW) spectra. ARFSW sustained decreases (the absolute values) over the last 10 years. In terms of seasonal variability, due to the increases in multiple scattering effects and attenuation of the transmitted radiation as AOD increased, ARF in summer displayed the largest value (-73.94 W/m2). After eliminating the influence of aerosol loading, the maximum aerosol radiative forcing efficiency in SW range (ARFESW) achieved a value of -64.5 W/m2/AOD in April. The ARFE change in each sub-interval spectrum was related to the change in SSA and effective radius of fine mode particles (Refff), that is, ARFE increased with the decreases in SSA and Refff. The smallest contribution of ARFENIR to ARFESW was 34.11% under strong absorbing and fine particle conditions, and opposite results were found for the VIS range, whose values were always over 51.82%. Finally, due to the serious air pollution and frequency of haze day, aerosol characteristics in haze and clear days were analyzed. The percentage of ARFENIR increased from 35.71% on clear-air days to 37.63% during haze periods, while both the percentage of ARFEUV and ARFENIR in ARFESW kept decreasing. The results of this paper should help us to better understand the effect of aerosols on solar spectral radiation

Upper Miocene-Pliocene provenance evolution of the Central Canyon in northwestern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Yuchi; Shao, Lei; Qiao, Peijun; Pei, Jianxiang; Zhang, Daojun; Tran, Huyen

2018-06-01

Provenance studies of the Central Canyon, Qiongdongnan Basin has provided significant insights into paleographic and sedimentology research of the South China Sea (SCS). A suite of geochemical approaches mainly including rare earth elemental (REE) analysis and detrital zircon U-Pb dating has been systematically applied to the "source-to-sink" system involving our upper Miocene-Pliocene Central Canyon sediments and surrounding potential source areas. Based on samples tracing the entire course of the Central Canyon, REE distribution patterns indicate that the western channel was generally characterized by positive Eu anomalies in larger proportion, in contrast to the dominance of negative values of its eastern side during late Miocene-Pliocene. Additionally, for the whole canyon and farther regions of Qiongdongnan Basin, the number of samples bearing negative Eu anomalies tended to increase within younger geological strata. On the other hand, U-Pb geochronology results suggest a wide Proterozoic to Mesozoic age range with peak complexity in Yanshanian, Indosinian, Caledonian and Jinningian periods. However in detail, age combination of most western samples displayed older-age signatures than the eastern. To make it more evidently, western boreholes of the Central Canyon are mainly characterized with confined Indosinian and Caledonian clusters which show great comparability with mafic-to-ultramafic source of Kontum Massif of Central Vietnam, while eastern samples largely bear with distinguishable Yanshanian and Indosinian peaks which more resemble with Hainan Island. Based on geochemistry and geochronology analyses, two significant suppliers and sedimentary infilling processes are generated: (1) the Indosinian collision orogenic belt in central-northern Vietnam, Indochina has ever played significant role in Central Canyon sedimentary evolution, (2) Hainan Island once as a typical provenance restricted within eastern Central Canyon, has been enlarging its influence

Porphyry copper assessment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and eastern Tethysides: China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and India: Chapter X in Global mineral resource assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mihalasky, Mark J.; Ludington, Stephen; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Alexeiev, Dmitriy V.; Frost, Thomas P.; Light, Thomas D.; Robinson, Gilpin R.; Briggs, Deborah A.; Wallis, John C.; Miller, Robert J.; Bookstrom, Arthur A.; Panteleyev, Andre; Chitalin, Andre; Seltmann, Reimar; Guangsheng, Yan; Changyun, Lian; Jingwen, Mao; Jinyi, Li; Keyan, Xiao; Ruizhao, Qiu; Jianbao, Shao; Gangyi, Shai; Yuliang, Du

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collaborated with international colleagues to assess undiscovered resources in porphyry copper deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and eastern Tethysides. These areas host 20 known porphyry copper deposits, including the world class Oyu Tolgoi deposit in Mongolia that was discovered in the late 1990s. The study area covers major parts of the world’s largest orogenic systems. The Central Asian Orogenic Belt is a collage of amalgamated Precambrian through Mesozoic terranes that extends from the Ural Mountains in the west nearly to the Pacific Coast of Asia in the east and records the evolution and final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in Permian time. The eastern Tethysides, the orogenic belt to the south of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, records the evolution of another ancient ocean system, the Tethys Ocean. The evolution of these orogenic belts involved magmatism associated with a variety of geologic settings appropriate for formation of porphyry copper deposits, including subduction-related island arcs, continental arcs, and collisional and postconvergent settings. The original settings are difficult to trace because the arcs have been complexly deformed and dismembered by younger tectonic events. Twelve mineral resource assessment tracts were delineated to be permissive for the occurrence of porphyry copper deposits based on mapped and inferred subsurface distributions of igneous rocks of specific age ranges and compositions. These include (1) nine Paleozoic tracts in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, which range in area from about 60,000 to 800,000 square kilometers (km2); (2) a complex area of about 400,000 km2 on the northern margin of the Tethysides, the Qinling-Dabie tract, which spans central China and areas to the west, encompassing Paleozoic through Triassic igneous rocks that formed in diverse settings; and (3) assemblages of late Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks that define two other tracts in the Tethysides, the 100

Occurrence of Quaternary turbidite deposits in the central South China Sea: Response to global sea-level changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Zhang, X.; Christophe, C.; Peleo-Alampay, A.; Guballa, J. D. S.; Li, P.; Liu, C.

2016-12-01

Terrigenous turbidite layers frequently occur at the upper 150-m-thick sedimentary sequence of Hole U1431D (15º22.54'N, 117 º00.00'E, 4240.5 m water depth), International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 349, near the relict spreading ridge in the central South China Sea. This study implies visual statistics combined with grain size, clay mineralogy, and Nd-Sr isotope analyses to reconstruct the occurrence of these turbidite layers. The age-model of combined calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifers, and paleomagnetism suggests that the sedimentary sequence spans the entire Quaternary with an age of 2.6 Ma at the depth of 150 mcd below the seafloor. Our results show that the turbidite deposits are dominated by silt with sandy silt and silty clay, poorly sorted, and grading upward with erosion base. The occurrence of turbidite layers are highly frequent with about 3.06 layers per meter and an average thickness of 14.64 cm per layer above 96 mcd ( 1.6 Ma), while the lower part turbudite layers are less frequently developed with 1.16 layers per meter and an average thickness of 5.67 cm. Provenance analysis indicates that Taiwan, about 900 km northward to the studied site, is the major source for these terrigenous sediments, implying the long run-out turbidity current activity over the very low-gradient deep-sea plain of the South China Sea. The frequency of the turbidite layer occurrence is well correlated to the Quaternary global sea-level change history, with the high frequency occurred during the lower sea-level stands. Our study suggests that the glacial-interglacial-scale sea-level change has controlled terrigenous sediment input from Taiwan and the northern shelf of the South China Sea during the Quaternary. The increase of turbidite layer frequency since 1.6 Ma in the central South China Sea could be triggered by the enlarged amplitude of sea-level change.

Study of crustal structure and stretch mechanism of central continental shelf of northern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, J.; Xia, S.; Sun, J.; Wan, K.; Xu, H.

2017-12-01

Known as a significant region to study tectonic relationship between South China block and South China Sea (SCS) block and the evolution of rifted basin in continental margin, the continental shelf of northern SCS documents the evolution from continental splitting to seafloor spreading of SCS. To investigate crustal structure of central continental shelf in northern SCS, two wide-angle onshore-offshore seismic experiments and coincident multi-channel seismic (MCS) profiles were carried out across the onshore-offshore transitional zone in northern SCS, 2010 and 2012. A total of 34 stations consisted of ocean bottom seismometers, portable and permanent land stations were deployed during the survey. The two-dimensional precise crustal structure models of central continental shelf in northern SCS was constructed from onshore to offshore, and the stretching factors along the P-wave velocity models were calculated. The models reveal that South China block is a typical continental crust with a 30-32 km Moho depth, and a localized high-velocity anomaly in middle-lower crust under land area near Hong Kong was imaged, which may reflect magma underplating caused by subduction of paleo-Pacific plate in late Mesozoic. The littoral fault zone is composed of several parallel, high-angle, normal faults that mainly trend northeast to northeast-to-east and dip to the southeast with a large displacement, and the fault is divided into several segments separated by the northwest-trending faults. The shelf zone south of LFZ was consisted of a differential thinning upper and lower continental crust, which indicate stretch thinning of passive continent margin during the Cenozoic spreading of the SCS. The results appear to further confirm that the northern margin of SCS experienced a transition from active margin to passive one during late Mesozoic and Cenozoic.

High-resolution depositional records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the central continental shelf mud of the East China Sea.

PubMed

Guo, Zhigang; Lin, Tian; Zhang, Gan; Yang, Zuosheng; Fang, Ming

2006-09-01

A well-placed 210Pb-dated sediment core extracted from the distal mud in the central continental shelf of the East China Sea is used to reconstruct the high-resolution atmospheric depositional record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), believed to be transported mainly from China in the past 200 years due to the East Asian Monsoon. Total PAHs (TPAHs), based on the 16 USEPA priority PAHs, range from 27 in 1788 to 132 ng g(-1) in 2001. TPAH variation in the core reflects energy usage changes and follows closely the historical economic development in China. PAHs in the core are dominantly pyrogenic in source, i.e., they are mainly from the incomplete combustion of coal and biomass burning. Several individual PAHs suggest that contribution from incomplete petroleum combustion has increased during recent years. Analysis of the 2 + 3 ring and the 5 + 6 ring PAHs and principle component analysis provide more evidence in the change in the energy structure, especially after 1978 when China embarked on the "Reform and Open" Policy, indicating the transformation from an agricultural to an industrial economy of China. The historical profile of PAH distribution in the study area is obviously different from the United States and Europe due to their difference in energy structure and economic development stages.

Species delimitation and biogeography of two fir species (Abies) in central China: cytoplasmic DNA variation.

PubMed

Wang, J; Abbott, R J; Peng, Y L; Du, F K; Liu, J-Q

2011-10-01

It remains unclear how speciation history might contribute to species-specific variation and affect species delimitation. We examined concordance between cytoplasmic genetic variation and morphological taxonomy in two fir species, Abies chensiensis and A. fargesii, with overlapping distributions in central China. Range-wide genetic variation was investigated using mitochondrial (mt) and plastid (pt) DNA sequences, which contrast in their rates of gene flow. Four mtDNA haplotypes were recovered and showed no obvious species' bias in terms of relative frequency. In contrast, a high level of ptDNA variation was recorded in both species with 3 common ptDNA haplotypes shared between them and 21 rare ptDNA haplotypes specific to one or other species. We argue that the lack of concordance between morphological and molecular variation between the two fir species most likely reflects extensive ancestral polymorphism sharing for both forms of cytoplasmic DNA variation. It is feasible that a relatively fast mutation rate for ptDNA contributed to the production of many species-specific ptDNA haplotypes, which remained rare due to insufficient time passing for their spread and fixation in either species, despite high levels of intraspecific ptDNA gene flow. Our phylogeographic analyses further suggest that polymorphisms in both organelle genomes most likely originated during and following glacial intervals preceding the last glacial maximum, when species distributions became fragmented into several refugia and then expanded in range across central China.

Relationship between acne and psychological burden evaluated by ASLEC and HADS surveys in high school and college students from central China.

PubMed

Wen, Li; Jiang, Guangbin; Zhang, Xiaoming; Lai, Ruiping; Wen, Xiaoyi

2015-03-01

Previously, acne and its effects on psychological well-being have mostly been studied unilaterally in the western population. This study was aimed to investigate bidirectional relationship between acne and stress using Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check (ASLEC) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) surveys from inhabitants of central China. An on-line survey of 2,284 high school and college students from central China was conducted using three questionnaires posted on Chinese professional survey website, the Questionnaire Web. The prevalence and severity of acne were determined using the Pillsbury grading, whereas, the role of stress in acne formation was ascertained by the ASLEC scale. The HADS was employed to assess the psychological well-being. A total of 50.61 % of high school and college students in central China were found to be suffering from acne for more than 6 months, and 19.72 % of them were graded as having severe acne. Negative life events were found to accelerate the occurrence and exacerbation of the condition. Acne-affected groups showed significantly higher HADS-A (HADS-anxiety) and HADS-D (HADS-depression) scores than the controls (7.31 and 7.28 vs. 4.37 and 3.85, respectively; p < 0.01). Despite the apparent neglect of acne in Chinese high school and college students, a close bidirectional relationship was found to exist between stress and acne. It is incumbent on the healthcare professional to introduce school-based educational programs to help students with knowledge and management of acne and prevent the consequent psychological disorders.

Prevalence of overweight and central obesity and their relationship with blood pressure among college students in Shandong, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying-Xiu; Wang, Shu-Rong; Zhao, Jin-Shan; Chu, Zun-Hua

2016-08-01

BMI and waist circumference (WC) are the two most common anthropometric measurements for general obesity and central obesity. The present study examined the distributions of BMI and WC and their relationship with blood pressure (BP) among college students in Shandong, China. A total of 5838 college students (2915 men and 2923 women) aged 19-22 years participated in the study. Height, weight, WC, and BP of all participants were measured, and BMI and waist-to-height ratio were calculated. The BMI cutoffs recommended by the Working Group on Obesity in China were used to define underweight, normal weight, and overweight. Central obesity was defined as waist-to-height ratio of at least 0.5. High BP was defined as systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mmHg. All individuals were classified into four groups (Q1-Q4) according to the quartiles of BMI and WC, and the BP level, and the prevalence of high BP among the four groups was compared. The prevalences of overweight, central obesity, and high BP were 22.74, 7.85, and 8.79% for men and 8.42, 3.02, and 1.92% for women, respectively; these figures were all significantly higher in men than in women (P<0.01). In both men and women, overweight and central obesity are associated with elevated BP. College students with high BMI and high WC might have an increased risk of elevated BP. These findings emphasize the importance of the prevention of overweight and obesity to prevent future-related problems such as hypertension in young individuals.

Holocene temperature and hydrological changes reconstructed by bacterial 3-hydroxy fatty acids in a stalagmite from central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Canfa; Bendle, James A.; Zhang, Hongbin; Yang, Yi; Liu, Deng; Huang, Junhua; Cui, Jingwei; Xie, Shucheng

2018-07-01

To achieve a sufficient understanding of the spatial dynamics of terrestrial climate variability, new proxies and networks of data that cover thousands of years and run up to the present day are needed. Here we show the first Gram-negative bacterial 3-hydroxy fatty acid (3-OH-FA) based temperature and hydrological records from any paleoclimate archive globally. The data, covering the last 9 ka before present (BP), are generated from an individual stalagmite, collected from Heshang Cave, located on a tributary of the Yangtze River, central China (30°27‧N, 110°25‧E; 294 m). Our results indicate a clear early-to-middle Holocene Climatic Optimum (8.0-6.0 ka BP) followed by a long-term monotonic cooling and increasing variability over the last 0.9 ka BP. The hydrological record shows two relatively long wet periods (8.8-5.9 ka BP and 3.0-0 ka BP) and one relatively dry period (5.9-3.0 ka BP) in central China. We show that 3-OH-FA biomarkers hold promise as independent tools for paleoclimate reconstruction, with the potential to deconvolve temperature and hydrological signals from an individual stalagmite.

Screening of SOD1, FUS and TARDBP genes in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in central-southern China.

PubMed

Hou, Lihua; Jiao, Bin; Xiao, Tingting; Zhou, Lu; Zhou, Zhifan; Du, Juan; Yan, Xinxiang; Wang, Junling; Tang, Beisha; Shen, Lu

2016-09-08

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons of the brain, brainstem and spinal cord. To date, mutations in more than 30 genes have been linked to the pathogenesis of ALS. Among them, SOD1, FUS and TARDBP are ranked as the three most common genes associated with ALS. However, no mutation analysis has been reported in central-southern China. In this study, we sequenced SOD1, FUS and TARDBP in a central-southern Chinese cohort of 173 patients with ALS (15 familial ALS and 158 sporadic ALS) to detect mutations. As a result, five missense mutations in SOD1, namely, p.D101N, p.D101G, p.C111Y, p.N86S and p.V87A, were identified in three unrelated familial probands and three sporadic cases; two mutations in FUS were found in two unrelated familial probands, including an insertion mutation (p.P525_Y526insY) and a missense mutation (p.R521H); no variants of TARDBP were observed in patients. Therefore, SOD1 mutations were present in 20.0% of familial ALS patients and 1.9% of sporadic ALS patients, while FUS mutations were responsible for 13.3% of familial ALS cases, and TARDBP mutations were rare in either familial or sporadic ALS cases. This study broadens the known mutational spectrum in patients with ALS and further demonstrates the necessity for genetic screening in ALS patients from central-southern China.

Comparison of Patterns of Use of Unrecorded and Recorded Spirits: Survey of Adult Drinkers in Rural Central China.

PubMed

Wei, Shiqing; Yin, Ping; Newman, Ian M; Qian, Ling; Shell, Duane F; Yuen, Lok-Wa

2017-09-22

About 70% of the beverage alcohol consumed in China annually is spirits. Recorded spirits make up most spirit consumption, but about 25% of total alcohol consumption (1.7 L pure alcohol per capita annually) is unrecorded spirits (bai jiu), either homemade or made in unregulated distilleries. In some parts of China, the consumption of unrecorded spirits is higher than average. This paper compares the patterns of use of unrecorded distilled spirits and recorded distilled spirits among rural residents in Central China. Interviews were conducted with 3298 individuals in 21 towns/villages in 10 counties in the Hubei, Anhui, and Hebei provinces in the People's Republic of China. Unrecorded bai jiu drinkers chose it because of its taste and its low price. It was consumed mostly by older men, mostly at home with family, more regularly and at higher alcohol by volume (ABV) compared to recorded alcohol. Recorded bai jiu drinkers were more likely to drink away from their homes, consumed more bai jiu at memorable drinking occasions, and reported feeling sick after drinking more often than unrecorded bai jiu drinkers. This comparison of patterns of use of unrecorded bai jiu and recorded bai jiu does not suggest that unrecorded bai jiu is more problematic for drinkers.

Practices, perceptions, and implications of fertilizer use in East-Central China.

PubMed

Yang, Xiaoying; Fang, Shubo

2015-11-01

Face-to-face interviews (n = 553) were conducted in five counties in East-Central China to study farmers' fertilizer application behaviors, decision-making processes, attitudes towards adopting better fertilizer application technologies, and environmental consciousness. The survey results revealed widespread fertilizer misapplication and highly variable application behaviors in the study regions. The lack of scientific knowledge on fertilizers and the absence of guidance from agricultural extension services have forced the farmers to rely on personal judgment and advice from fertilizer dealers and friends to make decisions in fertilizer application. Overall, farmers have been idiosyncratic in fertilizer application with limited adoption of better fertilizer application technologies. There are great potentials for reducing pollutant load from agricultural runoff through promoting scientific fertilizer application in the regions. However, farmers' diverse preferences over agricultural extension programs necessitate an integrated approach emphasizing farmer involvement throughout the development of such programs for promoting better fertilizer application practices.

Hydrologic processes in China and their association with summer precipitation anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Pollard, D.; Barron, E. J.

2005-01-01

A climate version of MM5 is applied to study hydrologic processes in China and their association with precipitation anomalies in 1980 and 1985, which are two anomalous years with opposite signs of summer precipitation anomalies. The study reveals that anomalous atmospheric moisture transport due to synoptic scale circulation was primarily responsible for initiating the anomalous wet (dry) summer in south-central China and dry (wet) summer in northeastern China in 1980 (1985). The recycling ratio (defined as contribution of local evaporation to total precipitation) ranges from less than 4% in northwestern China to more than 30% in south-central China at 1000 km space scale. Higher (lower) values of recycling ratio correspond to drier (wetter) summers in south-central China and northeastern China. However, the opposite is true in northwestern China. The recycling ratio reflects feedback among hydrologic components over both land and atmosphere. In northwestern China, these feedbacks will further sustain drought events that are triggered by anomalous synoptic scale disturbances, and turn them into prolonged and possibly perpetual phenomenon. However, in south-central China and northeastern China, these feedbacks help reducing severity of drought. The large differences in recycling ratio between the dry and wet years of 1980 and 1985 are indicative of powerful feedback between hydrologic and climatic processes, and imply that surface-atmosphere interaction in China is highly sensitive to climatic perturbation.

Trace Element Accumulation and Tissue Distribution in the Purpleback Flying Squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis from the Central and Southern South China Sea.

PubMed

Wu, Yan Yan; Shen, Yu; Huang, Hui; Yang, Xian Qing; Zhao, Yong Qiang; Cen, Jian Wei; Qi, Bo

2017-01-01

Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis is a species of cephalopod that is becoming economically important in the South China Sea. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations were determined in the mantle, arms, and digestive gland of S. oualaniensis from 31 oceanographic survey stations in the central and southern South China Sea. Intraspecific and interspecific comparisons with previous studies were made. Mean concentrations of trace elements analyzed in arms and mantle were in the following orders: Zn > Cu > Cd > Cr > As > Hg. In digestive gland, the concentrations of Cd and Cu exceed that of Zn. All the Pb concentrations were under the detected limit.

Genetic Structure of Chinese Indigenous Goats and the Special Geographical Structure in the Southwest China as a Geographic Barrier Driving the Fragmentation of a Large Population

PubMed Central

Xu, Lingyang; Liu, Gang; Wang, Zhigang; Zhao, Fuping; Zhang, Li; Han, Xu; Du, Lixin; Liu, Chousheng

2014-01-01

Background China has numerous native domestic goat breeds, however, extensive studies are focused on the genetic diversity within the fewer breeds and limited regions, the population demograogic history and origin of Chinese goats are still unclear. The roles of geographical structure have not been analyzed in Chinese goat domestic process. In this study, the genetic relationships of Chinese indigenous goat populations were evaluated using 30 microsatellite markers. Methodology/Principal Findings Forty Chinese indigenous populations containing 2078 goats were sampled from different geographic regions of China. Moderate genetic diversity at the population level (HS of 0.644) and high population diversity at the species level (HT value of 0.737) were estimated. Significant moderate population differentiation was detected (FST value of 0.129). Significant excess homozygosity (FIS of 0.105) and recent population bottlenecks were detected in thirty-six populations. Neighbour-joining tree, principal components analysis and Bayesian clusters all revealed that Chinese goat populations could be subdivided into at least four genetic clusters: Southwest China, South China, Northwest China and East China. It was observed that the genetic diversity of Northern China goats was highest among these clusters. The results here suggested that the goat populations in Southwest China might be the earliest domestic goats in China. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggested that the current genetic structure of Chinese goats were resulted from the special geographical structure, especially in the Western China, and the Western goat populations had been separated by the geographic structure (Hengduan Mountains and Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River Line) into two clusters: the Southwest and Northwest. It also indicated that the current genetic structure was caused by the geographical origin mainly, in close accordance with the human’s migration history throughout China. This study

Multiple cooling episodes in the Central Tarim (Northwest China) revealed by apatite fission track analysis and vitrinite reflectance data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Jian; Qiu, Nansheng; Song, Xinying; Li, Huili

2016-06-01

Apatite fission track and vitrinite reflectance are integrated for the first time to study the cooling history in the Central Tarim, northwest China. The paleo-temperature profiles from vitrinite reflectance data of the Z1 and Z11 wells showed a linear relationship with depth, suggesting an approximately 24.8 °C/km paleo-geothermal gradient and 2700-3900 m of erosion during the Early Mesozoic. The measured apatite fission track ages from well Z2 in the Central Tarim range from 39 to 159 Ma and effectively record the Meso-Cenozoic cooling events that occurred in Central Tarim. Moreover, two cooling events at 190-140 Ma in the Early Jurassic-Early Cretaceous and 80-45 Ma in the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene revealed by measured AFT data and thermal modeling results are related to the collisions of the Qiangtang-Lhasa terranes and the Greater India Plate with the southern margin of the Eurasian Plate, respectively. This study provides new insights into the tectonic evolution of the Tarim Basin (and more broadly Central Asia) and for hydrocarbon generation and exploration in the Central Tarim.

Increasing heavy metals in the background atmosphere of central North China since the 1980s: Evidence from a 200-year lake sediment record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Dejun; Song, Lei; Yang, Jinsong; Jin, Zhangdong; Zhan, Changlin; Mao, Xin; Liu, Dongwei; Shao, Yue

2016-08-01

Long-term trends of atmospheric compositions are significant for assessing the influence of human activities on the atmosphere and protecting the atmospheric environment. In this study, based on heavy metal concentrations and Pb isotope ratios in a well-dated sediment core from a remote alpine lake in central North China, anthropogenic fluxes of As, Cd, Sb, and Pb were reconstructed and heavy metal evolutions in the atmosphere were revealed in the last 200 years. The heavy metals in the atmosphere were generally natural origins before 1980 A.D. Since the 1980s they began to increase gradually, but they increased the most in the 1990s resulting from rapid developments of rough and high energy-consuming industries in North China. After entering the 21st century the industries still developed rapidly, but the atmospheric Pb ceased increase and the As and Sb even decreased in the 2000s due to (1) phasing out of leaded gasoline and (2) implementing stricter industrial emission standards in 2000 A.D. in China. However, in the 2000s the atmospheric heavy metals still kept at a relatively high level and even likely began to increase again in the 2010s. Considering the lake relatively remote and seldom affected by local human activities, the results likely reflect heavy metal evolutions in the regional background atmosphere of central North China at the annual/decadal timescale in the last 200 years.

Molecular identification of Anisakis and Hysterothylacium larvae in marine fishes from the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan.

PubMed

Kong, Qingming; Fan, Lanfen; Zhang, Junhe; Akao, Nobuaki; Dong, Kewei; Lou, Di; Ding, Jianzu; Tong, Qunbo; Zheng, Bin; Chen, Rui; Ohta, Nobuo; Lu, Shaohong

2015-04-16

Anisakiasis is a human disease caused by the accidental ingestion of larvae belonging to the family Anisakidae. Three fish species, the small yellow croaker Pseudosciaena polyactis, the mackerel Pneumatophorus japonicus and the hairtail Trichiurus haumela are important source for food products in the East China Sea. The prevalence and the identification of Anisakidae larvae in these fishes will benefit the prevention and control of anisakiasis. In this study, fish samples were obtained from fish markers in the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan during April 2011 and July 2013. For species identification, the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the entire ITS region (ITS1, 5.8 S and ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was performed. In total, 2004 larvae were collected from 80 hairtail fish, 20 small yellow croaker, and 27 mackerel from the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan. High prevalence of Anisakidae larvae infection (116/122, 95.1%) was detected in the East China Sea. Seven species were identified belonging to the genera Anisakis (Nematoda: Anisakidae) and Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Anisakidae). Anisakis pegreffii was the predominant species accounting for 84.8% of all larvae examined in East China Sea, while all Anisakidae larvae isolated from Japan were identified as Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.). In the East China Sea, A. simplex s.s. and Anisakis typica were 0.6% (4/619) and 1.5% (9/619) of the identified nematodes, respectively. Interestingly, one larva was identified as a recombinant genotype of A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii. In addition, four species of the genus Hysterothylacium, namely, Hysterothylacium amoyense (31/619, 5.0%), Hysterothylacium aduncum (10/619, 1.6%), Hysterothylacium fabri (21/619, 3.4%) and Hysterothylacium spp. (18/619, 2.9%) were also identified in the present study. This is a comprehensive epidemiological dataset for the family Anisakidae in

Characteristics of the trace elements and arsenic, iodine and bromine species in snow in east-central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yunchuan; Yang, Chao; Ma, Jin; Yin, Meixue

2018-02-01

Fifty-five snow samples were collected from 11 cities in east-central China. These sampling sites cover the areas with the most snowfall in 2014, there were only two snowfalls from June 2013 to May 2014 in east-central China. Twenty-three trace elements in the filtered snow samples were measured with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis of the results show that the total concentrations of elements in the samples from different cities are in the order of SJZ > LZ > XA > ZZ > GD > NJ > QD > JX > WH > HZ > LA, which are closely related to the levels of AQI, PM2.5 and PM10 in these cities, and their correlation coefficients are 0.93, 0.76 and 0.93. The concentration of elements in snow samples is highly correlated with air pollution and reflects the magnitude of the local atmospheric deposition. The concentrations of Fe, Al, Zn, Ba, and P are over 10.0 μg/L, the concentrations of Mn, Cu, Pb, As, Br and I are between 1.0 μg/L to 10.0 μg/L, the concentrations of V, Cr, Co, Ni, Se, Mo, Cd and Sb are less than 1.0 μg/L in snow samples in east-central China, and Rh, Pd, Pt, Hg were not detected. Iodine and bromine species in all samples and arsenic species (As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethyl arsenic (MMA)) in some samples were separated and measured successfully by HPLC-ICP-MS. The majority of arsenic in the snow samples is inorganic arsenic, and the concentration of As(III) (0.104-1.400 μg/L) is higher than that of As(V) (0.012-0.180 μg/L), while methyl arsenicals, such as DMA and MMA, were almost not detected. The concentration of I- (Br-) is much higher than that of IO3- (BrO3-). The mean concentration of soluble organic iodine (SOI) (1.64 μg/L) is higher than that of I- (1.27 μg/L), however the concentration of Br- (5.58 μg/L) is higher than that of soluble organic bromine (SOBr) (2.90 μg/L). The data presented here shows that SOI is the most abundant species and the majority of the total bromine is

Molecular Evolution and Emergence of H5N6 Avian Influenza Virus in Central China.

PubMed

Du, Yingying; Chen, Mingyue; Yang, Jiayun; Jia, Yane; Han, Shufang; Holmes, Edward C; Cui, Jie

2017-06-15

H5N6 avian influenza virus (AIV) has posed a potential threat to public health since its emergence in China in 2013. To understand the evolution and emergence of H5N6 AIV in the avian population, we performed molecular surveillance of live poultry markets (LPMs) in Wugang Prefecture, Hunan Province, in central China, during 2014 and 2015. Wugang Prefecture is located on the Eastern Asian-Australian migratory bird flyway, and a human death due to an H5N6 virus was reported in the prefecture on 21 November 2016. In total, we sampled and sequenced the complete genomes of 175 H5N6 AIVs. Notably, our analysis revealed that H5N6 AIVs contain at least six genotypes arising from segment reassortment, including a rare variant that possesses an HA gene derived from H5N1 clade 2.3.2 and a novel NP gene that has its origins with H7N3 viruses. In addition, phylogenetic analysis revealed that genetically similar H5N6 AIVs tend to cluster according to their geographic regions of origin. These results help to reveal the evolutionary behavior of influenza viruses prior to their emergence in humans. IMPORTANCE The newly emerged H5N6 influenza A virus has caused more than 10 human deaths in China since 2013. In November 2016, a human death due to an H5N6 virus, in Wugang Prefecture, Hunan Province, was confirmed by the WHO. To better understand the evolution and emergence of H5N6 viruses, we surveyed live poultry markets (LPMs) in Wugang Prefecture before the reported human death, with a focus on revealing the diversity and genomic origins of H5N6 in birds during 2014 and 2015. In general, H5N6 viruses in this region were most closely related to H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4, with the exception of one virus with an HA gene derived from clade 2.3.2 such that it represents a novel reassortant. Clearly, the ongoing surveillance of LPMs is central to monitoring the emergence of pathogenic influenza viruses. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

[Altitudinal patterns of species richness and species range size of vascular plants in Xiaolong- shan Reserve of Qinling Mountain: a test of Rapoport' s rule].

PubMed

Zheng, Zhi; Gong, Da-Jie; Sun, Cheng-Xiang; Li, Xiao-Jun; Li, Wan-Jiang

2014-09-01

Altitudinal patterns of species richness and species range size and their underlying mechanisms have long been a key topic in biogeography and biodiversity research. Rapoport's rule stated that the species richness gradually declined with the increasing altitude, while the species ranges became larger. Using altitude-distribution database from Xiaolongshan Reverse, this study explored the altitudinal patterns of vascular plant species richness and species range in Qinling Xiaolongshan Reserve, and examined the relationships between species richness and their distributional middle points in altitudinal bands for different fauna, taxonomic units and growth forms and tested the Rapoport's rule by using Stevens' method, Pagel's method, mid-point method and cross-species method. The results showed that the species richness of vascular plants except small-range species showed a unimodal pattern along the altitude in Qinling Xiaolongshan Reserve and the highest proportion of small-range species was found at the lower altitudinal bands and at the higher altitudinal bands. Due to different assemblages and examining methods, the relationships between species distributing range sizes and the altitudes were different. Increasing taxonomic units was easier to support Rapoport's rule, which was related to niche differences that the different taxonomic units occupied. The mean species range size of angiosperms showed a unimodal pattern along the altitude, while those of the gymnosperms and pteridophytes were unclearly regular. The mean species range size of the climbers was wider with the increasing altitude, while that of the shrubs which could adapt to different environmental situations was not sensitive to the change of altitude. Pagel's method was easier to support the Rapoport's rule, and then was Steven's method. On the contrary, due to the mid-domain effect, the results of the test by using the mid-point method showed that the mean species range size varied in a unimodal

Male marriage squeeze and inter-provincial marriage in central China: evidence from Anhui

PubMed Central

Liu, Lige; Brown, Melissa J.; Feldman, Marcus W.

2015-01-01

Since the 1990s, inter-provincial female migration for marriage has become important in central and eastern rural China. Using survey data from X County in rural Anhui Province, we explore the arrangement of inter-provincial marriages, as well as the characteristics of husbands and wives, marital satisfaction, and marital stability for these marriages. We find that inter-provincial marriage is an important option for local men to respond to the marriage squeeze and the increasing expense of marriage. It helps to relieve the shortage of marriageable women in the local marriage market. Because this kind of marriage is based on economic exchange, but not affection, it is often subject to a higher risk of marriage instability, and can lead to such illegal behaviors as marriage fraud and mercenary marriage. PMID:26594102

Male marriage squeeze and inter-provincial marriage in central China: evidence from Anhui.

PubMed

Liu, Lige; Jin, Xiaoyi; Brown, Melissa J; Feldman, Marcus W

Since the 1990s, inter-provincial female migration for marriage has become important in central and eastern rural China. Using survey data from X County in rural Anhui Province, we explore the arrangement of inter-provincial marriages, as well as the characteristics of husbands and wives, marital satisfaction, and marital stability for these marriages. We find that inter-provincial marriage is an important option for local men to respond to the marriage squeeze and the increasing expense of marriage. It helps to relieve the shortage of marriageable women in the local marriage market. Because this kind of marriage is based on economic exchange, but not affection, it is often subject to a higher risk of marriage instability, and can lead to such illegal behaviors as marriage fraud and mercenary marriage.

MOLECULAR CLONING, SEQUENCING, EXPRESSION AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF GIANT PANDA (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA) INTERFERON-GAMMA.

PubMed

Zhu, Hui; Wang, Wen-Xiu; Wang, Bao-Qin; Zhu, Xiao-Fu; Wu, Xu-Jin; Ma, Qing-Yi; Chen, De-Kun

2012-06-29

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an endangered species and indigenous to China. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is the only member of type □ IFN and is vital for the regulation of host adapted immunity and inflammatory response. Little is known aboutthe FN-γ gene and its roles in giant panda.In this study, IFN-γ gene of Qinling giant panda was amplified from total blood RNA by RT-CPR, cloned, sequenced and analysed. The open reading frame (ORF) of Qinling giant panda IFN-γ encodes 152 amino acidsand is highly similar to Sichuan giant panda with an identity of 99.3% in cDNA sequence. The IFN-γ cDNA sequence was ligated to the pET32a vector and transformed into E. coli BL21 competent cells. Expression of recombinant IFN-γ protein of Qinling giant panda in E. coli was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Biological activity assay indicated that the recombinant IFN-γ protein at the concentration of 4-10 µg/ml activated the giant panda peripheral blood lymphocytes,while at 12 µg/mlinhibited. the activation of the lymphocytes.These findings provide insights into the evolution of giant panda IFN-γ and information regarding amino acid residues essential for their biological activity.

Poor complementary feeding practices and high anaemia prevalence among infants and young children in rural central and western China.

PubMed

Hipgrave, D B; Fu, X; Zhou, H; Jin, Y; Wang, X; Chang, S; Scherpbier, R W; Wang, Y; Guo, S

2014-08-01

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) has not been documented in central and western China, where anaemia is prevalent. To support policy advocacy, we assessed IYCF and anaemia there using standardized methods. A community-based, cross-sectional survey of 2244 children aged 6-23 months in 26 counties of 12 provinces. Analysis of associations between haemoglobin concentration (HC), IYCF indicators and other variables using crude and multivariate techniques. Only 41.6% of those surveyed consumed a minimum acceptable diet. Fewer still-breastfeeding than non-breastfeeding children consumed the recommended minimum dietary diversity (51.7 versus 71.9%; P<0.001), meal frequency (57.7% v. 81.5%; P<0.001) or iron-rich food (63.3% v. 78.9%; P<0.001). Anaemia (51.3% overall) fell with age but was significantly associated with male sex, extreme poverty, minority ethnicity, breastfeeding and higher altitude. Dietary diversity, iron intake, growth monitoring and being left behind by out-migrating parents were protective against anaemia. A structural equation model demonstrated associations between IYCF, HC and other variables. Meal frequency, iron intake and altitude were directly and positively associated with HC; dietary diversity was indirectly associated. Health service uptake was not associated. Continued breastfeeding was directly associated with poor IYCF and indirectly with reduced HC, as were having a sibling and poor maternal education. Infant and young child anaemia is highly prevalent and IYCF is poor in rural central and western China. Continued breastfeeding and certain other variables indicate risk of poor IYCF and anaemia. Major policy commitment to reducing iron deficiency and improving IYCF is needed for China's rural poor.

Composition of Unrecorded Distilled Alcohol (bai jiu) Produced in Small Rural Factories in Central China.

PubMed

Newman, Ian; Qian, Ling; Tamrakar, Niran; Feng, Yonghua; Xu, Ganrong

2017-01-01

Unrecorded traditional distilled spirits (bai jiu, ) are made and used throughout rural China for everyday use and special occasions. Nearly every town or village has a distiller to supply the demand. In rural China, distilling bai jiu is legal and regulated lightly or not at all. The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 25% of all alcohol consumed in China is unrecorded alcohol, of which an unknown portion is unrecorded bai jiu. Little is known about the composition of unrecorded Chinese spirits from rural parts of the country. This study focused on white spirits because the high ethanol (EtOH) concentration makes them more likely to contribute to health risks compared to other types of lower alcohol by volume (ABV) Chinese unrecorded alcohol. Researchers purchased samples of Chinese white spirits from small-factory distillers in central China. An independent laboratory conducted the analysis. Alcohol strength (ABV) was determined by hydrometer. Gas chromatography was used to determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds: EtOH, methanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and higher alcohols. Samples were tested for 3 heavy metals-arsenic, cadmium, and lead. We used the guidelines developed by the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance (AMPHORA) of the European Commission to assess risk. ABV ranged from 35.7 to 61.4%, and 58 of the 61 samples exceeded 40% ABV. The concentration of methanol, ethyl acetate, lead, arsenic, and cadmium was below AMPHORA guideline. The sum of higher alcohols exceeded the AMPHORA maximum in just 1 sample. Forty of the 61 samples had acetaldehyde levels beyond the AMPHORA guideline. The unrecorded Chinese alcohols we analyzed had a high EtOH concentration-a public health concern that is also presented by recorded alcohols. The high percentage of samples (65.5%) that had elevated acetaldehyde suggests the need to investigate the causes for this result and the need for steps to reduce acetaldehyde levels

Thermal and exhumation history of the central Tianshan (NW China): Constraints by U-Pb geochronology and Ar-Ar and (U-Th)/He thermochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, J.; Chen, W.; Hodges, K. V.; Xiao, W.; Van Soest, M. C.; Cai, K.; Zhang, B.; Mercer, C. M.; Yuan, C.

2015-12-01

Geochronology and thermochronology using multiple mineral-isotopic chronometers reveals the thermo-tectonic history of the central Tianshan (NW China) from emplacement to exhumation. Granites from the central Tianshan, which are associated with the southward subduction of the northern Tianshan Ocean, have been dated at 362-354 Ma using the LA-ICP-MS Zircon U-Pb method. A younger diorite sample (282 ± 1 Ma, Zircon U-Pb method by LA-ICP-MS) from northern Tianshan formed during the final closure of the Northern Tianshan Ocean when the Junggar Block collided with the Yili-Central Tianshan Block. 40Ar/39Ar step-wise heating plateau dates (biotite Ar/Ar: 312-293 Ma; Plagioclase Ar/Ar: 270-229 Ma) from the Central Tianshan show rapid post-magmatic cooling during the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian followed by a more modest rate of cooling from the middle Permian to the middle Jurassic. The northern Tianshan diorite (biotite Ar/Ar: 240 ± 1 Ma) also reveals a middle Jurassic cooling. Apatite (U-Th )/He dates from the central Tianshan samples range from ca. 130 Ma to ca. 116 Ma. The Apatite (U-Th )/He date for the northern Tianshan sample is ca. 27 Ma. Previous studies also reported Apatite (U-Th)/He ages of ca. 44 Ma-11 Ma in the Baluntai area of the southern Central Tianshan[1]. Two episodes of cooling are distinguished by thermal history modelling: (1) Mesozoic cooling occurred as the result of the exhumation and tectonic reactivation of the central Tianshan; and (2) The Tianshan orogenic belt has been rapidly exhumed since the Middle Cenozoic. References [1] Lü, H.H., Chang, Y., Wang, W., Zhou, Z.Y., 2013. Rapid exhumation of the Tianshan Mountains since the early Miocene: Evidence from combined apatite fission track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology. Science China: Earth Sciences, 43(12): 1964-1974 (in Chinese).

Historical anthropogenic contributions to mercury accumulation recorded by a peat core from Dajiuhu montane mire, central China.

PubMed

Li, Yuanping; Ma, Chunmei; Zhu, Cheng; Huang, Run; Zheng, Chaogui

2016-09-01

Mercury (Hg) accumulation records spanning the last 16,000 years before present (yr BP, relative to AD 1950) were derived from a peat core collected from Dajiuhu mire, central China. The natural Hg concentration and accumulation rate (free from anthropogenic influence) were 135.5 ± 53.9 ng g(-1) and 6.5 ± 4.5 μg m(-2) yr(-1), respectively. The increase in Hg flux that started from a core depth of 96.5 cm (3358 cal yr BP) is independent of soil erosion and organic matter content. We attribute this to an increase in atmospheric Hg deposition derived from regional anthropogenic activities. Anthropogenic Hg accumulation rates (Hg-ARA) in the pre-industrial period peaked during the Ming and the early Qing dynasties (582-100 cal yr BP), with Hg-ARA of 9.9-24.6 and 10.7-24.4 μg m(-2) yr(-1), respectively. In the industrial interval (post∼1850 AD), Hg-ARA increased progressively and reached 32.7 μg m(-2) yr(-1) at the top of the core. Our results indicate the existence of regional atmospheric Hg pollution spanning the past ∼3400 years, and place recent Hg enrichment in central China in a broader historical context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in "hotter and wetter" events across China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.; Deng, H.; Lu, Y.; Qiu, X.; Wang, D.

2017-12-01

As global warming intensifies, efforts to understand the changes in extreme climate events have increased in recent years. A combined analysis of the changes in extreme temperature and precipitation events is presented in this paper. Using observational data from 1961 to 2015, a set of hotter and wetter (HW) events is defined, and we examine the changes in these events across China. The results show that more HW events occur in Central and Eastern China than in other subregions, especially in South China (SC). The rate of increase in HW events is 2.7 and 1.9 per decade in SC and East China (EC), respectively. In China, most HW events occurred in the last 20 years of the study period, indicating that China entered a period of high-frequency HW events. Indeed, the range in anomalies in the torrential rain days is greater than that of the high-temperature days in Northwest China (NWC), Central China (CC), and EC after the mid- to late 1990s. The opposite pattern is found in Northeast China (NEC), Southwest China-region 1 (SWC1), Southwest China-region 2 (SWC2), and SC. Finally, the increase in HW events in most regions of China is closely associated with warming.

Evaluation of Rural Primary Health Care in Western China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Wang, Manli; Fang, Haiqing; Bishwajit, Ghose; Xiang, Yuanxi; Fu, Hang; Feng, Zhanchun

2015-10-29

China's Ministry of Health has enacted Rural Primary Health Care Program (2001-2010) (HCP) guidelines to improve the quality of people's health. However, the program's success in Western China remains unevaluated. Thus, this study aims to begin to fill that gap by analyzing the provision and utilization of Rural Primary Health Care (RPHC) in Western China. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect secondary data on the socio-economic characteristics, system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC, and the residents' health status of the sampled areas. Four hundred counties from 31 provinces in China were selected via stratified random sampling, including 171 counties from 12 Western provinces. Twenty-seven analysis indicators, covering system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC were chosen to assess Western China's primary health quality. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) methods were used to measure the RPHC disparities between Western and Eastern and Central China. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to rank Western, Eastern and Central internal provinces regarding quality of their RPHC. Of the 27 indicators, 13 (48.15%) were below the standard in Western China. These focused on rural health service system construction, Chinese medicine services, and public health. In the comparison between Western, Central and Eastern China, 12 indicators had statistical significance (p < 0.05), and using LSD to compare between Western and Eastern China, all indicators were statistically significant (p < 0.05), demonstrating regional disparities. Xinjiang Province's RPHC ranked highest overall, and Yunnan Province ranked the lowest, indicating the internal differences within the 12 Western provinces; and Western provinces' Ci value was lower than that of Eastern and Central China overall. Western China's RPHC has proceeded well, but remains weaker than that of

The China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective heart failure study design

PubMed Central

Yu, Yuan; Zhang, Hongzhao; Li, Xi; Lu, Yuan; Masoudi, Frederick A; Li, Jing

2018-01-01

Introduction Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalisation in China, which is experiencing a rapid increase in cardiovascular disease prevalence. Yet, little is known about current burden of disease, quality of care and treatment outcomes of HF in China. The objective of this paper is to describe the study methodology, data collection and abstraction, and progress to date of the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events 5 Retrospective Heart Failure Study (China PEACE 5r-HF). Methods and analysis The China PEACE 5r-HF Study will examine a nationally representative sample of more than 10 000 patient records hospitalised for HF in 2015 in China. The study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients have been selected using a two-stage sampling design stratified by economic–geographical regions. We will collect patient characteristics, diagnostic testing, treatments and in-hospital outcomes, including death and complications, and charges of hospitalisation. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating centre and will address case ascertainment, data abstraction and data management. As of October 2017, we have sampled 15 538 medical records from 189 hospitals, and have received 15 057 (96.9%) of these for data collection, and completed data abstraction and quality control on 7971. Ethics and dissemination The Central Ethics Committee at the Chinese National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases approved the study. All collaborating hospitals accepted central ethics committee approval with the exception of 15 hospitals, which obtained local approval by internal ethics committees. Findings will be disseminated in future peer-reviewed papers and will serve as a foundation for improving the care for HF in China. Trial registration number NCT02877914. PMID:29748344

The China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective heart failure study design.

PubMed

Yu, Yuan; Zhang, Hongzhao; Li, Xi; Lu, Yuan; Masoudi, Frederick A; Krumholz, Harlan M; Li, Jing

2018-05-10

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalisation in China, which is experiencing a rapid increase in cardiovascular disease prevalence. Yet, little is known about current burden of disease, quality of care and treatment outcomes of HF in China. The objective of this paper is to describe the study methodology, data collection and abstraction, and progress to date of the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events 5 Retrospective Heart Failure Study (China PEACE 5r-HF). The China PEACE 5r-HF Study will examine a nationally representative sample of more than 10 000 patient records hospitalised for HF in 2015 in China. The study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients have been selected using a two-stage sampling design stratified by economic-geographical regions. We will collect patient characteristics, diagnostic testing, treatments and in-hospital outcomes, including death and complications, and charges of hospitalisation. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating centre and will address case ascertainment, data abstraction and data management. As of October 2017, we have sampled 15 538 medical records from 189 hospitals, and have received 15 057 (96.9%) of these for data collection, and completed data abstraction and quality control on 7971. The Central Ethics Committee at the Chinese National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases approved the study. All collaborating hospitals accepted central ethics committee approval with the exception of 15 hospitals, which obtained local approval by internal ethics committees. Findings will be disseminated in future peer-reviewed papers and will serve as a foundation for improving the care for HF in China. NCT02877914. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Melting of subducted continental crust: Geochemical evidence from Mesozoic granitoids in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt, east-central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zi-Fu; Liu, Zhi-Bin; Chen, Qi

2017-09-01

Syn-collisional and postcollisional granitoids are common in collisional orogens, and they were primarily produced by partial melting of subducted continental crust. This is exemplified by Mesozoic granitoids from the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt in east-central China. These granitoids were emplaced in small volumes in the Late Triassic (200-206 Ma) and the Late Jurassic (146-167 Ma) but massively in the Early Cretaceous (111-143 Ma). Nevertheless, all of them exhibit arc-like trace element distribution patterns and are enriched in Sr-Nd-Hf isotope compositions, indicating their origination from the ancient continental crust. They commonly contain relict zircons with Neoproterozoic and Triassic U-Pb ages, respectively, consistent with the protolith and metamorphic ages for ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metaigneous rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Some granitoids show low zircon δ18O values, and SIMS in-situ O isotope analysis reveals that the relict zircons with Neoproterozoic and Triassic U-Pb ages also commonly exhibit low δ18O values. Neoproterozoic U-Pb ages and low δ18O values are the two diagnostic features that distinguish the subducted South China Block from the obducted North China Block. Thus, the magma source of these Mesozoic granitoids has a genetic link to the subducted continental crust of the South China Block. On the other hand, these granitoids contain relict zircons with Paleoproterozoic and Archean U-Pb ages, which are present in both the South and North China Blocks. Taken together, the Mesozoic granitoids in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt and its hanging wall have their magma sources that are predominated by the continental crust of the South China Block with minor contributions from the continental crust of the North China Block. The Triassic continental collision between the South and North China Blocks brought the continental crust into the thickened orogen, where they underwent the three episodes of partial melting in the Late Triassic, Late

Integrated rice-duck farming decreases global warming potential and increases net ecosystem economic budget in central China.

PubMed

Sheng, Feng; Cao, Cou-Gui; Li, Cheng-Fang

2018-05-31

Over the past decades, many attempts have been made to assess the effects of integrated rice-duck farming on greenhouse gas emissions, use efficient of energy, soil fertility, and economic significance. However, very few studies have been focused on the effects of the farming on net ecosystem economic budget (NEEB). Here, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to comprehensively investigate the effects of ducks raised in paddy fields on CH 4 and N 2 O emissions, global warming potential (GWP), rice grain yield, and NEEB in central China. The experiment included two treatments: integrated rice-duck farming (RD) and conventional rice farming (R). The introduction of ducks into the paddy fields markedly increased the rice grain yield due to enhanced tiller number and root bleeding rate. RD treatment significantly elevated the N 2 O emissions (p < 0.05) but decreased CH 4 emissions (p < 0.05) during rice growing seasons compared with R treatment. Analysis of GWP based on CH 4 and N 2 O emissions showed that compared with R treatment, RD treatment significantly decreased the GWP by 28.1 and 28.0% and reduced the greenhouse gas intensity by 30.6 and 29.8% in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In addition, RD treatment increased NEEB by 40.8 and 39.7% respectively in 2009 and 2010 relative to R treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that the integrated rice-duck farming system is an effective strategy to optimize the economic and environmental benefits of paddy fields in central China.

Breastfeeding rates in central and western China in 2010: implications for child and population health.

PubMed

Guo, Sufang; Fu, Xulan; Scherpbier, Robert W; Wang, Yan; Zhou, Hong; Wang, Xiaoli; Hipgrave, David B

2013-05-01

To describe breastfeeding practices in rural China using globally recommended indicators and to compare them with practices in neighbouring countries and large emerging economies. A community-based, cross-sectional survey of 2354 children younger than 2 years in 26 poor, rural counties in 12 central and western provinces was conducted. Associations between indicators of infant and young child feeding and socioeconomic, demographic and health service variables were explored and rates were compared with the most recent data from China and other nations. Overall, 98.3% of infants had been breastfed. However, only 59.4% had initiated breastfeeding early (i.e. within 1 hour of birth); only 55.5% and 9.4% had continued breastfeeding for 1 and 2 years, respectively, and only 28.7% of infants younger than 6 months had been exclusively breastfed. Early initiation of breastfeeding was positively associated with at least five antenatal clinic visits (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 3.48; P < 0.001) and negatively associated with delivery by Caesarean (aOR: 0.53; P < 0.001) or in a referral-level facility (aOR: 0.6; P = 0.014). Exclusive breastfeeding among children younger than 6 months was positively associated with delivery in a referral-level facility (aOR: 2.22; P < 0.05). Breastfeeding was not associated with maternal age or education, ethnicity or household wealth. Surveyed rates of exclusive and continued breastfeeding were mostly lower than in other nations. Despite efforts to promote breastfeeding in China, rates are very low. A commitment to improve infant and young child feeding is needed to reduce mortality and morbidity.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in South-Central China.

PubMed

Wang, Wanpeng; Zhou, Yalan; Zeng, Jun; Shi, Meng; Chen, Baihua

2017-09-01

Ocular trauma is a major cause of visual loss, but little is known about its epidemiology and clinical characteristics in China. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of ocular trauma and assess prognostic factors in Changsha, Hunan, located in South-Central China. A retrospective case series (ICD codes: S05) study of ocular trauma in patients was performed at the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014. Demographic information, injury causes, ocular trauma types and initial and final visual acuity (VA) were recorded and analysed. The ocular trauma score (OTS) was calculated to assess the extent of the eye injury, prognosis and factors associated with visual impairment. All patient data were collected from the medical records system. Of the 2009 patients presenting during this 5-year period, 1695 (84.4%) were males and 314 (15.6%) were females. The average age of all patients was 37.0 ± 19.3 years (range from 1 to 87 years). The age distribution showed a peak in the ocular trauma population in the 41- to 50-year age group (24%, n = 482), followed by the 51- to 60-year age group (16.9%, n = 339). Overall, open-globe injuries had a higher frequency (70.7%, n = 1420) than closed-globe injuries (28.6%, n = 575) and thermal/chemical injuries (0.7%, n = 14). Of the open-globe injuries, corneal penetration was the most common injury (32.2%, n = 646) followed by rupture (21.5%, n = 432) and an intraocular foreign body (16.2%, n = 325). Overall, the most frequent ocular trauma setting was the workplace (39.6%, n = 795), followed by the home (28.4%, n = 570), and the most frequent activity was ironwork. Firecracker- and firework-associated ocular trauma was significantly higher during the months of January and February than during other months (50.0%, n = 112, p < 0.001). In patients under 18 years, the most frequently occurring injury was open globe

Molecular epidemiology of hydropericardium syndrome outbreak-associated serotype 4 fowl adenovirus isolates in central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Teng; Jin, Qianyue; Ding, Peiyang; Wang, Yinbiao; Chai, Yongxiao; Li, Yafei; Liu, Xiao; Luo, Jun; Zhang, Gaiping

2016-11-18

In several parts of China, there have been a large number of hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) outbreaks caused by serotype 4 fowl adenovirus (FAdV-4) in broiler chickens since 2015. These outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains were distinct from previous circulating strains which did not lead to severe HPS outbreaks. To better understand the molecular epidemiology of the currently circulating FAdV strains for effective diagnosis and treatment of HPS, we isolated 12 HPS outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains from different regions in central China and investigated their molecular characteristics by performing phylogenetic analyses based on the hexon genes. Our results indicated the FAdV-4 strains in this study all belonged to serotype FAdV-4, species FAdV-C. And in comparison with ON1, KR5, MX-SHP95, PK-01, PJ-06 strains within the cluster where outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains were located, the nucleotide sequence divergence were 1.31, 1.10, 1.42, 2.77 and 2.84%, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the hexon genes of the 12 outbreak-associated strains clustered to a relatively independent branch of the tree, and evolved from the same ancestor and we suggested that these outbreak-associated FAdV-4 strains originate from earlier strains in India.

Seismic crustal structure of the North China Craton and surrounding area: Synthesis and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, B.; Thybo, H.; Artemieva, I. M.

2017-07-01

We present a new digital model (NCcrust) of the seismic crustal structure of the Neoarchean North China Craton (NCC) and its surrounding Paleozoic-Mesozoic orogenic belts (30°-45°N, 100°-130°E). All available seismic profiles, complemented by receiver function interpretations of crustal thickness, are used to constrain a new comprehensive crustal model NCcrust. The model, presented on a 0.25° × 0.25°grid, includes the Moho depth and the internal structure (thickness and velocity) of the crust specified for four layers (the sedimentary cover, upper, middle, and lower crust) and the Pn velocity in the uppermost mantle. The crust is thin (30-32 km) in the east, while the Moho depth in the western part of the NCC is 38-44 km. The Moho depth of the Sulu-Dabie-Qinling-Qilian orogenic belt ranges from 31 km to 51 km, with a general westward increase in crustal thickness. The sedimentary cover is 2-5 km thick in most of the region, and typical thicknesses of the upper crust, middle crust, and lower crust are 16-24 km, 6-24 km, and 0-6 km, respectively. We document a general trend of westward increase in the thickness of all crustal layers of the crystalline basement and as a consequence, the depth of the Moho. There is no systematic regional pattern in the average crustal Vp velocity and the Pn velocity. We examine correlation between the Moho depth and topography for seven tectonic provinces in the North China Craton and speculate on mechanisms of isostatic compensation.

Handedness in Nature: First Evidence on Manual Laterality on Bimanual Coordinated Tube Task in Wild Primates

PubMed Central

Zhao, Dapeng; Hopkins, William D.; Li, Baoguo

2012-01-01

Handedness is a defining feature of human manual skill and understanding the origin of manual specialization remains a central topic of inquiry in anthropology and other sciences. In this study, we examined hand preference in a sample of wild primates on a task that requires bimanual coordinated actions (tube task) that has been widely used in captive primates. The Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an arboreal Old World monkey species that is endemic to China, and 24 adult individuals from the Qinling Mountains of China were included for the analysis of hand preference in the tube task. All subjects showed strong individual hand preferences and significant group-level left-handedness was found. There were no significant differences between males and females for either direction or strength of hand preference. Strength of hand preferences of adults was significantly greater than juveniles. Use of the index finger to extract the food was the dominant extractive-act. Our findings represent the first evidence of population-level left-handedness in wild Old World monkeys, and broaden our knowledge on evaluating primate hand preference via experimental manipulation in natural conditions. PMID:22410843

Sapphirine-bearing granulites from the Tongbai orogen, China: Petrology, phase equilibria, zircon U-Pb geochronology and implications for Paleozoic ultrahigh temperature metamorphism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Hua; Zhong, Zeng-Qiu; Li, Ye; Qi, Min; Zhou, Han-Wen; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Ze-Ming; Santosh, M.

2014-11-01

We report here for the first time the occurrence of sapphirine-bearing granulites within the Qinling Group of the Qinling-Tongbai orogen and provide robust evidence for extreme crustal metamorphism at ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) conditions. We document the UHT indicator of sapphirine and spinel in a mafic granulite consisting of orthopyroxene, biotite, plagioclase, amphibole and rutile/ilmenite. The ferromagnesian minerals in the sapphirine-bearing granulite have high XMg [Mg/(Mg + Fe)] (orthopyroxene XMg = 0.84-0.95; biotite XMg = 0.81; amphibole XMg = 0.87-0.96). The phase equilibria modeling demonstrates that the early spinel-bearing assemblage is stable at 923-950 °C and 6.7-8.9 kbar, and the peak assemblage of Opx + Pl + Spr/Spl + Amp + Bt + Ilm (+ melt) defines a field at 922-947 °C and 8.4-10.2 kbar. Rutiles have variable Zr concentrations but mostly cluster at ca. 1,500 and 3400 ppm. Zr-in-rutile geothermometry yielded high temperatures of up to 890-940 °C. Zircon U-Pb dating of the granulite constrains the timing of the immediate post-peak and retrograde metamorphic stages as 429 ± 7 Ma and 412 ± 4 Ma, respectively. The UHT metamorphism, together with extensive occurrence of coeval magmatic suites suggests that the Tongbai orogen experienced a Paleozoic Andean-type orogeny probably derived from mid-oceanic ridge subduction of the Qinling Ocean.

China’s Rise and Reconfiguration of Central Asia’s Geopolitics: A Case for U.S. Pivot to Eurasia

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

comprehensive security” organization that is a China alternative to U.S.-pro- moted “collective security” alliance structures.57 This is not to dismiss...diversifica- tion of its gas and cotton exports-dependent economy. Kyrgyzstan is by far the least authoritarian state in Central Asia and, in the long run, may...Authorities have also failed to resuscitate its relatively isolated economy overly dependent on aluminum and cotton exports and ev- er-expanding drug flows

[Regional specific differences in prevalence of overweight/obesity in China: findings from China Kadoorie Biobank study in 10 areas in China].

PubMed

Wang, Lixiang; Lyu, Jun; Guo, Yu; Bian, Zheng; Yu, Canqing; Zhou, Huiyan; Tan, Yunlong; Pei, Pei; Chen, Junshi; Chen, Zhengming; Li, Liming

2015-11-01

To describe gender and regional differences in the prevalence of overweight/obesity in adults found by China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study, involving 512 489 adults, in 10 areas in China. The baseline survey of CKB was conducted in 5 urban areas and 5 rural areas in China during 2004-2008. After excluding those with extreme value of BMI (<15.0 kg/m(2) or >50 kg/m(2)), 512 489 subjects were included in the analysis. Overweight/obesity was classified according to BMI and WC, and diagnosed according to the guideline for prevention and control of overweight/obesity in Chinese adults. The gender and regional specific distributions of overweight/obesity were compared after adjusting for age. The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher in females (45.3%) than in males (41.7%), and the prevalence of central obesity was also higher in females (44.6%) than in males (38.3%). Both the prevalence of overweight/obesity (66.9% in males and 67.5% in females) and the central obesity (63.3% in males and 64.9% in females) were highest in Qingdao. The area specific difference in the prevalence was more obvious in males than in females. Rural areas all had the low prevalence except Henan. Moreover, central obesity was diagnosed in some subjects (15.3% in females, 9.8% in males) with normal/low BMI (<24.0 kg/m(2)). This phenomenon was more obvious in Qingdao (22.2% in males and 23.2% in females). The prevalence of overweight/obesity in adults varied greatly across different areas in China.

Factors Affecting Regional Per-Capita Carbon Emissions in China Based on an LMDI Factor Decomposition Model

PubMed Central

Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

2013-01-01

China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model–panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity. PMID:24353753

Factors affecting regional per-capita carbon emissions in China based on an LMDI factor decomposition model.

PubMed

Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

2013-01-01

China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model-panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity.

The loess/paleosol record and the nature of the younger dryas climate in central China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madsen, D.B.; Jingzen, L.; Elston, R.G.; Cheng, X.; Bettinger, R.L.; Kan, G.; Jeff, Brantingham P.; Kan, Z.

1998-01-01

The use of latest Pleistocene-Holocene paleosols in defining Chinese climatic sequences is plagued by poor chronological controls caused primarily by the use of radiocarbon dates derived from bulk soil carbon. Dating of a post-glacial aeolian/paleosol sequence in the Pigeon Mountain basin of north-central China, using culturally deposited charcoal, support a wide array of other data suggesting the Younger Dryas was a period of cooler dryer conditions marked by wide-spread aeolian deposition. Periods of soil formation and higher lake levels bracket this climatic event. Climatic variability immediately before, during and immediately after the Younger Dryas interval is associated with rapid technological elaboration and innovation in the production and use of chipped stone tools, and perhaps, ground stone. ?? 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Three-dimensional circulation structures leading to heavy summer rainfall over central North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wei; Yu, Rucong; Li, Jian; Yuan, Weihua

2016-04-01

Using daily and hourly rain gauge records and Japanese 25 year reanalysis data over 30 years, this work reveals two major circulation structures leading to heavy summer rainfall events in central North China (CNC), and further analyzes the effects of the circulations on these rainfall events. One circulation structure has an extensive upper tropospheric warm anomaly (UTWA) covering North China (NC). By strengthening the upper anticyclonic anomaly and lower southerly flows around NC, the UTWA plays a positive role in forming upper level divergence and lower level moisture convergence. As a result, the warm anomalous circulation has a solid relationship with large-scale, long-duration rainfall events with a diurnal peak around midnight to early morning. The other circulation structure has an upper tropospheric cold anomaly (UTCA) located in the upper stream of NC. Contributed to by the UTCA, a cold trough appears in the upper stream of NC and an unstable configuration with upper (lower) cold (warm) anomalies forms around CNC. Consequently, CNC is covered by strong instability and high convective energy, and the cold anomalous circulation is closely connected with local, short-duration rainfall events concentrated from late afternoon to early nighttime. The close connections between circulation structures and typical rainfall events are confirmed by two independent converse analysis processes: from circulations to rainfall characteristics, and from typical rainfall events to circulations. The results presented in this work indicate that the upper tropospheric temperature has significant influences on heavy rainfall, and thus more attention should be paid to the upper tropospheric temperature in future analyses.

Psychosocial consequences for children experiencing parental loss due to HIV/AIDS in central China.

PubMed

Zhao, Guoxiang; Li, Xiaoming; Kaljee, Linda; Zhang, Liying; Fang, Xiaoyi; Zhao, Junfeng; Lin, Danhua; Lin, Xiuyun; Stanton, Bonita

2009-06-01

Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 47 children (ages 8-17 years) experiencing the loss of one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS in two rural counties of central China. Findings in this study reveal that the families of the children orphaned by AIDS had experienced financial burdens because of treatment costs for sick parents and loss of labor in the household. The majority of the participants reported some level of stigmatization because of their parents' HIV status. The participants described feelings of sadness, fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, low self-esteem, social withdrawal, and sleep problems. Implications for intervention programs include the need for psychological support and special counseling services, more public education with accurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS to decrease stigma and discrimination, and financial programs to decrease economic and caregiving burdens for these children.

Factors affecting turnover intentions among public hospital doctors in a middle-level city in central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Fengfan; Luo, Zhenni; Chen, Ting; Min, Rui; Fang, Pengqian

2017-05-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to explore prominent factors affecting turnover intentions among public hospital doctors in urban areas, particularly in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, a middle-level city in central China. Methods Questionnaires were used to collect data from 284 public hospital doctors. Pearson's Chi-squared was used to assess whether sociodemographic and other factors were related to the turnover intentions of public hospital doctors. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine the significant factors that influence turnover intentions. Results The analysis revealed that 28.2% of public hospital doctors intended to leave the hospital where they were currently employed. Dissatisfaction with working conditions and hospital management processes, as well as work pressures, were significant factors contributing to the turnover intentions of public hospital doctors. Conclusion Research into turnover intentions indicates that public hospital doctors surveyed in urban China give greater weight to their professional environment and career development rather than salary in their employment decisions. What is known about the topic? Turnover of medical staff is a concern to hospital administrators because it is costly and detrimental to organisational performance and quality of care. Most studies have focused on the effects of individual and organisational factors on nurses' intentions to leave their employment. Income dissatisfaction was one of the determining factors of turnover intentions in previous studies. What does this paper add? The satisfaction of public hospital doctors with regard to income is not a determining factor of turnover intentions. In contrast with findings of previous studies, the doctors in public hospitals in urban China in the present study gave greater weight to their professional environment and career development in their employment decisions. What are the implications for practitioners? The findings suggest

Cloud removing method for daily snow mapping over Central Asia and Xinjiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xiaoqi; Qiu, Yubao; Guo, Huadong; Chen, Lijuan

2017-02-01

Central Asia and Xinjiang, China are conjunct areas, located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, where the snowfall is an important water resource supplement form. The induced seasonal snow cover is vita factors to the regional energy and water balance, remote sensing plays a key role in the snow mapping filed, while the daily remote sensing products are normally contaminated by the occurrence of cloud, that obviously obstacles the utility of snow cover parameters. In this paper, based on the daily snow product from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS A1), a cloud removing method was developed by considering the regional snow distribution characteristics with latitude and altitude dependence respectively. In the end, the daily cloud free products was compared with the same period of eight days MODIS standard product, revealing that the cloud free snow products are reasonable, while could provide higher temporal resolution, and more details over Center Asia and Xinjiang Province.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of voluntary HIV counselling and testing among rural migrants in central China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhang, Tiejun; Zhang, Jinling; Gao, Meiyang; He, Na; Detels, Roger

2012-04-01

To document knowledge, attitudes and practices of voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT) among rural migrants in central China. A cross-sectional study with face-to-face anonymous questionnaire interviews was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Among 1280 participants, 87.9% reported having had sexual intercourse during their lifetime, with 69% of singles reporting having had sexual intercourse and 49.1% having had sex in the past month. Only 21% always used condoms, 84.4% knew HIV infection was diagnosed through blood testing, 56.6% had heard of VCT, but only 3.8% perceived their own risk for HIV infection. Only 43 (2.3%) had ever been tested for HIV, and none had ever been tested at a VCT site. About two-thirds (64.5%) would be willing to use VCT services upon awareness of HIV risk. A logistic regression model showed that females, those having little knowledge of HIV/AIDS, those unwilling to work with HIV-infected individuals, never having been tested for HIV and having low awareness regarding HIV risk were less willing to use VCT. The results of this study indicated that much greater efforts are needed to improve HIV/AIDS and VCT knowledge, to promote safer sex and to improve VCT acceptance among rural migrants in central China, particularly those engaging in risky behaviours.

Evaluation of biometry and corneal astigmatism in cataract surgery patients from Central China.

PubMed

Yu, Ji-Guo; Zhong, Jie; Mei, Zhong-Ming; Zhao, Fang; Tao, Na; Xiang, Yi

2017-04-26

To evaluate the distribution of biometric parameters and corneal astigmatism using the IOLMaster device before phacoemulsification in cataract patients in Central China. Consecutive cataract patients were recruited at the Central Hospital of Wuhan between January 2015 and June 2016. Ocular axial length (AL), keratometry values, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and horizontal corneal diameter (white to white [WTW]) of each cataract-affected eye were measured with the IOLMaster device. The study evaluated 3209 eyes of 2821 cataract patients. The mean AL, ACD, and WTW were 24.38 ± 2.47 mm, 3.15 ± 0.48 mm, and 11.63 ± 0.43 mm, respectively. Corneal astigmatism of 0.51-1.00 diopters (D) was the most common range of values (34.96%). A total of 10.56% patients exhibited a corneal astigmatism greater than 2.0 D. The flat and steep keratometry values gradually increased with age. The mean ACD and WTW showed increasing trends as the AL increased (P < 0.001). When the AL was shorter than 26.0 mm, the keratometry decreased as AL increased. The against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism proportion increased with age and the with-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism proportion decreased with age. The profile of ocular biometric data and corneal astigmatism may help ophthalmologists improve their surgical procedures and make an appropriate IOL choice to gain a high quality of postoperative vision.

Trend and Variability of China Precipitation in Spring and Summer: Linkage to Sea Surface Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Fanglin; Lau, K.-M.

2004-01-01

Observational records in the past 50 years show an upward trend of boreal-summer precipitation over central eastern China and a downward trend over northern China. During boreal spring, the trend is upward over southeastern China and downward over central eastern China. This study explores the forcing mechanism of these trends in association with the global sea-surface temperature (SST) variations on the interannual and inter-decadal timescales. Results based on Singular Value Decomposition analyses (SVD) show that the interannual variability of China precipitation in boreal spring and summer can be well defined by two centers of actions for each season, which are co-varying with two interannual modes of SSTs. The first SVD modes of precipitation in spring and summer, which are centered in southeastern China and northern China, respectively, are linked to an ENSO-like mode of SSTs. The second SVD modes of precipitation in both seasons are confined to central eastern China, and are primarily linked to SST variations over the warm pool and Indian Ocean. Features of the anomalous 850-hPa winds and 700-Wa geopotential height corresponding to these modes support a physical mechanism that explains the causal links between the modal variations of precipitation and SSTs. On the decadal and longer timescale, similar causal links are found between the same modes of precipitation and SSTs, except for the case of springtime precipitation over central eastern China. For this case, while the interannual mode of precipitation is positively correlated with the interannual variations of SSTs over the warm pool and Indian Ocean; the inter-decadal mode is negatively correlated with a different SST mode, the North Pacific mode. The later is responsible for the observed downward trend of springtime precipitation over central eastern China. For all other cases, both the interannual and inter-decadal variations of precipitation can be explained by the same mode of SSTs. The upward trend

Community response to construction noise in three central cities of Zhejiang province, China.

PubMed

Liu, Yong; Xia, Bo; Cui, Caiyun; Skitmore, Martin

2017-11-01

As a common source of environmental noise in China and many developing countries worldwide, construction work provokes many complaints and deterioration in acoustic climate quality. This paper describes research to obtain an improved understanding of people's community response to, and evaluation of, construction noise in three central cities of Zhejiang province, China. This involved carrying out a social survey using standard questionnaires developed by the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN). A dose-response relationship model is established using a quadratic polynomial regression analysis based on construction noise exposure measurements from 40 construction sites in Hangzhou, Ningbo and Wenzhou. The results of the study indicate that the majority of people have a negative attitude to construction noise; the noise ranges between 60 dB and 80 dB (compared with 50 dB-70 dB traffic noise in Tianjin), with the percentage of highly annoyed people affected increasing from 15%-20% to 30%-40% over the range. There also different levels of annoyance depending on the time of day, and the location and activities of those affected. Other cultural differences are also apparent both between Ningbo/Wenzhou and the more urbane citizens of Hangzhou, and the Chinese people and their more noise-tolerant EU and Vietnam counterparts. The findings of this study provide a new perspective for the study of construction noise that can help local governments have an improved understanding of how residents react to construction noise for the purpose of selecting construction noise-mitigation projects and introducing construction noise-control regulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicultural Ethnic Music Education in Communist China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Wenzhuo

2017-01-01

The Central Communist Party (CCP) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) describes China as a unified multinational country. National policies advocate cultural diversity in the educational system with particular emphasis on the notion that diverse ethnic minorities contribute to "zhonghua minzu"--a single united Chinese nationality.…

A Psychology Fulbright Year in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portnoy, Robert N.

2013-01-01

This article shares a series of personal observations and anecdotes about central issues in college mental health in China based on my Fulbright year there. There are many cultural and structural forces that both support and constrain the growth of the mental health field in China. This article addresses these forces in terms of their impact on…

Estimating PM2.5 in Xi'an , China Using Aerosol Optical Depth of Npp Viirs Data and Meteorological Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, K.; Yang, Z.; Zheng, J.; Jiao, J.; Gao, W.

2018-04-01

In recent years, the air pollution is becoming more and more serious, which not only causes the decrease of the visibility, but also affects the human health. As the most important pollutant particulate matter, remote sensing satellite measurements have been widely used to estimate PM2.5 concentration on the ground. Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is one of the instruments which is taken in the National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite. In this study, VIIRS was used to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) with the way of dark pixels, and several other major meteorological variables (wind speed, relative humidity, NO2 concentration, ground surface relative humidity and planetary boundary layer height) were combined with AOD to construct a nonlinear multiple regression mode for establishing the relationship between AOD and PM2.5 concentration. The North Basin of Shaanxi province of China, which includes Xi'an, is located in the north of Qinling Mountains, south of the Loess Plateau, and in the central of Weihe basin, with special structure and other adverse weather conditions (static wind, less rain) to cause the frequent haze weather in Xi'an. Xi'an city was selected as the area of the experiment due to its particularity. This research obtained the AOD results from August 1, 2013 to October 30, 2013. The inversion results were compared with ground-based PM2.5 concentration date from air quality monitoring station of Xi'an. The result showed that there is a significant correlation between the two, and the correlation coefficient is 0.783. The inversion result verified that the model of VIIRS data agreed well AOD, which could be used to estimate the surface PM2.5 concentration and monitor the regional air quality.

Wet and dry nitrogen deposition in the central Sichuan Basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, Fuhong; Liu, Xuejun; Zhu, Bo; Shen, Jianlin; Pan, Yuepeng; Su, Minmin; Goulding, Keith

2016-10-01

Reactive nitrogen (Nr) plays a key role in the atmospheric environment and its deposition has induced large negative impacts on ecosystem health and services. Five-year continuous in-situ monitoring of N deposition, including wet (total nitrogen (WTN), total dissolved nitrogen (WTDN), dissolved organic nitrogen (WDON), ammonium nitrogen (WAN) and nitrate nitrogen (WNN)) and dry (DNH3, DHNO3, DpNH4+, DpNO3- and DNO2) deposition, had been conducted since August 2008 to December 2013 (wet) and May 2011 to December 2013 (dry) in Yan-ting, China, a typical agricultural area in the central Sichuan Basin. Mean annual total N deposition from 2011 to 2013 was 30.8 kg N ha-1 yr-1, and speculated that of 2009 and 2010 was averaged 28.2 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Wet and dry N deposition accounted for 76.3% and 23.7% of annual N deposition, respectively. Reduced N (WAN, DNH3 and DpNH4+) was 1.7 times of oxidized N (WNN, DHNO3, DNO2 and DpNO3-) which accounted for 50.9% and 30.3% of TN, respectively. Maximum loadings of all N forms of wet deposition, gaseous NH3, HNO3 and particulate NH4+ in dry deposition occurred in summer and minimum loadings in winter. Whether monthly, seasonal or annual averaged, dissolved N accounted for more than 70% of the total. N deposition in the central Sichuan Basin increased during the sampling period, especially that of ammonium compounds, and has become a serious threat to local aquatic ecosystems, the surrounding forest and other natural or semi-natural ecosystems in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

[Regeneration characteristics of woody plant seedlings in typical secondary forests in Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Kang, Bing; Liu, Shi-Rong; Wang, De-Xiang; Zhang, Ying; Liu, Hong-Ru; Du, Yan-Ling

2011-12-01

By using sampling plot method, an investigation was conducted on the regeneration characteristics of woody plant seedlings in five kinds of typical secondary forests (Pinus tabulaeformis, Quercus valiena var. acuteserrata, Betula albo-sinensis, Picea asperata, and Pinus armandii) in Qinling Mountains. There was an obvious species differentiation of woody plant seedlings and saplings in the forests. Except for Q. valiena var. acuteserrata and P. armandii forests, the similarity coefficient of the seedlings and saplings species in the forests was lower. The seedlings and saplings quantity, species richness index, Simpson dominance index, and evenness index were higher in P. tabulaeformis and Q. valiena var. acuteserrata forests, the lowest in B. albo-sinensis forest, and basically the same in P. asperata and P. armandii forests. The percentages of the seedlings and saplings in the five forests had significant differences (P < 0.05). Except in B. albo-sinensis forest where the percentage of the saplings was higher, the percentage of the seedlings in the other stands was larger, and in the order of P. asperata forest > P. tabulaeformis forest > Q. valiena var. acuteserrata forest > P. armandii forest, respectively. The sprouting percentage of the seedlings in different forests had significant difference (P < 0.05), and was in the sequence of P. armandii forest > P. asperata forest > B. albo-sinensis forest > Q. valiena var. acuteserrata forest > P. tabulaeformis forest. In Q. valiena var. acuteserrata and P. tabulaeformis forests, the percentage of tree seedlings was the highest, occupying 68% and 51.4% of the total number of woody seedlings, respectively, and their communities were in the medium succession period, with a stronger persistent regeneration capability; in P. asperata and P. armandii forests, the percentage of tree seedlings was 40% and 15%, respectively, and their communities were in the late succession period, with a rather poor regeneration capability

Phylogeography of Pinus armandii and Its Relatives: Heterogeneous Contributions of Geography and Climate Changes to the Genetic Differentiation and Diversification of Chinese White Pines

PubMed Central

Liu, Liu; Hao, Zhen-Zhen; Liu, Yan-Yan; Wei, Xiao-Xin; Cun, Yu-Zhi; Wang, Xiao-Quan

2014-01-01

Geographic barriers and Quaternary climate changes are two major forces driving the evolution, speciation, and genetic structuring of extant organisms. In this study, we used Pinus armandii and eleven other Asian white pines (subsection Strobus, subgenus Pinus) to explore the influences of geographic factors and Pleistocene climatic oscillations on species in South China, a region known to be centers of plant endemism and biodiversity hotspots. Range-wide patterns of genetic variation were investigated using chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA markers, with extensive sampling throughout the entire range of P. armandii. Both cpDNA and mtDNA revealed that P. armandii exhibits high levels of genetic diversity and significant population differentiation. Three geographically distinct subdivisions corresponding to the Qinling-Daba Mountains (QDM), Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (HHM) and Yungui Plateau (YGP) were revealed in mainland China by cpDNA. Their break zone was located in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). A series of massive mountains, induced by the QTP uplift, imposed significant geographic barriers to genetic exchange. The disjunct distribution patterns of ancestral haplotypes suggest that a large continuous population of the white pines may have existed from southwest to subtropical China. Repeated range shifts in response to the Pleistocene glaciations led to the isolation and diversification of the subtropical species. The two Taiwanese white pines share a common ancestor with the species in mainland China and obtain their chloroplasts via long-distance pollen dispersal from North Asian pines. Distinct genetic patterns were detected in populations from the Qinling-Daba Mountains, Yungui Plateau, Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains, and subtropical China, indicating significant contributions of geographic factors to the genetic differentiation in white pines. Our study depicts a clear picture of the evolutionary history of Chinese white pines

Evaluation of Rural Primary Health Care in Western China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Manli; Fang, Haiqing; Bishwajit, Ghose; Xiang, Yuanxi; Fu, Hang; Feng, Zhanchun

2015-01-01

Purpose: China’s Ministry of Health has enacted Rural Primary Health Care Program (2001–2010) (HCP) guidelines to improve the quality of people’s health. However, the program’s success in Western China remains unevaluated. Thus, this study aims to begin to fill that gap by analyzing the provision and utilization of Rural Primary Health Care (RPHC) in Western China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect secondary data on the socio-economic characteristics, system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC, and the residents’ health status of the sampled areas. Four hundred counties from 31 provinces in China were selected via stratified random sampling, including 171 counties from 12 Western provinces. Twenty-seven analysis indicators, covering system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC were chosen to assess Western China’s primary health quality. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) methods were used to measure the RPHC disparities between Western and Eastern and Central China. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to rank Western, Eastern and Central internal provinces regarding quality of their RPHC. Results: Of the 27 indicators, 13 (48.15%) were below the standard in Western China. These focused on rural health service system construction, Chinese medicine services, and public health. In the comparison between Western, Central and Eastern China, 12 indicators had statistical significance (p < 0.05), and using LSD to compare between Western and Eastern China, all indicators were statistically significant (p < 0.05), demonstrating regional disparities. Xinjiang Province’s RPHC ranked highest overall, and Yunnan Province ranked the lowest, indicating the internal differences within the 12 Western provinces; and Western provinces’ Ci value was lower than that of Eastern and Central China overall. Conclusion: Western China�

Evolution, opportunity and challenges of transboundary water and energy problems in Central Asia.

PubMed

Guo, Lidan; Zhou, Haiwei; Xia, Ziqiang; Huang, Feng

2016-01-01

Central Asia is one of the regions that suffer the most prominent transboundary water and energy problems in the world. Effective transboundary water-energy resource management and cooperation are closely related with socioeconomic development and stability in the entire Central Asia. Similar to Central Asia, Northwest China has an arid climate and is experiencing a water shortage. It is now facing imbalanced supply-demand relations of water and energy resources. These issues in Northwest China and Central Asia pose severe challenges in the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy. Based on the analysis of water and energy distribution characteristics in Central Asia as well as demand characteristics of different countries, the complexity of local transboundary water problems was explored by reviewing corresponding historical problems of involved countries, correlated energy issues, and the evolution of inter-country water-energy cooperation. With references to experiences and lessons of five countries, contradictions, opportunities, challenges and strategies for transboundary water-energy cooperation between China and Central Asia were discussed under the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction based on current cooperation conditions.

Seasonal prediction of winter haze days in the north central North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Zhicong; Wang, Huijun

2016-11-01

Recently, the winter (December-February) haze pollution over the north central North China Plain (NCP) has become severe. By treating the year-to-year increment as the predictand, two new statistical schemes were established using the multiple linear regression (MLR) and the generalized additive model (GAM). By analyzing the associated increment of atmospheric circulation, seven leading predictors were selected to predict the upcoming winter haze days over the NCP (WHDNCP). After cross validation, the root mean square error and explained variance of the MLR (GAM) prediction model was 3.39 (3.38) and 53 % (54 %), respectively. For the final predicted WHDNCP, both of these models could capture the interannual and interdecadal trends and the extremums successfully. Independent prediction tests for 2014 and 2015 also confirmed the good predictive skill of the new schemes. The predicted bias of the MLR (GAM) prediction model in 2014 and 2015 was 0.09 (-0.07) and -3.33 (-1.01), respectively. Compared to the MLR model, the GAM model had a higher predictive skill in reproducing the rapid and continuous increase of WHDNCP after 2010.

Atmospheric dry and wet nitrogen deposition on three contrasting land use types of an agricultural catchment in subtropical central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Jianlin; Li, Yong; Liu, Xuejun; Luo, Xiaosheng; Tang, Hong; Zhang, Yangzhu; Wu, Jinshui

2013-03-01

Atmospheric emissions of reactive nitrogen (N) species are at high levels in China in recent years, but few studies have employed N deposition monitoring techniques that measure both dry and wet deposition for comprehensive evaluation of the impacts of N deposition on ecosystems. In this study, to quantify the total N deposition, both dry and wet N depositions were monitored using denuder/filter pack systems, passive samplers and wet-only samplers at three sites with different land use types (forest, paddy field and tea field) in a 135-km2 catchment in subtropical central China from September 2010 to August 2011. At the three sampling sites, the annual mean concentrations of total N (the sum of NH, NO and DON) in rainwater were 1.2-1.6 mg N L-1, showing small variation across sites. Annual mean concentrations of total N (the sum of NH3, NO2, HNO3, particulate NH and NO) in the air were 13-18 μg N m-3. High NH3 concentrations in the air were observed at the agricultural sites of tea and paddy fields, indicating significant NH3 emissions from N fertiliser application; and high NO2 concentrations were found at the upland sites of forest and tea field, suggesting high NO emissions from soils due to high N deposition or high N fertiliser input. The annual total N deposition for the three sites of paddy field, tea field and forest was estimated as 22, 34 and 55 kg N ha-1 yr-1, in which the dry N deposition components contributed to 21%, 36% and 63% of the annual total N deposition, respectively. The annual deposition of reduced N species was 1.1-1.8 times of the annual deposition of oxidised N species. To minimise the adverse effects of atmospheric N deposition on natural/semi-natural ecosystems, it is crucial to reduce the reactive N emissions from anthropogenic activities (e.g., N fertiliser application, animal production and fossil fuel combustion) in subtropical central China.

Aerosol ionic components at Mt. Heng in central southern China: abundances, size distribution, and impacts of long-range transport.

PubMed

Gao, Xiaomei; Xue, Likun; Wang, Xinfeng; Wang, Tao; Yuan, Chao; Gao, Rui; Zhou, Yang; Nie, Wei; Zhang, Qingzhu; Wang, Wenxing

2012-09-01

Water-soluble ions in PM(2.5) were continuously measured, along with the measurements of many other species and collection of size-resolved aerosol samples, at the summit of Mt. Heng in the spring of 2009, to understand the sources of aerosols in rural central southern China. The mean concentrations of SO(4)(2-), NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-) in PM(2.5) were 8.02, 2.94 and 1.47 μg/m(3), indicating a moderate aerosol pollution level at Mt. Heng. Water-soluble ions composed approximately 40% of the PM(2.5) mass on average. PM(2.5) was weakly acidic with about 66% of the samples being acidic. SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+) exhibited similar diurnal patterns with a broad afternoon maximum. SO(4)(2-) and NH(4)(+) were mainly present in the fine aerosols with a peak in the droplet mode of 0.56-1 μm, suggesting the important role of cloud processing in the formation of aerosol sulfate. NO(3)(-) was largely distributed in the coarse particles with a predominant peak in the size-bin of 3.2-5.6 μm. Long-distance transport of processed air masses, dust aerosols, and cloud/fog processes were the major factors determining the variations of fine aerosol at Mt. Heng. The results at Mt. Heng were compared with those obtained from our previous study at Mt. Tai in north China. The comparison revealed large differences in the aerosol characteristics and processes between southern and northern China. Backward trajectories indicated extensive transport of anthropogenic pollution from the coastal regions of eastern/northern China and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) to Mt. Heng in spring, highlighting the need for regionally coordinated control measures for the secondary pollutants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental non-governmental organizations and urban environmental governance: Evidence from China.

PubMed

Li, Guangqin; He, Qiao; Shao, Shuai; Cao, Jianhua

2018-01-15

Environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) play an increasingly important role in the process of urban environmental governance, especially in some developing countries such as China. However, existing studies pay little attention to such an issue in China. In this paper, we consider 113 cities in China from the pollution information transparency index (PITI) list released by ENGOs as the treatment group and some other cities as the control group, and use the difference-in-differences (DID) model and propensity score matching DID (PSM-DID) model to explore the role of ENGOs in China's urban environmental governance. The results show that ENGOs play a significantly positive and robust role in China's urban environmental governance. Furthermore, using regression analysis for eastern, central, and western China, we find that the influence of ENGOs exists in eastern and central China rather than in western China. In addition, the results of the Placebo test indicate that the effect of ENGOs shows an upward trend since 2008. We suggest that ENGOs' role should be strengthened in China, and governments at various levels should take into account environmental information released by ENGOs and consider appropriate measures to improve local environment quality using the obtained information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts of urban sprawl on the area of downtown lakes in a highly developing city on central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, W.; Zhang, Y.

2016-12-01

Wuhan city in central China is full of water resources and numerous lakes are located. Downtown lakes have significant ecological value and ornamental value for urban inhabitants in Wuhan. Under the rapid process of urban sprawl, downtown lakes are occupied by impervious areas. This research uses Landsat images to extract land uses from 1991 to 2013 in Wuhan city , and attempts to find out how urban sprawl affects the water body area decline in space. Two largest downtown lakes in Wuhan city, Donghu Lake located in central city and Tangxunhu Lake located in suburbs, are taken as case study area. A direction change index (DCI) is proposed to evaluate the changes of a specific land use in different directions. The results reveal that two downtown lakes are undergoing rapid water body area decline from 1991 to 2013, with decline rate are -0.022 in Donghu watershed and -0.011 in Tangxunhu watershed. 68.26% and 62.50% of the reduced water body is occupied by built-up land in Donghu watershed and Tangxunhu watershed, respectively. According to DCI, the water body reduce is highly correlated with built-up land increase in all direction. Moreover, it is found that in the Donghu watershed the north-west part suffered significant water body area decline, which is close to central city. While in Tangxunhu watershed, the area of water body declined in north-west, south-west and north-east part, and the area obstructed from central city by the lake was suffering less water body area decline. It is concluded that the water body area of downtown lakes are highly affected by the process of urban sprawl, and the lakes in central districts trends to suffer higher descend than that of the downtown lake located in suburbs. Meanwhile, even for the same downtown lake, the area orientating and close to the central city may suffer more rapid decline than the area that does not orientate to the central city.

A new Triassic shortening-extrusion tectonic model for Central-Eastern Asia: Structural, geochronological and paleomagnetic investigations in the Xilamulun Fault (North China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Pan; Faure, Michel; Chen, Yan; Shi, Guanzhong; Xu, Bei

2015-09-01

At the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB), the Xilamulun Fault (XMF) is a key belt to decipher the tectonic evolution of Central-Eastern Asia, as it records the Paleozoic final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, and localizes a Late Triassic intracontinental deformation. In this study, structural analysis, 40Ar-39Ar dating, and paleomagnetic studies were performed to investigate the kinematics of the XMF and to further discuss its Triassic geodynamic significance in the Central-Eastern Asia framework after the Paleozoic Central Asian Orogenic evolution. The structural analyses reveal two phases of ductile deformation. The first one (D1), which displays N-verging and E-W trending folds, is related to the Early Paleozoic collisional event between the NCB and the Songliao-Hunshandake Block (SHB). The second phase (D2) displays a high-angle foliation and a pervasive sub-horizontal E-W stretching lineation with kinematic criteria indicative of dextral strike-slip shearing. The 40Ar-39Ar dating on mylonitic granite places the main shearing event around 227-209 Ma. This D2 shearing is coeval with that of the dextral strike-slip Bayan Obo-Chifeng Fault (BCF) and the Chicheng-Fengning-Longhua Fault to the south, which together constitute a dextral shearing fault system on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. The paleomagnetic study performed on the Middle Permian Guangxingyuan pluton, located between the XMF and BCF, documents a local clockwise rotation of this pluton with respect to the NCB and SHB. Our multidisciplinary study suggests an NNW-SSE shortening and strike-slip shearing dominated tectonic setting on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. Combining the contemporaneous dextral strike-slip movements of the XMF and BCF in northern China and the sinistral strike-slip movement of East Gobi Fault (EGF) in southeastern Mongolia with the large-scale tectonic framework, a Late Triassic NNW-SSE shortening-eastward extrusion

A new Triassic shortening-extrusion tectonic model for Central-EasternAsia: Structural, geochronological and paleomagnetic investigations in the Xilamulun Fault (North China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Pan; Faure, Michel; Chen, Yan; Xu, Bei

2017-04-01

At the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB), the Xilamulun Fault (XMF) is a key belt to decipher the tectonic evolution of Central-Eastern Asia, as it records the Paleozoic final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, and localizes a Late Triassic intracontinental deformation. In this study, structural analysis, 40Ar-39Ar dating, and paleomagnetic studies were performed to investigate the kinematics of the XMF and to further discuss its Triassic geodynamic significance in the Central-Eastern Asia framework after the Paleozoic Central Asian Orogenic evolution. The structural analyses reveal two phases of ductile deformation. The first one (D1), which displays N-verging and E-W trending folds, is related to the Early Paleozoic collisional event between the NCB and the Songliao-Hunshandake Block (SHB). The second phase (D2) displays a high-angle foliation and a pervasive sub-horizontalE-W stretching lineation with kinematic criteria indicative of dextral strike-slip shearing. The 40Ar-39Ar dating on mylonitic granite places the main shearing event around 227-209 Ma. This D2 shearing is coeval with that of the dextral strike-slip Bayan Obo-Chifeng Fault (BCF) and the Chicheng-Fengning-Longhua Fault to the south, which together constitute a dextral shearing fault system on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. The paleomagnetic study performed on the Middle Permian Guangxingyuan pluton, located between the XMF and BCF, documents a local clockwise rotation of this pluton with respect to the NCB and SHB. Our multidisciplinary study suggests anNNW-SSE shortening and strike-slip shearing dominated tectonic setting on the northern margin of the NCB during the Late Triassic. Combining the contemporaneous dextral strike-slip movements of the XMF and BCF in northern China and the sinistral strike-slip movement of East Gobi Fault (EGF) in southeastern Mongolia with the large-scale tectonic framework, a Late Triassic NNW-SSE shortening-eastward extrusion

[Natural forming causes of China population distribution].

PubMed

Fang, Yu; Ouyang, Zhi-Yun; Zheng, Hua; Xiao, Yi; Niu, Jun-Feng; Chen, Sheng-Bin; Lu, Fei

2012-12-01

The diverse natural environment in China causes the spatial heterogeneity of China population distribution. It is essential to understand the interrelations between the population distribution pattern and natural environment to enhance the understanding of the man-land relationship and the realization of the sustainable management for the population, resources, and environment. This paper analyzed the China population distribution by adopting the index of population density (PD) in combining with spatial statistic method and Lorenz curve, and discussed the effects of the natural factors on the population distribution and the interrelations between the population distribution and 16 indices including average annual precipitation (AAP), average annual temperature (AAT), average annual sunshine duration (AASD), precipitation variation (PV), temperature variation (TV), sunshine duration variation (SDV), relative humidity (RH), aridity index (AI), warmth index ( WI), > or = 5 degrees C annual accumulated temperature (AACT), average elevation (AE), relative height difference (RHD), surface roughness (SR), water system density (WSD), net primary productivity (NPP), and shortest distance to seashore (SDTS). There existed an obvious aggregation phenomenon in the population distribution in China. The PD was high in east China, medium in central China, and low in west China, presenting an obvious positive spatial association. The PD was significantly positively correlated with WSD, AAT, AAP, NPP, AACT, PV, RH, and WI, and significantly negatively correlated with RHD, AE, SDV, SR, and SDTS. The climate factors (AAT, WI, PV, and NPP), topography factors (SR and RHD), and water system factor (WSD) together determined the basic pattern of the population distribution in China. It was suggested that the monitoring of the eco-environment in the east China of high population density should be strengthened to avoid the eco-environmental degradation due to the expanding population, and

A short note on ground-motion recordings from the M 7.9 Wenchuan, China, earthquake and ground-motion prediction equations in the Central and Eastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Z.; Lu, M.

2011-01-01

The 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (M 7.9) occurred along the western edge of the eastern China SCR and was well recorded by modern strong-motion instruments: 93 strong-motion stations within 1.4 to 300 km rupture distance recorded the main event. Preliminary comparisons show some similarities between ground-motion attenuation in the Wenchuan region and the central and eastern United States, suggesting that ground motions from the Wenchuan earthquake could be used as a database providing constraints for developing GMPEs for large earthquakes in the central and eastern United States.

Molecular investigations of the bat tick Argas vespertilionis (Ixodida: Argasidae) and Babesia vesperuginis (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) reflect "bat connection" between Central Europe and Central Asia.

PubMed

Hornok, Sándor; Szőke, Krisztina; Görföl, Tamás; Földvári, Gábor; Tu, Vuong Tan; Takács, Nóra; Kontschán, Jenő; Sándor, Attila D; Estók, Péter; Epis, Sara; Boldogh, Sándor; Kováts, Dávid; Wang, Yuanzhi

2017-05-01

Argas vespertilionis is a geographically widespread haematophagous ectoparasite species of bats in the Old World, with a suspected role in the transmission of Babesia vesperuginis. The aims of the present study were (1) to molecularly screen A. vespertilionis larvae (collected in Europe, Africa and Asia) for the presence of piroplasms, and (2) to analyze mitochondrial markers of A. vespertilionis larvae from Central Asia (Xinjiang Province, Northwestern China) in a phylogeographical context. Out of the 193 DNA extracts from 321 A. vespertilionis larvae, 12 contained piroplasm DNA (10 from Hungary, two from China). Sequencing showed the exclusive presence of B. vesperuginis, with 100% sequence identity between samples from Hungary and China. In addition, A. vespertilionis cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (cox1) and 16S rRNA gene sequences had 99.1-99.2 and 99.5-100% similarities, respectively, between Hungary and China. Accordingly, in the phylogenetic analyses A. vespertilionis from China clustered with haplotypes from Europe, and (with high support) outside the group formed by haplotypes from Southeast Asia. This is the first molecular evidence on the occurrence of B. vesperuginis in Asia. Bat ticks from hosts in Vespertilionidae contained only the DNA of B. vesperuginis (in contrast with what was reported on bat ticks from Rhinolophidae and Miniopteridae). Molecular taxonomic analyses of A. vespertilionis and B. vesperuginis suggest a genetic link of bat parasites between Central Europe and Central Asia, which is epidemiologically relevant in the context of any pathogens associated with bats.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in atmospheric dustfall from the industrial corridor in Hubei Province, Central China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiaquan; Qu, Chengkai; Qi, Shihua; Cao, Junji; Zhan, Changlin; Xing, Xinli; Xiao, Yulun; Zheng, Jingru; Xiao, Wensheng

2015-10-01

Thirty atmospheric dustfall samples collected from an industrial corridor in Hubei Province, central China, were analyzed for 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to investigate their concentrations, spatial distributions, sources, and health risks. Total PAH concentrations (ΣPAHs) ranged from 1.72 to 13.17 µg/g and averaged 4.91 µg/g. High molecular weight (4-5 rings) PAHs averaged 59.67% of the ΣPAHs. Individual PAH concentrations were not significantly correlated with total organic carbon, possibly due to the semi-continuous inputs from anthropogenic sources. Source identification studies suggest that the PAHs were mainly from motor vehicles and biomass/coal combustion. The incremental lifetime cancer risks associated with exposure to PAHs in the dustfall ranged from 10(-4) to 10(-6); these indicate potentially serious carcinogenic risks for exposed populations in the industrial corridor.

Actual measurement, hygrothermal response experiment and growth prediction analysis of microbial contamination of central air conditioning system in Dalian, China

PubMed Central

Lv, Yang; Hu, Guangyao; Wang, Chunyang; Yuan, Wenjie; Wei, Shanshan; Gao, Jiaoqi; Wang, Boyuan; Song, Fangchao

2017-01-01

The microbial contamination of central air conditioning system is one of the important factors that affect the indoor air quality. Actual measurement and analysis were carried out on microbial contamination in central air conditioning system at a venue in Dalian, China. Illumina miseq method was used and three fungal samples of two units were analysed by high throughput sequencing. Results showed that the predominant fungus in air conditioning unit A and B were Candida spp. and Cladosporium spp., and two fungus were further used in the hygrothermal response experiment. Based on the data of Cladosporium in hygrothermal response experiment, this paper used the logistic equation and the Gompertz equation to fit the growth predictive model of Cladosporium genera in different temperature and relative humidity conditions, and the square root model was fitted based on the two environmental factors. In addition, the models were carried on the analysis to verify the accuracy and feasibility of the established model equation. PMID:28367963

Actual measurement, hygrothermal response experiment and growth prediction analysis of microbial contamination of central air conditioning system in Dalian, China.

PubMed

Lv, Yang; Hu, Guangyao; Wang, Chunyang; Yuan, Wenjie; Wei, Shanshan; Gao, Jiaoqi; Wang, Boyuan; Song, Fangchao

2017-04-03

The microbial contamination of central air conditioning system is one of the important factors that affect the indoor air quality. Actual measurement and analysis were carried out on microbial contamination in central air conditioning system at a venue in Dalian, China. Illumina miseq method was used and three fungal samples of two units were analysed by high throughput sequencing. Results showed that the predominant fungus in air conditioning unit A and B were Candida spp. and Cladosporium spp., and two fungus were further used in the hygrothermal response experiment. Based on the data of Cladosporium in hygrothermal response experiment, this paper used the logistic equation and the Gompertz equation to fit the growth predictive model of Cladosporium genera in different temperature and relative humidity conditions, and the square root model was fitted based on the two environmental factors. In addition, the models were carried on the analysis to verify the accuracy and feasibility of the established model equation.

Prunus pananensis (Rosaceae), a New Species from Pan'an of Central Zhejiang, China

PubMed Central

Chen, Huan; Zhou, Ying-Ying; Tang, Mei-Qin; Fu, Meng-Qi; Jin, Xiao-Feng

2013-01-01

Prunus pananensis Z. L. Chen, W. J. Chen & X. F. Jin, a new species of Rosaceae from central Zhejiang, China is described and illustrated. Micromorphological characters of the indumentum on young shoots, leaves, petioles and peduncles, including scanning electron microscope [SEM] images, are provided. This new species is morphologically similar to P. schneiderianae Koehne in having its young shoots, petioles and pedicels all densely villose, but differs in having bracts persistent, styles glabrous, stipules 8–9 mm long, stamens 28–30 of per flower, and drupes glabrous. The new species is also similar to P. discoidea (Yü & C. L. Li) Yü & C. L. Li ex Z. Wei & Y. B. Chang in having 2 or 3 flowers in an umbellate inflorescence, and bracts persistent and marginally glandular, but it differs in having young shoots and petioles densely covered with yellowish-brown villose trichomes; leaves rounded or slightly cordate at base, the mid-ribs and lateral veins abaxially densely covered with yellowish-brown villose trichomes; and hypanthium ca. 3 mm long, shorter than sepals. The atpB-rbcL and trnL-F intergenic chloroplast spacers are selected for identification of the new and its similar species. PMID:23349780

Shale Gas Exploration and Development Progress in China and the Way Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianghua

2018-02-01

Shale gas exploration in China started late but is progressing very quickly with the strong support from Central Government. China has 21.8 tcm technically recoverable shale gas resources and 764.3 bcm proved shale gas reserve, mainly in marine facies in Sichuan basin. In 2016, overall shale gas production in China is around 7.9 bcm, while it is set to reach 10 bcm in 2017 and 30 bcm in 2020. BP is the only remaining IOC actor in shale gas exploration in China partnering with CNPC in 2 blocks in Sichuan basin. China is encouraging shale gas business both at Central level and at Provincial level through establishing development plan, continuation of subsidies and research funding. Engineering services for shale gas development and infrastructures are developing, while the overall cost and gas marketing conditions will be key factors for the success in shale gas industry.

[Species composition and point pattern analysis of standing trees in secondary Betula albosinensis forest in Xiaolongshan of west Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Guo, Yao-xin; Kang, Bing; Li, Gang; Wang, De-xiang; Yang, Gai-he; Wang, Da-wei

2011-10-01

An investigation was conducted on the species composition and population diameter-class structure of a typical secondary Betula albo-sinensis forest in Xiaolongshan of west Qinling Mountains, and the spatial distribution pattern and interspecific correlations of the main populations were analyzed at multiple scales by the O-ring functions of single variable and double variables. In the test forest, B. albo-sinensis was obviously dominant, but from the analysis of DBH class distribution, the B. albo-sinensis seedlings were short of, and the natural regeneration was very poor. O the contrary, the regeneration of Abies fargesii and Populus davidianas was fine. B. albo-sinensis and Salix matsudana had a random distribution at almost all scales, while A. fargesii and P. davidianas were significantly clumped at small scale. B. albo-sinensis had positive correlations with A. fargesii and P. davidianas at medium scale, whereas S. matsudana had negative correlations with B. albo-sinensis, A. fargesii, and P. davidianas at small scale. No significant correlations were observed between other species. The findings suggested that the spatial distribution patterns of the tree species depended on their biological characteristics at small scale, but on the environmental heterogeneity at larger scales. In a period of future time, B. albo-sinensis would still be dominant, but from a long-term view, it was necessary to take some artificial measures to improve the regeneratio of B. albo-sinensis.

Effects of tillage and nitrogen fertilizers on CH4 and CO2 emissions and soil organic carbon in paddy fields of central China.

PubMed

Cheng-Fang, Li; Dan-Na, Zhou; Zhi-Kui, Kou; Zhi-Sheng, Zhang; Jin-Ping, Wang; Ming-Li, Cai; Cou-Gui, Cao

2012-01-01

Quantifying carbon (C) sequestration in paddy soils is necessary to help better understand the effect of agricultural practices on the C cycle. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of tillage practices [conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (0 and 210 kg N ha(-1)) on fluxes of CH(4) and CO(2), and soil organic C (SOC) sequestration during the 2009 and 2010 rice growing seasons in central China. Application of N fertilizer significantly increased CH(4) emissions by 13%-66% and SOC by 21%-94% irrespective of soil sampling depths, but had no effect on CO(2) emissions in either year. Tillage significantly affected CH(4) and CO(2) emissions, where NT significantly decreased CH(4) emissions by 10%-36% but increased CO(2) emissions by 22%-40% in both years. The effects of tillage on the SOC varied with the depth of soil sampling. NT significantly increased the SOC by 7%-48% in the 0-5 cm layer compared with CT. However, there was no significant difference in the SOC between NT and CT across the entire 0-20 cm layer. Hence, our results suggest that the potential of SOC sequestration in NT paddy fields may be overestimated in central China if only surface soil samples are considered.

Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Obesity in Older People in China: Data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS).

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoyue; Hall, John; Byles, Julie; Shi, Zumin

2015-09-23

No studies have been conducted to explore the associations between dietary patterns and obesity among older Chinese people, by considering gender and urbanization level differences. We analyzed data from the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey (2745 individuals, aged ≥ 60 years). Dietary data were obtained using 24 hour-recall over three consecutive days. Height, Body Weight, and Waist Circumference were measured. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Multinomial and Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between dietary patterns and Body Mass Index (BMI) status/central obesity. The prevalence of general and central obesity was 9.5% and 53.4%. Traditional dietary pattern (high intake of rice, pork and vegetables) was inversely associated with general/central obesity; modern dietary pattern (high intake of fruit, fast food, and processed meat) was positively associated with general/central obesity. The highest quartile of traditional dietary pattern had a lower risk of general/central obesity compared with the lowest quartile, while an inverse picture was found for the modern dietary pattern. These associations were consistent by gender and urbanization levels. Dietary patterns are associated with general/central obesity in older Chinese. This study reinforces the importance of a healthy diet in promoting healthy ageing in China.

Dietary Pattern Is Associated with Obesity in Older People in China: Data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS)

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaoyue; Hall, John; Byles, Julie; Shi, Zumin

2015-01-01

Background: No studies have been conducted to explore the associations between dietary patterns and obesity among older Chinese people, by considering gender and urbanization level differences. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey (2745 individuals, aged ≥ 60 years). Dietary data were obtained using 24 h-recall over three consecutive days. Height, Body Weight, and Waist Circumference were measured. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Multinomial and Poisson regression models were used to examine the association between dietary patterns and Body Mass Index (BMI) status/central obesity. Results: The prevalence of general and central obesity was 9.5% and 53.4%. Traditional dietary pattern (high intake of rice, pork and vegetables) was inversely associated with general/central obesity; modern dietary pattern (high intake of fruit, fast food, and processed meat) was positively associated with general/central obesity. The highest quartile of traditional dietary pattern had a lower risk of general/central obesity compared with the lowest quartile, while an inverse picture was found for the modern dietary pattern. These associations were consistent by gender and urbanization levels. Conclusions: Dietary patterns are associated with general/central obesity in older Chinese. This study reinforces the importance of a healthy diet in promoting healthy ageing in China. PMID:26404368

Renewable energy opportunities in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, William L.; Simon Tsuo, Y.

1996-01-01

Rapid growth in economic development coupled with the absence of an electric grid in large areas of rural China have created a need for new energy sources both in urban centers and the rural countryside. Electric capacity expansion plans call for increased use of coal-fired steam turbines for electricity production that will contribute to increased concerns over environmental pollution. China is rich in renewable energy resources, strategically located in areas of greatest need and economic viability. China is also already one of the world's largest users of renewables, especially hydro, wind, biomass, and solar thermal, and has significant experience with photovoltaics, geothermal and other technologies. The use of renewable energy is being encouraged in expanded programs at the central and provincial government levels, with growing private sector involvement. These conditions create opportunities for U.S. business participation in renewable energy markets in China.

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of A. cerana honey against acute alcohol-induced liver damage in mice.

PubMed

Zhao, Haoan; Cheng, Ni; He, Liangliang; Peng, Guoxia; Xue, Xiaofeng; Wu, Liming; Cao, Wei

2017-11-01

A. cerana honey, gathered from Apis cerana Fabricius (A. cerana), has not been fully studied. Samples of honey originating from six geographical regions (mainly in the Qinling Mountains of China) were investigated to determine their antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects against acute alcohol-induced liver damage. The results showed that A. cerana honeys from the Qinling Mountains had high total phenolic contents (345.1-502.1mgGAkg -1 ), ascorbic acid contents (153.8-368.4mgkg -1 ), and strong antioxidant activities in DPPH radical scavenging activity assays (87.5-136.2IC50mgmL -1 ), ferric reducing antioxidant powers (191.8-317.4mgTroloxkg -1 ), and ferrous ion-chelating activities (27.5-35.5mgNa 2 EDTAkg -1 ). Pretreatment with A. cerana honey (Qinling Mountains) at 5, 10, or 20gkg -1 twice daily for 12weeks significantly inhibited serum lipoprotein oxidation and increased serum radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) (P<0.05). Moreover, A. cerana honey inhibited acute alcohol-induced increases in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum (P<0.05), reduced the production of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) (P<0.05), and promoted superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities (P<0.05). More importantly, it also remarkably inhibited the level of TGF-β1 in the serum and liver (P<0.05). The results of this study indicate that administration of A. cerana honey prevents acute alcohol-induced liver damage likely because of its antioxidant properties and ability to prevent oxidative stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Regional differences and development tendency of livestock manure pollution in China].

PubMed

Qiu, Huan-Guang; Liao, Shao-Pan; Jing, Yue; Luan, Jiang

2013-07-01

The rapid development of livestock production in China has brought livestock manure pollution as a serious environment problem, even threatens China's agriculture sustainable development. On the basis of public statistical data and field research data, this paper analyzed the magnitude of livestock manure excretion and pollution of China and different provinces in 2010, and predicted development tendencies of livestock manure excretion and pollution in 2020 through the Decision Support System for China's Agricultural Sustainable Development (CHINAGRO). The result shows that total livestock manure excretion of China in 2010 is 1 900 million tons, and livestock manure pollution is 227 million tons, while per hectare arable land of livestock manure pollution is 1.86 tons. Provinces in the southeast China, such as Guangdong and Fujian, are areas with high pressure of livestock manure pollution. Model simulation shows that China's total amount of livestock manure pollution will increase to 298 million tons in 2020 without government intervention. The pressure of livestock manure pollution will become higher in most regions of China, especially in east and south regions. The situation in central and western region is better than that in east regions although the pollution pressure will also increase in those areas. Policy intervention such as taxes and subsidies should be adopted to reduce the discharge of livestock manure pollution, and encourage livestock production transfer from eastern areas to the central and western regions.

Acute Pesticide Poisoning in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2006 to 2015.

PubMed

Wang, Bo Shen; Chen, Lin; Li, Xiu Ting; Xu, Ming; Zhu, Bao Li; Zhang, Juan

2017-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of pesticide poisoning in Jiangsu Province, China, and to provide a scientific basis for developing effective interventional measures and preventive strategies. From 2006 to 2015, a total of 35,308 cases of pesticide poisoning were reported in Jiangsu Province. Non-occupational poisoning accounted for 73.79% of all poisoning cases. A comparison of the data collected before (2006) and after (2015) this study showed a decrease in non-occupational pesticide poisoning. Pesticide poisoning showed an age central tendency of 30 to 44 years, area central tendency for northern Jiangsu, and seasonal central tendency of occupational pesticide poisoning in autumn. Pesticide poisoning remains a major health concern in China. Government agencies together with scientists should focus their efforts on the prevention of potential threats to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Dust Propagation and Radiation In the Presence of a Low-level Jet in Central China on March 17, 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDowell, B. K.; Chen, S. H.

2014-12-01

Suspended dust in the air can directly change the energy budget in the atmosphere and at the surface through scattering and absorption of radiation. Thus, dust can potentially modify the development of weather systems. To explore the dust-radiation effects on weather systems, a dust model was developed based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The calculations of dust processes in the WRF dust model include emission, advection, boundary layer mixing, cumulus mixing, dust-radiation interaction, wet scavenging, and sedimentation. Due to a high vertical spatial resolution near the surface a time splitting method was applied to the calculation of dust sedimentation to relax the numerical time step. The "Hexi Corridor" is the historical name given to a string of oases along the northern slope of the Tibetan Plateau that formed a relatively easy transportation route between eastern China and central Asia. As trade developed over the centuries, this route became known as the Silk Road. This corridor also marks the transition from the relatively flat Gobi desert area in northern China to the elevated mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. These mountains present a southern barrier to the paths of dust storms that develop during spring outbreaks of the Mongolian Cyclone. In March of 2010, a series of dust storms developed in the Gobi Desert north of the Hexi Corridor that transported massive amounts of dust eastward to central and northeastern China, Korea and Japan. On March 17 during this event, a low-level jet developed along the northern perimeter of the Plateau, in alignment with upper level winds and the Hexi Corridor. Over the course of the day, a well-defined short-duration dust plume was emitted in the southern Gobi desert area and was transported over 1300 km in a southeast direction, over the Loess Plateau and into the Gansu Province. In this study, the interactions of synoptic conditions with regional topography that led to the development of the low

Epidemiological Trends in Colorectal Cancer in China: An Ecological Study.

PubMed

Zhu, Jinzhou; Tan, Zhengqi; Hollis-Hansen, Kelseanna; Zhang, Yong; Yu, Chaohui; Li, Youming

2017-01-01

Due to the changes in lifestyle and dietary behaviors, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been rapidly increasing in China. This study is to present the trends of CRC in China over the past decade. It used a series of nationally representative data, including the National Central Cancer Registry of China, the GLOBOCAN project and the Global Burden of Disease. The age-standardized rate of CRC incidence increased from 12.8 in 2003 to 16.8 per 100,000 in 2011, while the mortality rose from 5.9 to 7.8 per 100,000. The age group most affected by incident CRC cases were those aged 60-74 years old, whereas CRC death was most associated with those >74 years. Furthermore, the east coast of China presented a higher mortality rate (>15 and 10-14.9 per 100,000 in men and women) than central and west China (5-14.9 and 5-9.9 per 100,000). Compared with other countries worldwide, China indicated lower rates of incidence (14.2 per 100,000), mortality (7.4 per 100,000), and 5-year prevalence (52.7 per 100,000) than most developed countries. However, China had a higher case-fatality ratio (14.0 %) and mortality/incidence ratio (52.1 %). Lastly, disability-adjusted life years attributed to CRC in China was 224.2 per 100,000. It presents a steady increase in CRC in China over the past decade. It also reveals the domestic diversity of age, gender, and geography and finds the differences between China and developed countries, which may yield insights for national programs and policies.

Two reassortant types of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza virus from wild birds in Central China in 2016.

PubMed

Ma, Liping; Jin, Tao; Wang, Hanzhong; Liu, Haizhou; Wang, Runkun; Li, Yong; Yang, Guoxiang; Xiong, Yanping; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Jun; Chen, Guang; Li, Wei; Liu, Di; Lin, Peng; Huang, Yueying; Gao, George F; Chen, Quanjiao

2018-02-07

Since 2016, the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 virus has emerged in the Central Asian flyway and Europe, causing massive deaths in poultry and wild birds. In this study, we isolated and identified three H5N8 viruses from swan goose and black swans in Hubei province during the 2016/2017 winter season. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three viruses clustered into a group of H5N8 viruses from Qinghai Lake and Europe. A novel reassortment virus from swan goose was distinguished from that of black swans, in that its PA and NP genes were distinct from those of Qinghai Lake viruses. Molecular dating revealed that the ancestral strain of these H5N8 viruses emerged around July 2015. From sequence comparison, we discovered eight amino acid substitutions in HA and NA during the adaption process from poultry to wild birds. The three viruses were isolated from wild birds in the East Asian-Australasian flyway; however, the viral genomes were similar to H5N8 viruses circulating along the Central Asian flyway. From these data, we conclude that wetlands and lakes in Central China may play a key role in disseminating H5N8 viruses between the East Asian-Australasian and Central Asian flyways.

Rice agriculture impacts catchment hydrographic patterns and nitrogen export characteristics in subtropical central China: a paired-catchment study.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Liu, Xinliang; Wang, Hua; Li, Yong; Li, Yuyuan; Liu, Feng; Xiao, Runlin; Shen, Jianlin; Wu, Jinshui

2017-06-01

Increased nitrogen (N) concentrations in water bodies have highlighted issues regarding nutrient pollution in agricultural catchments. In this study, the ammonium-N (NH 4 + -N), nitrate-N (NO 3 - -N), and total N (TN) concentrations were observed in the stream water and groundwater of two contrasting catchments (named Tuojia and Jianshan) in subtropical central China from 2010 to 2014, to determine the rice agriculture impacts on the hydrographic patterns, and N export characteristics of the catchments. The results suggested that greater amounts of stream flow (523.0 vs. 434.7 mm year -1 ) and base flow (237.6 vs. 142.8 mm year -1 ) were produced in Tuojia than in Jianshan, and a greater base flow contribution to stream flow and higher frequencies of high-base flow days were observed during the fallow season than during the rice-growing season, indicating that intensive rice agriculture strongly influences the catchment hydrographic pattern. Rice agriculture resulted in moderate N pollution in the stream water and groundwater, particularly in Tuojia. Primarily, rice agriculture increased the NH 4 + -N concentration in the stream water; however, it increased the NO 3 - -N concentrations in the groundwater, suggesting that the different N species in the paddy fields migrated out of the catchments through distinct hydrological pathways. The average TN loading via stream flow and base flow was greater in Tuojia than in Jianshan (1.72 and 0.58 vs. 0.72 and 0.15 kg N ha -1  month -1 , respectively). Greater TN loading via stream flow was observed during the fallow season in Tuojia and during the rice-growing season in Jianshan, and these different results were most likely a result of the higher base flow contribution to TN loading (33.5 vs. 21.3%) and greater base flow enrichment ratio (1.062 vs. 0.876) in Tuojia than in Jianshan. Therefore, the impact of rice agriculture on catchment eco-hydrological processes should be considered when performing water quality

Effects of soil acidification and liming on the phytoavailability of cadmium in paddy soils of central subtropical China.

PubMed

Zhu, Hanhua; Chen, Cheng; Xu, Chao; Zhu, Qihong; Huang, Daoyou

2016-12-01

Intensive and paired soil and rice grain survey and multiple-field liming experiments were conducted to assess soil acidification in the past 30 years, quantify the relationships of Cd phytoavailability with soil acidity, and determine efficacies of liming on soil acidity and Cd phytoavailability in paddy soils of central subtropical China at a regional scale. Soil pH, total and extractable Cd (Cd tot and Cd ext ), rice grain Cd were determined, and all measured data were analyzed separately in groups of 0.1 pH units intervals. Paddy soil pH averagely declined at 0.031 unit yr -1 between 1980s and 2014 (P < 0.01). Piecewise means of log Cd transfer ratio kept around -0.062 between soil pH 4.0 and 5.5 and around -1.31 between pH 6.9 and 7.3, whereas linearly decreased by a factor of 0.76 with pH 5.5-6.9, and by a factor of 1.38 with pH 7.3-8.2 (P < 0.01), respectively. Similar responses to soil pH were observed for soil Cd ext to Cd tot ratio. However, the former exhibited a lag effect to soil acidification in the acidic soils and a leading effect in alkaline soils. Liming increased soil pH by 0.50 units, and decreased rice grain Cd by 35.3% and log Cd transfer ratio by a factor of 0.76 (P < 0.01). The piecewise relationship based on the survey precisely predicted the changes in Cd transfer ratio across the multiple-field liming experiments. In conclusion, soil acidification occurred and accelerated in the past 30 years, and piecewise-linearly increased Cd phytoavailability of paddy soils in central subtropical China. Mitigating soil acidification, i.e. liming, should be preferentially implemented to minimize Cd phytoavailability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precipitation variation over eastern China and arid central Asia during the past millennium and its possible mechanism: Perspectives from PMIP3 experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jian; Yan, Qing; Jiang, Dabang; Min, Jinzhong; Jiang, Ying

2016-10-01

Multiproxies suggest a tripole humidity pattern in Asia in the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, 950-1250 A.D.) and Little Ice Age (LIA, 1500-1800 A.D.), with drier (wetter) conditions in arid central Asia (ACA), wetter (drier) conditions in North China, and drier (wetter) conditions in South China. However, the mechanisms behind this reconstructed humidity variation remain unclear. In this study, we investigate Asian humidity changes by using the last millennium simulations of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project Phase III (PMIP3). The results indicate that only one out of nine PMIP3 models (Meteorological Research Institute Coupled ocean-atmosphere General Circulation Model version 3) can well reproduce the reconstructed humidity pattern. This model indicates that the tripole humidity pattern is mainly caused by precipitation changes in spring and summer and is prominent in the past millennium on a multidecadal time scale. In spring, the reduction (increase) of precipitation in ACA and South China is attributed to the northward (southward) shift of the westerlies and a weakened (strengthened) western Pacific subtropical high in the MCA (LIA). In summer, precipitation over ACA decreases (increases) due to a local descending (ascending) motion, while abundant (deficient) precipitation over eastern China results from the enhanced (depressed) summer monsoon. Moreover, we suggest that a La Niña (El Niño)-like condition may be the primary reason the tripole precipitation pattern was maintained in the MCA (LIA), although a warmer (colder) North Pacific and North Atlantic also play a role. The mechanisms must be further validated since most simulations fail to reproduce the reconstructed humidity condition in the MCA/LIA, making model-model comparisons difficult.

Development of Social Work Education in China: Background, Current Status, and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yingsheng; Han, Wen-Jui; Huang, Chien-Chung

2012-01-01

China's social work education dates back to the 1920s, but the profession disappeared for 36 years after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Not until the late 1980s was social work education in China revived. At the turn of the new century, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council supported the…

Women's participation in developing west China.

PubMed

Huang, D

2000-06-01

In China, the underdeveloped economy of the west has limited women's employment opportunities compared with their counterparts in the eastern and central region. Most women workers are engaged in agricultural production offering few opportunities for career development. Education, awareness of participation, fertility level, and health conditions are the compounding factors that hindered women's employment. According to a 10% sampling survey of the 4th population census in 1990, a high percentage of illiterates and semi-illiterates and a high dropout rate among girl students are noted. Moreover, a survey of maternal mortality rates indicated that the rate in west China was still far higher than that in central and eastern areas. In the context of its fertility, it is evident that the average age at first marriages and childbirth for women are considerably lower than the national average, while the percentage of women having multiple children is markedly higher than the national level. The paper proposes the following: improve education for women, especially girls; promote gender equality; publicize and implement the family planning policy; and increase spending on improving young girls' nutrition and on acquisition of medical equipment in western China for a balanced national economic development.

Pollen analysis of natural honeys from the central region of Shanxi, North China.

PubMed

Song, Xiao-Yan; Yao, Yi-Feng; Yang, Wu-De

2012-01-01

Based on qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analyses, 19 Chinese honeys were classified by botanical origin to determine their floral sources. The honey samples were collected during 2010-2011 from the central region of Shanxi Province, North China. A diverse spectrum of 61 pollen types from 37 families was identified. Fourteen samples were classified as unifloral, whereas the remaining samples were multifloral. Bee-favoured families (occurring in more than 50% of the samples) included Caprifoliaceae (found in 10 samples), Laminaceae (10), Brassicaceae (12), Rosaceae (12), Moraceae (13), Rhamnaceae (15), Asteraceae (17), and Fabaceae (19). In the unifloral honeys, the predominant pollen types were Ziziphus jujuba (in 5 samples), Robinia pseudoacacia (3), Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (2), Sophora japonica (1), Ailanthus altissima (1), Asteraceae type (1), and Fabaceae type (1). The absolute pollen count (i.e., the number of pollen grains per 10 g honey sample) suggested that 13 samples belonged to Group I (<20,000 pollen grains), 4 to Group II (20,000-100,000), and 2 to Group III (100,000-500,000). The dominance of unifloral honeys without toxic pollen grains and the low value of the HDE/P ratio (i.e., honey dew elements/pollen grains from nectariferous plants) indicated that the honey samples are of good quality and suitable for human consumption.

Middle Neoproterozoic (ca. 705-716 Ma) arc to rift transitional magmatism in the northern margin of the Yangtze Block: Constraints from geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ruirui; Xu, Zhiqin; Santosh, M.; Xu, Xianbing; Deng, Qi; Fu, Xuehai

2017-09-01

The South Qinling Belt in Central China is an important window to investigate the Neoproterozoic tectono-magmatic processes along the northern margin of the Yangtze Block. Here we present whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and Lu-Hf isotopes of a suite of Middle Neoproterozoic intrusion from the Wudang Uplift in South Qinling. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages reveal that these rocks were formed at ca. 705-716 Ma. Geochemical features indicate that the felsic magmatic rocks are I-type granitoids, belong to calcic- to calc-alkaline series, and display marked negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies. Moreover, the enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), combined with depletion of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) support that these rocks have affinity to typical arc magmatic rocks formed in Andean-type active continental margins. The REE patterns are highly to moderately fractionated, with (La/Yb)N = 5.13-8.10 in meta-granites, and 2.32-2.35 in granodiorite. The granitoids have a wide range of zircon εHf(t) values (-29.91 to 14.76) and zircon Hf two-stage model ages (696-3482 Ma). We suggest that the ca. 705-716 Ma granitoids were sourced from different degrees of magma mixing between partial melting of the overlying mantle wedge triggered by hydrous fluids released from subducted materials and crustal melting. The hybrid magmas were emplaced in the shallow crust accompanied by assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC). Both isotopic and geochemical data suggest that the ca. 705-716 Ma felsic magmatic rocks were formed along a continental arc. These rocks as well as the contemporary A-type granite may mark a transitional tectonic regime from continental arc to rifting, probably related to slab rollback during the oceanic subduction beneath the northern margin of Yangtze Block.

Effects of Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilizers on CH4 and CO2 Emissions and Soil Organic Carbon in Paddy Fields of Central China

PubMed Central

Zhi-Kui, Kou; Zhi-Sheng, Zhang; Jin-Ping, Wang; Ming-Li, Cai; Cou-Gui, Cao

2012-01-01

Quantifying carbon (C) sequestration in paddy soils is necessary to help better understand the effect of agricultural practices on the C cycle. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of tillage practices [conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (0 and 210 kg N ha−1) on fluxes of CH4 and CO2, and soil organic C (SOC) sequestration during the 2009 and 2010 rice growing seasons in central China. Application of N fertilizer significantly increased CH4 emissions by 13%–66% and SOC by 21%–94% irrespective of soil sampling depths, but had no effect on CO2 emissions in either year. Tillage significantly affected CH4 and CO2 emissions, where NT significantly decreased CH4 emissions by 10%–36% but increased CO2 emissions by 22%–40% in both years. The effects of tillage on the SOC varied with the depth of soil sampling. NT significantly increased the SOC by 7%–48% in the 0–5 cm layer compared with CT. However, there was no significant difference in the SOC between NT and CT across the entire 0–20 cm layer. Hence, our results suggest that the potential of SOC sequestration in NT paddy fields may be overestimated in central China if only surface soil samples are considered. PMID:22574109

Sedimentary Evidence of Environmental Degradation in Sanliqi Lake, Daye City (A Typical Mining City, Central China).

PubMed

Zeng, Linghan; Ning, Dongliang; Xu, Lei; Mao, Xin; Chen, Xu

2015-09-01

To reconstruct the history of environmental degradation in Sanliqi Lake (Daye City, central China), multiple proxies were analyzed in a sedimentary core which was dated using (137)Cs and spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs). The results show that Sanliqi Lake has experienced serious degradation during the past 60 years, resulting from a large influx of metals and nutrients. Expansion of agricultural and industrial activities between 1945 and 1993 enhanced nutrient and metal enrichment, indicated by increases in metals, SCPs, magnetic susceptibility, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and total organic carbon. Further enrichment of Zn, Cd, Ni and Cr after 1993 was linked to a recent intensification of mining activities. Decreases in Cu and Pb after 2006 probably resulted from recent environmental remediation. This study verified the coupling between lake sediment pollution and human activities in Daye City during the past 60 years. The reconstructed history of lake pollution can provide reference information for continued restoration of Sanliqi Lake and other similar heavily polluted lakes in the developing regions.

JPRS Report, China, Red Flag, Number 13, 1 July 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-26

wide gap between the rich and the poor is necessary, the problem for China is the "public system." Even ignoring the standpoint of this view of...JPRS-CRF-87-007 29602£ 26 AUGUST 1987 MM*k%\\ FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE JPRS Reproduced From Best Available Copy China 1 r...JPRS-CRF-87-007 26 AUGUST 1987 CHINA RED FLAG No 13, 1 July 1987 [Translation of the semimonthly theoretical journal HONGQI of the Central

The current prevalence and regional disparities in general and central obesity among children and adolescents in Shandong, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying-Xiu; Wang, Zhao-Xia; Zhao, Jin-Shan; Chu, Zun-Hua

2017-01-15

Childhood obesity has increased dramatically during the past decades, both in developing and developed countries. The present study examined the prevalence and regional disparities in general and central obesity among children and adolescents in Shandong, China. A total of 30,459 students (15,249 boys and 15,210 girls) aged 7-18years participated in the study. Height, weight and waist circumference (WC) of all subjects were measured, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. The BMI cutoff points recommended by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) were used to define general obesity. Central obesity was defined as WHtR≥0.5. Both BMI and WHtR were used to define three types of obesity as follows: general obesity only, central obesity only and combined obesity. The overall prevalences of general obesity only, central obesity only and combined obesity were 10.99, 8.47 and 8.70% for boys and 9.47, 5.12 and 3.19% for girls, respectively. The sum of the prevalence of the three types of obesity was 28.16% for boys and 17.78% for girls, boys had higher prevalence of obesity than girls (P<0.01). Substantial urban-rural and regional disparities exist in childhood obesity, children and adolescents from urban, coastal and high socioeconomic status (SES) districts showed a higher prevalence of obesity than their counterparts from rural, inland and low SES districts (P<0.01). The widespread prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has become an important public health concern. Results from this study also suggested that the additional measurement of WC (WHtR) is better than BMI alone to identify obese individuals, distinguishing the types of obesity and examining the prevalence of various types of obesity is useful in practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mazus sunhangii (Mazaceae), a New Species Discovered in Central China Appears to Be Highly Endangered.

PubMed

Deng, Tao; Zhang, Xiao-Shuang; Kim, Changkyun; Zhang, Jian-Wen; Zhang, Dai-Gui; Volis, Sergei

2016-01-01

Mazus sunhangii, a new species of Mazaceae from central China is described and illustrated based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny. This new species is morphologically similar to M. puchellus and M. omeiensis but differs in erect habit, inflorescence position, leaf pattern and corolla color. Phylogenetic analysis based on four chloroplast DNA regions (rbcL, rps16, trnL-F, and psbA-trnH) identified the new species as the independent lineage sister to the other East Asian Mazus species. The new species is known only from a single location in Mt. Shennongjia area in northwest Hubei province, at the elevation of 760 m. The species grows on the limestone cliff, and, because a tourist arterial highway is located along this cliff, its habitat can be easily disturbed or destroyed. We propose that the only known species location is recognized as critical habitat (i.e., as the habitat required to ensure the persistence of a species) and the species listed as Critically Endangered based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Categories and Criteria B2a.

China's Classification-Based Forest Management: Procedures, Problems, and Prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Limin; Zhao, Fuqiang; Shao, Guofan; Zhou, Li; Tang, Lina

2009-06-01

China’s new Classification-Based Forest Management (CFM) is a two-class system, including Commodity Forest (CoF) and Ecological Welfare Forest (EWF) lands, so named according to differences in their distinct functions and services. The purposes of CFM are to improve forestry economic systems, strengthen resource management in a market economy, ease the conflicts between wood demands and public welfare, and meet the diversified needs for forest services in China. The formative process of China’s CFM has involved a series of trials and revisions. China’s central government accelerated the reform of CFM in the year 2000 and completed the final version in 2003. CFM was implemented at the provincial level with the aid of subsidies from the central government. About a quarter of the forestland in China was approved as National EWF lands by the State Forestry Administration in 2006 and 2007. Logging is prohibited on National EWF lands, and their landowners or managers receive subsidies of about 70 RMB (US10) per hectare from the central government. CFM represents a new forestry strategy in China and its implementation inevitably faces challenges in promoting the understanding of forest ecological services, generalizing nationwide criteria for identifying EWF and CoF lands, setting up forest-specific compensation mechanisms for ecological benefits, enhancing the knowledge of administrators and the general public about CFM, and sustaining EWF lands under China’s current forestland tenure system. CFM does, however, offer a viable pathway toward sustainable forest management in China.

Cambrian ophiolite complexes in the Beishan area, China, southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yuruo; Zhang, Wei; Kröner, Alfred; Li, Linlin; Jian, Ping

2018-03-01

We present zircon ages and geochemical data for Cambrian ophiolite complexes exposed in the Beishan area at the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The complexes consist of the Xichangjing-Xiaohuangshan and Hongliuhe-Yushishan ophiolites, which both exhibit complete ophiolite stratigraphy: chert, basalt, sheeted dikes, gabbro, mafic and ultramafic cumulates and serpentinized mantle peridotites. Zircon grains of gabbro samples yielded 206Pb/238U ages of 516 ± 8, 521 ± 4, 528 ± 3 and 535 ± 6 Ma that reflect the timing of gabbro emplacement. The geochemical data of the basaltic rocks show enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements and depletion in the high field strength elements relative to normal mid-oceanic ridge basalt (NMORB) in response to aqueous fluids or melts expelled from the subducting slab. The gabbro samples have higher whole-rock initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and lower positive εNd(t) values than NMORB. These geochemical signatures resulted from processes or conditions that are unique to subduction zones, and the ophiolites are therefore likely to have formed within a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) environment. We suggest that the Cambrian ophiolite complexes in the Beishan area formed within a SSZ setting, reflecting an early Paleozoic subduction of components of the Paleo-Central Asian Ocean and recording an early Paleozoic southward subduction event in the southern CAOB along the northern margin of the Tarim and North China Cratons.

[Dynamic monitoring and analysis of ecological environment in Weinan City, Northwest China based on RSEI model].

PubMed

Song, Hui Min; Xue, Liang

2016-12-01

Based on the data of remote sensing images from Landsat in 1995 and 2015, this paper used the principal component analysis (PCA) method to determine the weights of four ecological indexes (greenness, dryness, wetness and heat), and then selected a evaluation model of remote sensing based ecological index (RSEI) to monitor and analyze the ecological environment quality of Weinan City from 1995 to 2015. The results showed that the mean values of RSEI in Weinan City increased from 0.489 to 0.556 during 1995-2015, which indicated the ecological environment qua-lity had been improved. The improved area of ecological quality was mainly distributed in the central area of Weinan City and its proportion was 49.6%. While the proportion of ecological environment degradation was 15.4%, and such areas were mainly distributed in some mine areas of Hancheng City and the southern Weinan (Weinan Section in North Qinling Mountains). The quality of ecolo-gical environment was greatly influenced by the urban planning and construction in the study area. Generally, the ecological condition of Weinan City had been improved, which benefited from the attention and investment of government.

Age and provenance constraints on seismically-determined crustal layers beneath the Paleozoic southern Central Asian Orogen, Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jian, Ping; Kröner, Alfred; Shi, Yuruo; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Yaran; Windley, Brian F.; Jahn, Bor-ming; Zhang, Liqao; Liu, Dunyi

2016-06-01

We present 110 ages and 51 in-situ δ18O values for zircon xenocrysts from a post-99 Ma intraplate basaltic rock suite hosted in a subduction-accretion complex of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt in order to constrain a seismic profile across the Paleozoic Southern Orogen of Inner Mongolia and the northern margin of the North China Craton. Two zircon populations are recognized, namely a Phanerozoic group of 70 zircons comprising granitoid-derived (ca. 431-99 Ma; n = 31; peak at 256 Ma), meta-granitoid-derived (ca. 449-113 Ma; n = 24; peak at 251 Ma) and gabbro-derived (436-242 Ma; n = 15; peaks at 264 and 244 Ma) grains. Each textural type is characterized by a distinct zircon oxygen isotope composition and is thus endowed with a genetic connotation. The Precambrian population (2605-741 Ma; n = 40) exhibits a prominent age peak at 2520 Ma (granulite-facies metamorphism) and four small peaks at ca. 1900, 1600, and 800 Ma. Our new data, together with literature zircon ages, significantly constrain models of three seismically-determined deep crustal layers beneath the fossil subduction zone-forearc along the active northern margin of the North China Craton, namely: (1) an upper arc crust of early to mid-Paleozoic age, intruded by a major Permian-Triassic composite granitoid-gabbroic pluton (8-20 km depth); (2) a middle crust, predominantly consisting of mid-Meso- to Neoproterozoic felsic and mafic gneisses; and (3) a lower crust composed predominantly of late Archean granulite-facies rocks. We conclude that the Paleozoic orogenic crust is limited to the upper crustal level, and the middle to lower crust has a North China Craton affinity. Furthermore, integrating our data with surface geological, petrological and geochronological constraints, we present a new conceptual model of orogenic uplift, lithospheric delamination and crustal underthrusting for this key ocean-continent convergent margin.

Tick-borne pathogens and associated co-infections in ticks collected from domestic animals in central China.

PubMed

Chen, Zhuo; Liu, Qin; Liu, Ji-Qi; Xu, Bian-Li; Lv, Shan; Xia, Shang; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

2014-05-22

Ticks can transmit a number of pathogens to humans and domestic animals. Tick borne diseases (TBDs), which may lead to organ failure and death have been recently reported in China. 98.75% of the total cases (>1000) in Henan provinces have been reported in Xinyang city. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the fauna of ticks and detect the potential pathogens in ticks in Xinyang, the region of central China. Ticks were collected from 10 villages of Xinyang from April to December 2012, from domestic animals including sheep, cattle and dogs. Then identification of ticks and detection of tick-borne pathogens, including Babesia spp., Theileria spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Leishmania infantum, were undertaken by using polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) and sequence analysis. Moreover, the co-infection patterns of various pathogens were compared among locations where ticks were collected. A total of 308 ticks were collected. Two species of Ixodidae were found, namely Haemaphysalis longicornis (96.75%) and Rhipicephalus microplus (3.25%). Five genera of pathogens, namely Theileria spp. (3.25%), Anaplasma spp. (2.92%), Babesia spp. (1.95%), Ehrlichia spp. (2.92%) and Rickettsia spp. (0.65%), were detected in 7 villages. Co-infections by two pathogens were diagnosed in 11.11% of all infected ticks. Both human and animal pathogens were abundant in ticks in the study areas. Humans and animals in these regions were at a high risk of exposure to piroplasmosis, since piroplasm had the highest rates of infection and co-infection in positive ticks.

Performance of black walnut from the central hardwood region in China's Yellow River watershed

Treesearch

J. W. Van Sambeek; Sheng-Ke Xi; William A. Gustafson; Mark V. Coggeshall

2003-01-01

The introduction and evaluation of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) into the People's Republic of China is a relatively recent development (Xi and others 1999). Small isolated black walnut plantings established by missionaries from the United States can be found throughout much of China; however, few written records document the growth of the...

Characteristics of tropical cyclone extreme precipitation and its preliminary causes in Southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Wenyu; Ren, Fumin; Wu, Liguang; Chen, Lianshou; Ding, Chenchen

2018-03-01

Extreme precipitation induced by a tropical cyclone (TC) is of great concern to Southeast China. Regional characteristics of daily TC-induced extreme precipitation (TCEP) between 1958 and 2016 and the associated preliminary causes over Southeast China (Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shanghai) were examined by applying the objective synoptic analysis technique, TC track similarity area index, daily precipitation observations, and reanalysis data. The intensity and frequency of high-intensity TCEP (≥ 100, ≥ 200, ≥ 300 mm) have had an increasing trend over recent decades. Most of TCEP occurs from July to September, with frequency peaks in August for TCEP at all intensity levels, apart from the frequency for TCEP ≥ 300 mm that peaks in September. Regions with high frequency and large TCEP (R-HFLTs) (relatively high frequency for TCEP ≥ 100 mm) were concentrated along the coastline of the southern coastal Fujian (Southern R-HFLT), the regions from northern coastal Fujian to southernmost coastal Zhejiang (Central R-HFLT), and central coastal Zhejiang (Northern R-HFLT), decreasing from the coastline to inland. The Central R-HFLT region had the highest TCEP intensity and frequency for TCEP ≥ 100 mm compared with the other R-HFLTs. Further analysis showed that the special terrain of Southeast China matched the spatial distribution of TCEP, which highlights the significance of the topography of Southeast China. To discover other factors responsible for the heavy TCEP, we compared two TC groups that influence Central R-HFLT. Under a more northerly direction and slow movement combined with the unique terrain, TCs with stronger vortex circulation generated heavier TCEP during landfall in Central R-HFLT. Heavy TCEP occurred with easterly and southeasterly winds interacting with terrain over the eastern coast for Central R-HFLT. Although large changes in the internal and external environment were sensitive to the observed TCEP intensity, the interaction between TC circulation

Paleozoic magmatism and porphyry Cu-mineralization in an evolving tectonic setting in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Kun-Feng; Deng, Jun; Taylor, Ryan D.; Song, Kai-Rui; Song, Yao-Hui; Li, Quan-Zhong; Goldfarb, Richard J.

2016-05-01

The NWW-striking North Qilian Orogenic Belt records the Paleozoic accretion-collision processes in NW China, and hosts Paleozoic Cu-Pb-Zn mineralization that was temporally and spatially related to the closure of the Paleo Qilian-Qinling Ocean. The Wangdian Cu deposit is located in the eastern part of the North Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China. Copper mineralization is spatially associated with an altered early Paleozoic porphyritic granodiorite, which intruded tonalites and volcaniclastic rocks. Alteration zones surrounding the mineralization progress outward from a potassic to a feldspar-destructive phyllic assemblage. Mineralization consists mainly of quartz-sulfide stockworks and disseminated sulfides, with ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, molybdenite, and minor galena and sphalerite. Gangue minerals include quartz, orthoclase, biotite, sericite, and K-feldspar. Zircon LA-ICPMS U-Pb dating of the ore-bearing porphyritic granodiorite yielded a mean 206Pb/238U age of 444.6 ± 7.8 Ma, with a group of inherited zircons yielding a mean U-Pb age of 485 ± 12 Ma, consistent with the emplacement age (485.3 ± 6.2 Ma) of the barren precursor tonalite. Rhenium and osmium analyses of molybdenite grains returned model ages of 442.9 ± 6.8 Ma and 443.3 ± 6.2 Ma, indicating mineralization was coeval with the emplacement of the host porphyritic granodiorite. Rhenium concentrations in molybdenite (208.9-213.2 ppm) suggest a mantle Re source. The tonalities are medium-K calc-alkaline. They are characterized by enrichment of light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs), depletion of heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs) and high-field-strength elements (HFSEs), and minor negative Eu anomalies. They have εHf(t) values in the range of +3.6 to +11.1, with two-stage Hf model ages of 0.67-1.13 Ga, suggesting that the ca. 485 Ma barren tonalites were products of arc magmatism incorporating melts from the mantle wedge and the lithosphere. In contrast, the

China’s Energy Security: The Grand Hedging Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

spotlight. The key to sustaining this dynamic economic growth is access to petroleum resources. The central question of this monograph is as follows...Is China’s energy security strategy liberal-institutionalist or realist-mercantilist? Using a qualitative case study methodology that explores the...dependent variable -- energy security -- using three independent variables (cost of supply, reliability of supply, and security of supply), China’s

The impact of winter heating on air pollution in China.

PubMed

Xiao, Qingyang; Ma, Zongwei; Li, Shenshen; Liu, Yang

2015-01-01

Fossil-fuel combustion related winter heating has become a major air quality and public health concern in northern China recently. We analyzed the impact of winter heating on aerosol loadings over China using the MODIS-Aqua Collection 6 aerosol product from 2004-2012. Absolute humidity (AH) and planetary boundary layer height (PBL) -adjusted aerosol optical depth (AOD*) was constructed to reflect ground-level PM2.5 concentrations. GIS analysis, standard statistical tests, and statistical modeling indicate that winter heating is an important factor causing increased PM2.5 levels in more than three-quarters of central and eastern China. The heating season AOD* was more than five times higher as the non-heating season AOD*, and the increase in AOD* in the heating areas was greater than in the non-heating areas. Finally, central heating tend to contribute less to air pollution relative to other means of household heating.

Psychology in Action: Psychology in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Sigmund

1977-01-01

"Psychologists in the People's Republic of China are engaged in research concerning theory, Chinese language, child development, vision, audition, and areas of physiological psychology including acupuncture, pain, memory, and central nervous system functioning. The Institute of Psychology within the Chinese Academy of Sciences represents the…

Paleoclimatic and paleomagnetic constraints on the Paleozoic reconstructions of south China, north China and Tarim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shangyou, Nie

1991-10-01

Paleomagnetic and paleoclimatic data provide the most useful latitudinal constraints for plate reconstructions. Distributions through the Paleozoic of five types of climatically sensitive sediments (coals, evaporites, reefs, dolomites and limestones) for south China, north China and Tarim are shown on 15 maps that include 1578 reliable data points. These paleoclimatic data agree reasonably well with available paleomagnetic directions, although significant divergence between the two exists for the Early Paleozoic. These data indicate the following: (1) South China was in low latitudes during the entire Paleozoic, with a subtropical position in the Cambrian. (2) North China also remained near the equator in the Early and Late Paleozoic, except for the Ordovian and the Late Permian when extensive evaporites suggest slightly higher latitudinal positions, while its Middle Paleozoic position is uncertain due to the missing stratigraphie record. (3) In south China, local tectonics appears to have played a dominant role in determining paleogeography and therefore marine sedimentation, especially after the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian, because the areal coverage of marine sediments through time is distinctly different from what would be expected from published global sea-level curves. (4) Paleoclimatic and paleomagnetic data are compatible with biogeographic data which suggest that south China was part of eastern Gondwana in the Early Paleozoic, but was widely separated from Gondwana in the Late Paleozoic, and the split between the two probably happened in the Devonian, giving rise to a major break-up unconformity in central south China.

Modeling study of secondary organic aerosol in winter in China using NAQPMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Li, J.

2017-12-01

The concentration of organic aerosol (OA) in the central and eastern China is much higher than that in Europe and America. Compared with the observation, the current numerical modeling studies largely underestimated the concentration of OA, especially the secondary component. Based on the volatility basis set framework, a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) module was developed, which considering the multi-generation oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile POA and intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs). The newly developed SOA module was coupled into the NAQPMS, and the performance of the simulation was validated by the observation with high temporal resolution. In wintertime, the OA concentration in the central and eastern China was maintained above 15-20 μg·m-3, and SOA accounted for 50-65% of OA concentration. The OA concentration even reached 40 μg·m-3 in the provinces emitting most pollutants (such as Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shandong and Hubei province). IVOCs were important precursors of SOA in China, and could reduce the great discrepancy between simulation and observation. In wintertime, the contribution from IVOCs accounted for 60-80% of SOA formation. The aging of semi-volatile POA had less impact on the SOA formation, which maintained only 2-8% over central and eastern China.

Mountain building at northeastern boundary of Tibetan Plateau and craton reworking at Ordos block from joint inversion of ambient noise tomography and receiver functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhen; Chen, Yongshun John

2017-04-01

We have obtained a high resolution 3-D crustal and uppermost mantle velocity model of the Ordos block and its surrounding areas by joint inversion of ambient noise tomography and receiver functions using seismic recordings from 320 stations. The resulting model shows wide-spread low velocity zone (Vs ≤ 3.4 km/s) in the mid-to-lower crust beneath northeastern Tibet Plateau, which may favor crustal ductile flow within the plateau. However, our model argues against the eastward crustal ductile flow beneath the Qinling belt from the Tibetan Plateau. We find high velocities in the middle part of Qinling belt which separate the low velocities in the mid-to-lower crust of the eastern Qinling belt from the low velocity zone in eastern Tibetan Plateau. More importantly, we observe significant low velocities and thickened lower crust at the Liupanshan thrust belt as the evidence for strong crustal shortening at this boundary between the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and Ordos block. The most important finding of our model is the upper mantle low velocity anomalies surrounding the Ordos block, particularly the one beneath the Trans North China Craton (TNCO) that is penetrating into the southern margin of the Ordos block for ∼100 km horizontally in the depth range of ∼70 km and at least 100 km. We propose an on-going lithospheric mantle reworking at the southernmost boundary of the Ordos block due to complicated mantle flow surrounding the Ordos block, that is, the eastward asthenospheric flow from the Tibet Plateau proposed by recent SKS study and mantle upwelling beneath the TNCO from mantle transition zone induced by the stagnant slabs of the subducted Pacific plate.

Pollen Analysis of Natural Honeys from the Central Region of Shanxi, North China

PubMed Central

Song, Xiao-Yan; Yao, Yi-Feng; Yang, Wu-De

2012-01-01

Based on qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analyses, 19 Chinese honeys were classified by botanical origin to determine their floral sources. The honey samples were collected during 2010–2011 from the central region of Shanxi Province, North China. A diverse spectrum of 61 pollen types from 37 families was identified. Fourteen samples were classified as unifloral, whereas the remaining samples were multifloral. Bee-favoured families (occurring in more than 50% of the samples) included Caprifoliaceae (found in 10 samples), Laminaceae (10), Brassicaceae (12), Rosaceae (12), Moraceae (13), Rhamnaceae (15), Asteraceae (17), and Fabaceae (19). In the unifloral honeys, the predominant pollen types were Ziziphus jujuba (in 5 samples), Robinia pseudoacacia (3), Vitex negundo var. heterophylla (2), Sophora japonica (1), Ailanthus altissima (1), Asteraceae type (1), and Fabaceae type (1). The absolute pollen count (i.e., the number of pollen grains per 10 g honey sample) suggested that 13 samples belonged to Group I (<20,000 pollen grains), 4 to Group II (20,000–100,000), and 2 to Group III (100,000–500,000). The dominance of unifloral honeys without toxic pollen grains and the low value of the HDE/P ratio (i.e., honey dew elements/pollen grains from nectariferous plants) indicated that the honey samples are of good quality and suitable for human consumption. PMID:23185358

Pollution pathways and release estimation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in central and eastern China.

PubMed

Liu, Zhaoyang; Lu, Yonglong; Wang, Pei; Wang, Tieyu; Liu, Shijie; Johnson, Andrew C; Sweetman, Andrew J; Baninla, Yvette

2017-02-15

China has gradually become the most important manufacturing and consumption centre for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the world, and inadvertently become the world's major contamination hotspots. However, a systematic analysis of pollution pathways for PFOS/PFOA into the different environmental compartments and their quantification in China has yet to be carried out. This study focused on PFOS and PFOA release into the environment in the central and eastern region of China, which accounts for the vast majority of national emission. About 80-90% of PFOS/PFOA contamination in the Chinese environment was estimated to come directly from manufacturing and industrial sites mostly via wastewater discharge from these facilities. The other major contamination sources for PFOS were identified as being linked to aqueous fire-fighting foams (AFFFs), and pesticides including sulfluramid. For PFOA, following some way behind industrial wastewater, were industrial exhaust gas, domestic wastewater and landfill leachate as contamination sources. For surface water contamination, the major pollution contributors after industrial wastewater were AFFF spill runoff for PFOS, and domestic wastewater and precipitation-runoff for PFOA. The majority of PFOS that contaminated soil was considered to be linked with infiltration of AFFF and pesticides, while most PFOA in soil was attributed to atmospheric deposition and landfill leachate. Where groundwater had become contaminated, surface water seepage was estimated to contribute about 50% of PFOS and 40% of PFOA while the remainder was mostly derived from soil leaching. A review of the available monitoring data for PFOS/PFOA in the literature supported the view that industrial wastewater, landfill leachate and AFFF application were the dominant sources. Higher concentrations of PFOA than PFOS found in precipitation also corroborated the prediction of more PFOA release into air. To reduce PFOS

Integration of multi-source and multi-scale datasets for 3D structural modeling for subsurface exploration targeting, Luanchuan Mo-polymetallic district, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gongwen; Ma, Zhenbo; Li, Ruixi; Song, Yaowu; Qu, Jianan; Zhang, Shouting; Yan, Changhai; Han, Jiangwei

2017-04-01

In this paper, multi-source (geophysical, geochemical, geological and remote sensing) datasets were used to construct multi-scale (district-, deposit-, and orebody-scale) 3D geological models and extract 3D exploration criteria for subsurface Mo-polymetallic exploration targeting in the Luanchuan district in China. The results indicate that (i) a series of region-/district-scale NW-trending thrusts controlled main Mo-polymetallic forming, and they were formed by regional Indosinian Qinling orogenic events, the secondary NW-trending district-scale folds and NE-trending faults and the intrusive stock structure are produced based on thrust structure in Caledonian-Indosinian orogenic events; they are ore-bearing zones and ore-forming structures; (ii) the NW-trending district-scale and NE-trending deposit-scale normal faults were crossed and controlled by the Jurassic granite stocks in 3D space, they are associated with the magma-skarn Mo polymetallic mineralization (the 3D buffer distance of ore-forming granite stocks is 600 m) and the NW-trending hydrothermal Pb-Zn deposits which are surrounded by the Jurassic granite stocks and constrained by NW-trending or NE-trending faults (the 3D buffer distance of ore-forming fault is 700 m); and (iii) nine Mo polymetallic and four Pb-Zn targets were identified in the subsurface of the Luanchuan district.

How was the Triassic Songpan-Ganzi basin filled? A provenance study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Enkelmann, E.; Weislogel, A.; Ratschbacher, L.; Eide, E.; Renno, A.; Wooden, J.

2007-01-01

The Triassic Songpan-Ganzi complex comprises >200,000 km2 of 5-15 km thick turbiditic sediments. Although surrounded by several magmatic and orogenic belts, the Triassic high- and ultrahigh-pressure Qinling-Tongbai-Hong'an-Dabie (QTHD) orogen, located several hundred kilometers to the east, was proposed as its major source. Middle to Late Triassic samples from the northern and southern Songpan-Ganzi complex, studied using detrital white mica 40Ar/39Ar ages, Si-in-white mica content, and detrital zircon U/Pb ages, suggest that the northern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem obtained detritus from the north: the north China block, east Kunlun, northern Qaidam, Qilian, and western Qinling; the southern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem was supplied from the northeasterly located Paleozoic QTHD area throughout the Ladinian and received detritus from the Triassic Hong'an-Dabie orogen during the Carnian, indicative of exhumation of the orogen at that time. The QTHD orogen fed the Norian samples in the southeastern southern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem, signifying long drainage channels along the western margin of the south China block. An additional supply from the Emeishan magmatic province and/or the Yidun arc is suggested by the paucity of white mica in the southern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem. Mica ages of Rhaetian sediments from the northwestern Sichuan basin best correlate with those of the Triassic QTHD orogen. Our Si-in-white mica data demonstrate that the high- and ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Hong'an-Dabie Shan were not exposed in the Middle to Late Triassic. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

[Regional differences of inputs of organic matter and chemical fertilizer in South Central China].

PubMed

Liu, Huan-yao; Wu, Jin-shui; Zhou, Jiao-gen; Xiao, He-ai; Zhou, Ping

2015-09-01

This article analyzed the inputs of organic matter and chemical fertilizer in the cropland of South Central China, i.e., Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong and Guangxi, and then calculated the budgets of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), based on the data from field investigations and peasant household surveys in the four provinces. The results showed that total amounts of organic matter inputs in the four provinces was ranked as follow: 8993 kg · hm(-2) in Guangxi, 6390 kg · hm(-2) in Hunan, 5012 kg · hm(-2) in Hubei, 4630 kg · hm(-2) in Guangdong, and average NPK inputs in the four provinces were ranked as follow: 777.5 kg · hm(-2) in Guangxi, 501.6 kg · hm(-2) in Hunan, 486.4 kg · hm(-2) in Hubei, 340.4 kg · hm(-2) in Guangdong. The N and P input surpluses were greatest in Guangxi (67.2% and 99.0% as for N and P, respectively) , followed by Hunan (33.2% and 50.8%), Hubei (11.8% and 11.0%), and Guangdong (7.8% and 30.0%). However, K input was deficient in Hunan, Hubei, and Guangdong (6.6%, 18.7% and 12.4%), but surplus in Guangxi (19.5%).

JPRS Report, China.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-23

would be only Socialism 20 percent Chinese because, by 1945, 60 percent of the 91CM0444A Beijing XUEXI YU YANJIU [ STUDY citizens of Changchun City...interior of China through Hong aggregate national strength could effectively contend Kong, which again brought prosperity to Hong Kong. In with the United...tolerate this exchange at unequal Central Committee recently handed down a set of " study value. Because they, the developed countries, have high

Effects of nitrogen fertilizer sources and tillage practices on greenhouse gas emissions in paddy fields of central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. S.; Chen, J.; Liu, T. Q.; Cao, C. G.; Li, C. F.

2016-11-01

The effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer sources and tillage practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission have been well elucidated separately. However, it is still remained unclear regarding the combined effects of N fertilization and tillage practices on the global warming potential (GWP) and net ecosystem economic budget (NEEB) in paddy fields. In this paper, a 2-year field experiment was performed to investigate the effects of N fertilizer sources (N0, no N; IF, 100% N from chemical fertilizer; SRIF, 50% N from slow-release fertilizer and 50% N from chemical fertilizer; OF, 100% N from organic fertilizer; OFIF, 50% N from organic fertilizer and 50% N from chemical fertilizer) and tillage practices (CT, conventional intensive tillage; NT, no-tillage) on the emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), GWP, greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI), and NEEB in paddy fields of central China. Compared with N0 treatment, IF, SRIF, OF and OFIF treatments greatly enhanced the cumulative seasonal CH4 emissions (by 54.7%, 41.7%, 51.1% and 66.0%, respectively) and N2O emissions (by 164.5%, 93.4%, 130.2% and 251.3%, respectively). NT treatment significantly decreased the GWP and GHGI compared with CT treatment. On the other hand, NT treatment significantly decreased CH4 emissions by 8.5-13.7%, but did not affect N2O emissions relative to CT treatment. Application of N fertilizers significantly increased GWP and GHGI. It was worth noting that the combined treatment of OFIF and NT resulted in the second-highest GWP and GHGI and the largest NEEB among all treatments. Therefore, our results suggest that OFIF combined with NT is an eco-friendly strategy to optimize the economic and environmental benefits of paddy fields in central China. Although the treatment of SRIF plus NT showed the lowest GWP and GHGI and the highest grain yield among all treatments, it led to the lowest NEEB due to its highest fertilizer cost. These results indicate that the government should provide

Seroprevalence and first multilocus microsatellite genotyping of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in Henan, central China.

PubMed

Qian, Weifeng; Wang, Tianqi; Yan, Wenchao; Zhang, Min; Han, Lifang; Xue, Rui; Song, Shaofu; Lv, Chaochao

2017-09-15

Neospora caninum is one of the important causes of abortion in cattle worldwide, and losses due to neosporosis to the cattle industry are considerable. However, the knowledge of genetic characterization of this parasite is limited. The aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence and genetic characterization of N. caninum from dairy cows in Henan Province, central China. A total of 510 blood samples and 7 aborted fetuses were collected from 8 dairy farms in Henan Province. Serum antibodies to N. caninum were examined by ELISA using a recombinant tNcSRS2 protein as the coating antigen. The overall seroprevalence of N. caninum in dairy cows was 41.2% (210/510). The seropositivity rate of N. caninum in aborting cows (49.3%) was statistically significant higher than that (29.3%) in non-aborting cows (p<0.05) with an odds ratio of 2.44 (95% CI, 1.61-3.41). Statistical association was also found between farm type and the seropositivity rate of N. caninum infection in cows (p<0.01).N. caninum DNA was detected from 6 of 396 blood samples (1.5%) and 4 of 7 aborted fetuses by nested PCR based on NC5 gene, and the 10N. caninum positive DNA samples were further analyzed by multilocus microsatellite (MS) genotyping for MS4, MS5, MS6A, MS7, MS8, MS10, and MS12. Only 2 samples were successfully genotyped at all genetic loci, and two unique profiles including two novel allelic patterns were identified. To our knowledge, this study is the first report of genetic characterization of N. caninum isolates from naturally infected dairy cows based on multilocus microsatellites (more than 2 loci) in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tree-ring-width-based PDSI reconstruction for central Inner Mongolia, China over the past 333 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yu; Zhang, Xinjia; Song, Huiming; Cai, Qiufang; Li, Qiang; Zhao, Boyang; Liu, Han; Mei, Ruochen

2017-02-01

A tree-ring-width chronology was developed from Pinus tabulaeformis aged up to 333 years from central Inner Mongolia, China. The chronology was significantly correlated with the local Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). We therefore reconstructed the first PDSI reconstruction from March to June based on the local tree ring data from 1680 to 2012 AD. The reconstruction explained 40.7 % of the variance (39.7 % after adjusted the degrees of freedom) of the actual PDSI during the calibration period (1951-2012 AD). The reconstructed PDSI series captured the severe drought event of the late 1920s, which occurred extensively in northern China. Running variance analyses indicated that the variability of drought increased sharply after 1960, indicating more drought years, which may imply anthropogenic related global warming effects in the region. In the entire reconstruction, there were five dry periods: 1730-1814 AD, 1849-1869 AD, 1886-1942 AD (including severe drought in late 1920s), 1963-1978 AD and 2004-2007 AD; and five wet periods: 1685-1729 AD, 1815-1848 AD, 1870-1885 AD, 1943-1962 AD and 1979-2003 AD. Conditions turned dry after 2003 AD, and the PDSI from March to June (PDSI36) captured many interannual extreme drought events since then, such as 2005-2008 AD. The reconstruction is comparable to other tree-ring-width-based PDSI series from the neighboring regions, indicating that our reconstruction has good regional representativeness. Significant relationships were found between our PDSI reconstruction and the solar radiation cycle and the sun spot cycle, North Atlantic Oscillation, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, as well as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Power spectral analyses detected 147.0-, 128.2-, 46.5-, 6.5-, 6.3-, 2.6-, 2.2- and 2.0-year quasi-cycles in the reconstructed series.

Mazus sunhangii (Mazaceae), a New Species Discovered in Central China Appears to Be Highly Endangered

PubMed Central

Kim, Changkyun; Zhang, Jian-Wen; Zhang, Dai-Gui; Volis, Sergei

2016-01-01

Mazus sunhangii, a new species of Mazaceae from central China is described and illustrated based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny. This new species is morphologically similar to M. puchellus and M. omeiensis but differs in erect habit, inflorescence position, leaf pattern and corolla color. Phylogenetic analysis based on four chloroplast DNA regions (rbcL, rps16, trnL-F, and psbA-trnH) identified the new species as the independent lineage sister to the other East Asian Mazus species. The new species is known only from a single location in Mt. Shennongjia area in northwest Hubei province, at the elevation of 760 m. The species grows on the limestone cliff, and, because a tourist arterial highway is located along this cliff, its habitat can be easily disturbed or destroyed. We propose that the only known species location is recognized as critical habitat (i.e., as the habitat required to ensure the persistence of a species) and the species listed as Critically Endangered based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Categories and Criteria B2a. PMID:27783628

The Impact of Winter Heating on Air Pollution in China

PubMed Central

Xiao, Qingyang; Ma, Zongwei; Li, Shenshen; Liu, Yang

2015-01-01

Fossil-fuel combustion related winter heating has become a major air quality and public health concern in northern China recently. We analyzed the impact of winter heating on aerosol loadings over China using the MODIS-Aqua Collection 6 aerosol product from 2004–2012. Absolute humidity (AH) and planetary boundary layer height (PBL) -adjusted aerosol optical depth (AOD*) was constructed to reflect ground-level PM2.5 concentrations. GIS analysis, standard statistical tests, and statistical modeling indicate that winter heating is an important factor causing increased PM2.5 levels in more than three-quarters of central and eastern China. The heating season AOD* was more than five times higher as the non-heating season AOD*, and the increase in AOD* in the heating areas was greater than in the non-heating areas. Finally, central heating tend to contribute less to air pollution relative to other means of household heating. PMID:25629878

An analysis of organic matter sources for surface sediments in the central South Yellow Sea, China: evidence based on macroelements and n-alkanes.

PubMed

Zhang, Shengyin; Li, Shuanglin; Dong, Heping; Zhao, Qingfang; Lu, Xinchuan; Shi, Ji'an

2014-11-15

By analyzing the composition of n-alkane and macroelements in the surface sediments of the central South Yellow Sea of China, we evaluated the influencing factors on the distribution of organic matter. The analysis indicates that the distribution of total organic carbon (TOC) was low in the west and high in the east, and TOC was more related to Al2O3 content than medium diameter (MD). The composition of n-alkanes indicated the organic matter was mainly derived from terrestrial higher plants. Contributions from herbaceous plants and woody plants were comparable. The comprehensive analysis of the parameters of macroelements and n-alkanes showed the terrestrial organic matter in the central South Yellow Sea was mainly from the input of the modern Yellow River and old Yellow River. However, some samples exhibited evident input characteristics from petroleum sources, which changed the original n-alkanes of organic matter in sediments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Tropospheric Ozone on Summer Climate in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shu; Wang, Tijian; Zanis, Prodromos; Melas, Dimitris; Zhuang, Bingliang

2018-04-01

The spatial distribution, radiative forcing, and climatic effects of tropospheric ozone in China during summer were investigated by using the regional climate model RegCM4. The results revealed that the tropospheric ozone column concentration was high in East China, Central China, North China, and the Sichuan basin during summer. The increase in tropospheric ozone levels since the industrialization era produced clear-sky shortwave and clear-sky longwave radiative forcing of 0.18 and 0.71 W m-2, respectively, which increased the average surface air temperature by 0.06 K and the average precipitation by 0.22 mm day-1 over eastern China during summer. In addition, tropospheric ozone increased the land-sea thermal contrast, leading to an enhancement of East Asian summer monsoon circulation over southern China and a weakening over northern China. The notable increase in surface air temperature in northwestern China, East China, and North China could be attributed to the absorption of longwave radiation by ozone, negative cloud amount anomaly, and corresponding positive shortwave radiation anomaly. There was a substantial increase in precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It was related to the enhanced upward motion and the increased water vapor brought by strengthened southerly winds in the lower troposphere.

Water use efficiency of China's terrestrial ecosystems and responses to drought.

PubMed

Liu, Yibo; Xiao, Jingfeng; Ju, Weimin; Zhou, Yanlian; Wang, Shaoqiang; Wu, Xiaocui

2015-09-08

Water use efficiency (WUE) measures the trade-off between carbon gain and water loss of terrestrial ecosystems, and better understanding its dynamics and controlling factors is essential for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. We assessed the magnitude, spatial patterns, and trends of WUE of China's terrestrial ecosystems and its responses to drought using a process-based ecosystem model. During the period from 2000 to 2011, the national average annual WUE (net primary productivity (NPP)/evapotranspiration (ET)) of China was 0.79 g C kg(-1) H2O. Annual WUE decreased in the southern regions because of the decrease in NPP and the increase in ET and increased in most northern regions mainly because of the increase in NPP. Droughts usually increased annual WUE in Northeast China and central Inner Mongolia but decreased annual WUE in central China. "Turning-points" were observed for southern China where moderate and extreme droughts reduced annual WUE and severe drought slightly increased annual WUE. The cumulative lagged effect of drought on monthly WUE varied by region. Our findings have implications for ecosystem management and climate policy making. WUE is expected to continue to change under future climate change particularly as drought is projected to increase in both frequency and severity.

Attribution of the July–August 2013 heat event in Central and Eastern China to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

DOE PAGES

Ma, Shuangmei; Zhou, Tianjun; Stone, Dáithí A.; ...

2017-05-19

In the midsummer of 2013, Central and Eastern China (CEC) was hit by an extraordinary heat event, with the region experiencing the warmest July-August on record. To explore how human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and natural internal variability contributed to this heat event, we compare observed July-August mean surface air temperature wit h that simulated by climate models. We find that both atmospheric natural variability and anthropogenic factors contributed to this heat event. This extreme warm midsummer was associated with a positive high-pressure anomaly that was closely related to the stochastic behavior of atmospheric circulation. Diagnosis of CMIP5 models and largemore » ensembles of two atmospheric models indicates that human influence has substantially increased the chance of warm mid-summers such as 2013 in CEC, although the exact estimated increase depends on the selection of climate models.« less

Attribution of the July–August 2013 heat event in Central and Eastern China to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Shuangmei; Zhou, Tianjun; Stone, Dáithí A.

In the midsummer of 2013, Central and Eastern China (CEC) was hit by an extraordinary heat event, with the region experiencing the warmest July-August on record. To explore how human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and natural internal variability contributed to this heat event, we compare observed July-August mean surface air temperature wit h that simulated by climate models. We find that both atmospheric natural variability and anthropogenic factors contributed to this heat event. This extreme warm midsummer was associated with a positive high-pressure anomaly that was closely related to the stochastic behavior of atmospheric circulation. Diagnosis of CMIP5 models and largemore » ensembles of two atmospheric models indicates that human influence has substantially increased the chance of warm mid-summers such as 2013 in CEC, although the exact estimated increase depends on the selection of climate models.« less

[Vertical distribution of soil active carbon and soil organic carbon storage under different forest types in the Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Wang, Di; Geng, Zeng-Chao; She, Diao; He, Wen-Xiang; Hou, Lin

2014-06-01

Adopting field investigation and indoor analysis methods, the distribution patterns of soil active carbon and soil carbon storage in the soil profiles of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata (Matoutan Forest, I), Pinus tabuliformis (II), Pinus armandii (III), pine-oak mixed forest (IV), Picea asperata (V), and Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata (Xinjiashan Forest, VI) of Qinling Mountains were studied in August 2013. The results showed that soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and easily oxidizable carbon (EOC) decreased with the increase of soil depth along the different forest soil profiles. The SOC and DOC contents of different depths along the soil profiles of P. asperata and pine-oak mixed forest were higher than in the other studied forest soils, and the order of the mean SOC and DOC along the different soil profiles was V > IV > I > II > III > VI. The contents of soil MBC of the different forest soil profiles were 71.25-710.05 mg x kg(-1), with a content sequence of I > V > N > III > II > VI. The content of EOC along the whole soil profile of pine-oak mixed forest had a largest decline, and the order of the mean EOC was IV > V> I > II > III > VI. The sequence of soil organic carbon storage of the 0-60 cm soil layer was V > I >IV > III > VI > II. The MBC, DOC and EOC contents of the different forest soils were significanty correlated to each other. There was significant positive correlation among soil active carbon and TOC, TN. Meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between soil active carbon and other soil basic physicochemical properties.

Fingerprints of the Paleotethyan back-arc basin in Central Hainan, South China: geochronological and geochemical constraints on the Carboniferous metabasites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Huiying; Wang, Yuejun; Zhang, Yanhua; Qian, Xin; Zhang, Yuzhi

2018-03-01

Hainan of Southeast Asia has been regarded as a key area for understanding the Late Paleozoic tectonic regime and amalgamation process of the Indochina with South China Blocks that are not well constrained. This paper presents a set of new geochronological, elemental, and Sr-Nd isotopic data for the Paleozoic Bangxi and Chenxing metabasites in Central Hainan. The geochronological data show that the representative samples yield the 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 328.1 ± 2.6 Ma and zircon U-Pb age of 330.7 ± 4.4 Ma, respectively. They are SiO2- and TiO2-poor, Al2O3-rich mafic rocks. The Chenxing samples are characterized by left-sloping chondrite-normalized REE and N-MORB-like multi-elemental patterns. The Bangxi samples have the E-MORB-like geochemical affinity. All samples show high ɛ Nd(t) values ranging from +5.61 to +9.85. Such signatures suggest their origination of a MORB-like source with the input of subduction-derived components. Our investigation has verified the presence of the Carboniferous metabasites with both MORB- and arc- like geochemical affinities at the Bangxi-Chenxing area in Central Hainan. In combination with the available data from the Jinshajiang, Ailaoshan, and Song Ma suture zones, it is proposed for the development of a Carboniferous back-arc basin along the Ailaoshan-Song Ma and Central Hainan suture zones in response to the subduction of the Paleotethyan main Ocean.

Challenges and Difficulties about College Counseling in China: Response to Portnoy (2013)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Ya; Yang, Wensheng; Liu, Mingbo; Wu, Mengyang

2016-01-01

Portnoy (2013) shared a series of personal observations about central issues in Chinese college mental health based on his Fulbright year in China. While we really appreciated his personal observations and his discussion, which shed light on cultural differences and structural forces in China, we present here a different perspective on his…

Distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions in Hubei of China: effects of centralized procurement arrangements.

PubMed

Yang, Lianping; Huang, Cunrui; Liu, Chaojie

2017-11-14

Poor distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions has attracted criticism since China adopted provincial centralized regional tendering and procurement systems. This study evaluated the impact of new procurement arrangements that limit the number of distributors at the county level in Hubei province, China. Procurement ordering and distribution data were collected from four counties that pioneered a new distribution arrangement (commencing September 2012) compared with six counties that continued the existing arrangement over the period from August 2011 to September 2013. The new arrangement allowed primary care institutions and/or suppliers to select a local distributor from a limited panel (from 3 to 5) of government nominated distributors. Difference-in-differences analyses were performed to assess the impact of the new arrangements on delivery and receipt of essential medicines. Overall, the new distribution arrangement has not improved distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions. On the contrary, we found a 7.78-19.85 percentage point (p < 0.01) decrease in distribution rates to rural primary care institutions. Similar results were demonstrated using the indicator of received rates, with a 7.89-19.65 percentage point (p < 0.01) decrease. Simply limiting the number of distributors does not offer a solution to the poor performance of delivery of essential medicines for primary care institutions, especially those located in rural areas. Procurement arrangements need to consider the special characteristics of rural facilities. In a county, there are more rural primary care institutions than urban ones. On average, rural primary care institutions demand more and are more geographically dispersed compared to their urban counterparts, which may impose increased distribution costs.

Participatory environmental governance in China: public hearings on urban water tariff setting.

PubMed

Zhong, Li-Jin; Mol, Arthur P J

2008-09-01

In the late 1990s China started to expand its market economic reform to the public sector, such as water services. This reform led to major changes in urban water management, including water tariff management. The reforms in water tariff management relate not only to tariffs, but also to the decision-making on tariffs. Water tariff decision-making seems to move away from China's conventional mode of highly centralized and bureaucratic policy- and decision-making. The legalization, institutionalization and performance of public hearings in water tariff management forms a crucial innovation in this respect. This article analyzes the emergence, development and current functioning of public hearings in water tariff setting, and assesses to what extent public hearings are part of a turning point in China's tradition of centralized bureaucratic decision-making, towards more transparent, decentralized and participative governance.

Holocene moisture changes in western China, Central Asia, inferred from stalagmites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Yanjun; Chiang, John C. H.; Breitenbach, Sebastian F. M.; Tan, Liangcheng; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, R. Lawrence; An, Zhisheng

2017-02-01

Central Asia lies at the convergence between the Mediterranean and Asian monsoon climates, and there is a complex interaction between the westerlies with the monsoon to form the climate of that region and its variability. The region is highly vulnerable to changes in rainfall, highlighting the need to understand the underlying controls. We present a stalagmite-based δ18O record from Kesang Cave in western China, using MC-ICP-MS U-series dating and stable isotope analysis. Stalagmite calcite δ18O largely documents changes in the δ18O of precipitation. δ18O in stalagmites was low during the early and middle Holocene (10.0-3.0 ka BP), and shifted to higher values between 3.0 and 2.0 ka BP. After 2.0 ka BP, δ18O fluctuates with distinct centennial-scale variations. Drawing from results of state-of-the-art atmospheric general circulation model simulations for the preindustrial period and 9 ka BP, we propose that changes in moisture source regions and the wetter climate both contributed to the isotopic depletion of precipitation during the early and middle Holocene. Multiple records from surrounding regions indicate a generally wetter climate during the early and mid- Holocene, supporting our interpretation on the speleothem δ18O. Changes in precipitation seasonality do not appear to be a viable explanation for the observed changes, nor increased penetration of monsoonal moisture to the study site. We speculate that the climatic regime shifted around 3.0-2.0 ka BP towards a drier climate, resulting in temperature having dominant control on precipitation δ18O. The demise of three settlements around 500AD at the margin of Tarim Basin coincided with a period of decreased precipitation and increased temperature that likely affected local water resources, underscoring the potential impact of climate on human habitation in this region.

Immunisation status and determinants of left-behind children aged 12-72 months in central China.

PubMed

Ni, Z L; Tan, X D; Shao, H Y; Wang, Y

2017-07-01

Many parents move from rural China to urban areas in search of job opportunities, and leave their children behind to be raised by relatives. We aimed to assess the immunisation coverage, including the 1:3:3:3:1 vaccine series (one dose of Bacilli Chalmette-Guérin vaccine; three doses of live attenuated oral poliomyelitis vaccine; three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis combined; three doses of hepatitis B vaccine; and one dose of measles-containing vaccine), in children aged 12-72 months and identify the determinants of immunisation uptake among left-behind children in Hubei Province, Central China, in 2014. In this cross-sectional study using the World Health Organization's cluster sampling technique, we surveyed 1368 children from 44 villages in 11 districts of Hubei Province. The socio-demographic and vaccination status data were collected by interviewing primary caregivers using a semi-structured questionnaire and reviewing the immunisation cards of the children. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the determinants of complete vaccination and age-appropriate vaccination. For each dose of the five vaccines, the vaccination coverage in the left-behind and non-left-behind children was >90%; however, the age-appropriate vaccination coverage for each vaccine was lower in left-behind than in non-left-behind children. For the five vaccines, the fully vaccinated rate of left-behind children were lower than those of non-left-behind children (89·1%, 92·7%; P = 0·013) and age-appropriate immunisation rate of left-behind children were lower than those of non-left-behind children (65·7%, 79·9%; P < 0·001). After controlling for potential confounders, we found that the parenting pattern, annual household income and attitude of the primary caregiver towards vaccination significantly influenced the vaccination status of children. Moreover, we noted a relatively high prevalence of delayed vaccination among left-behind children. Hence, we

Electricity reform and sustainable development in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, James H.; Kahrl, Fredrich

2008-10-01

Reducing the environmental impact of supplying electricity is a key to China's sustainable development, and a focus of both domestic and international concerns with greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental performance of the electricity sector is strongly affected by its institutional arrangements: regulatory frameworks, wholesale markets, pricing mechanisms, planning and coordination, and enforcement and incentive mechanisms. These arrangements are set to change as electricity reforms inaugurated in 2002, but sidetracked by several years of supply shortages, are being resumed. In this paper we examine the impact of electricity reform on environmental sustainability by analyzing case studies of four environmental initiatives in the electricity sector: retirement of inefficient generators, installation of pollution control equipment, renewable energy development, and efforts to promote energy efficiency. We find that implementation of these policies falls short of objectives for two main underlying reasons: conflicting priorities between central and provincial governments, and ineffective regulation. Sustainability will be best served not by redoubling short-term supply-oriented, market-based reforms, but by better aligning central and provincial government incentives, and by developing competent, independent regulation at the provincial level. China's central government and sub-national governments in industrialized countries can both contribute to the latter goal.

The mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between social support and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among patients with central system tumors in China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Bao, Yijun; Liu, Li; Ramos, Aaron; Wang, Yunjie; Wang, Lie

2015-12-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can affect people following the experience of a traumatic event. Few studies have researched on PTSD symptoms of patients with central nervous system tumors. In this study, we aim to examine the association between social support and PTSD symptoms and to explore the mediating effect of self-efficacy in this relationship among patients with central nervous system tumors in China. Questionnaires consisting of the Post-traumatic Stress Checklist-Civilian Version, the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, as well as demographic and clinical factors were used to collect information of patients with central nervous system tumors in Liaoning Province, China. A total of 222 patients (effective response rate of 66.1%) became our subjects. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to explore the association between social support and PTSD symptoms and the mediating effect of self-efficacy. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and tumor type, social support was negatively associated with the total score of PTSD symptoms (β = -0.342, P < 0.01). Social support explained 8.8% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. Self-efficacy was found to partially mediate the relationship between social support and PTSD symptoms. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between social support and PTSD symptoms. Interventions focusing on both social support and self-efficacy might be more useful than interventions only targeting either of them. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison Between a Typical Undergraduate Psychiatry Program in China and Canada--an Approach to Inform Psychiatry Education Reform in China.

PubMed

Yu, Miaoyu; Law, Samuel; Dang, Kien; Byrne, Niall

2016-04-01

Psychiatry as a field and undergraduate psychiatry education (UPE) specifically have historically been in the periphery of medicine in China, unlike the relatively central role they occupy in the West. During the current economic reform, Chinese undergraduate medical education (UME) is undergoing significant changes and standardization under the auspices of the national accreditation body. A comparative study, using Bereday's comparative education methodology and Feldmann's evaluative criteria as theoretical frameworks, to gain understanding of the differences and similarities between China and the West in terms of UPE can contribute to the UME reform, and specifically UPE development in China, and promote cross-cultural understanding. The authors employed multi-sourced information to perform a comparative study of UPE, using the University of Toronto as a representative of the western model and Guangxi Medical University, a typical program in China, as the Chinese counterpart. Key contrasts are numerous; highlights include the difference in age and level of education of the entrants to medical school, centrally vs. locally developed UPE curriculum, level of integration with the rest of medical education, visibility within the medical school, adequacy of teaching resources, amount of clinical learning experience, opportunity for supervision and mentoring, and methods of student assessment. Examination of the existing, multi-sourced information reveals some fundamental differences in the current UPE between the representative Chinese and western programs, reflecting historical, political, cultural, and socioeconomic circumstances of the respective settings. The current analyses show some areas worthy of further exploration to inform Chinese UPE reform. The current research is a practical beginning to the development of a deeper collaborative dialogue about psychiatry and its educational underpinnings between China and the West.

Educational Reform and Development in China. Special Studies in Comparative Education Number Nineteen.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Wu, Comp.; And Others

This publication consists of seven papers on educational reform in China chosen mainly from major Chinese journals of education science. "The Decision on Reforming the Educational System Made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," published in May 1985, is a particularly important document concerning the Chinese…

PM₂.₅ opened a door to public participation addressing environmental challenges in China.

PubMed

Huang, Ganlin

2015-02-01

China has long been regarded as a centralized society where the public has little influence on decision-making. Such a top-down management scheme is perceived as a major obstacle to address complicated environment issues. The recent public campaign in China to urge creation of a nationwide PM₂.₅ monitoring network and mitigation plan provides an unprecedented case of how the public participated and influenced policy-making in a centralized society. This paper reviews key incidents in the campaign chronologically. Here we identify information technology, public awareness of air quality's health impacts and the fact air quality affects everyone as public goods as the major factors promoting public participation. This case demonstrates that public participation can happen in a centralized, top-down society such as China. Continued environmental deterioration may stimulate similar campaigns for other issues. We anticipate this essay to be a starting point for more studies on how environmental issues stimulate incremental social change by making people involved in decision-making process, especially in societies where they are rarely able to do so. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-criterion model ensemble of CMIP5 surface air temperature over China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tiantian; Tao, Yumeng; Li, Jingjing; Zhu, Qian; Su, Lu; He, Xiaojia; Zhang, Xiaoming

2018-05-01

South Central China (the Inner Mongolia), the North Eastern China (the South Central China), and the North Western China (the South Central China), under RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively.

Historic distribution and recent loss of tigers in China.

PubMed

Kang, Aili; Xie, Yan; Tang, Jirong; Sanderson, Eric W; Ginsberg, Joshua R; Zhang, Endi

2010-12-01

Historical records can provide important evidence of changes in distributions of wildlife species. Here we discuss the distribution of the tiger (Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) over the past 2000 years in China based on 2635 historical records. We also compare tiger distributions outlined in these records with ecosystem type maps. Throughout this time period, tigers maintained a broad distribution across 7 biomes (from forests to deserts). However, in recent decades the range has been significantly condensed. Today, only 2 populations remain, neither of which is independently viable. Tigers have completely disappeared from the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of central China, a region that was traditionally their most important biome in China. The continued presence of wild tigers in China is highly dependent on significant conservation measures. © 2010 ISZS, Blackwell Publishing and IOZ/CAS.

Relationships between soil heavy metal pollution and enzyme activities in mining areas of northern Hunan province, Central South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xue-Feng; Jiang, Ying; Shu, Ying

2014-05-01

Hunan province, Central South China, is a well-known nonferrous metal base in China. Mine exploiting and processing there, however, often lead to heavy metal pollution of farmland. To study the effects of mining activities on the soil environmental quality, four representative paddy fields, the HSG, SNJ, NT and THJ, in Y county, northern Hunan province, were investigated. It was found that the streams running through the HSG, SNJ and NT are severely contaminated due to the long-term discharge of untreated mineral wastewater from local indigenous mining factories. The stream at the HSG, for example, is brownish red in color, with high concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe and Mn. The concentrations of Cu, Zn and Cd in all the stream water of the HSG, SNJ and NT exceed the maximum allowable levels of the Agricultural Irrigation Water Criteria of China. Correspondingly, the HSG, SNJ and NT are heavily polluted by Cu, Zn and Cd due to the long-term irrigation with the contaminated stream water. In comparison, both stream water and paddy fields of the THJ, far away from mining areas, are not contaminated by any heavy metals and hence regarded as a control in this study. The rice grain produced at the HSG, SNJ and NT has a high risk of Cd contamination. The rate of rice grain produced in the four paddy fields in Y county with Cd exceeding the safe level (Cd, 0.2 μg g-1) specified by the National Standards for Rice Quality and Safety of China reaches 90%. Cd content in the rice grain is positively significantly correlated with that in the paddy fields, especially with the content of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) - extracted Cd, suggesting that the heavy metal pollution of paddy fields has already posed a high risk to rice safety and human health. Soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass are significantly inhibited by the heavy metal pollution of the paddy fields. Microbial biomass C and N (MBC and MBN) at a severely contaminated site of the HSG are only 31

The Shaping of China's Postdoctoral Community: The Challenges of Equity and Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stith, Andrea Lynn; Liu, Li; Xu, Yibin

2011-01-01

During its brief twenty-five-year history, and under the close management of the central government, the postdoctoral training system in China has grown rapidly into a permanent element of the Chinese science and technology research system. Although designed to be attractive to elite Chinese Ph.D. talent both living abroad and in China, it turned…

Teacher Education in the People's Republic of China. International Studies in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashmore, Rhea A.; Cao, Zhen

Since the late 1970s, the central government in China has focused on education reform as one of the key components to achieve the goal of the four modernizations: (1) agriculture; (2) industry; (3) science and technology; and (4) defense. Reform outlines and government mandates have significantly affected education in China at all levels. A brief…

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Intestinal Parasites in Cats from China.

PubMed

Yang, Yurong; Liang, Hongde

2015-01-01

The prevalence of intestinal parasites in cats from China was largely unknown prior to this study. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of intestinal parasites in cats from central China and also identify risk factors for parasitism. Fecal samples from 360 cats were examined using sugar flotation procedure and fecal smear test by microscope. Cats had mixed two or three kinds of parasites infections. Of the 360 cats feces, intestinal parasites positive feces were 149 (41.39%). 64 (17.78%) were infected with Toxocara cati, 61 (16.94%) with Isospora felis, 41 (11.39%) with Isospora rivolta, 33 (9.17%) with Paragonimus, 23 (6.39%) with hookworms, 11 (3.06%) with Toxoplasma-like oocysts, 10 (2.78%) with Trichuris, 4 (1.11%) with lungworm, 2 (0.56%) with Sarcocystis, and 1 (0.28%) with Trematode. The cats' living outdoor was identified as risk factor by statistical analysis. These results provide relevant basic data for assessing the infection of intestinal parasites in cats from central region of China. In conclusion, there was high prevalence of intestinal parasites in cats from China.

Water Use Efficiency of China's Terrestrial Ecosystems and Responses to Drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Xiao, J.; Ju, W.; Zhou, Y.; Wang, S.; Wu, X.

2015-12-01

Yibo Liu1, 2, Jingfeng Xiao2, Weimin Ju3, Yanlian Zhou4, Shaoqiang Wang5, Xiaocui Wu31 Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China, 2Earth Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA, 3 International Institute for Earth System Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China, 4 School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China, 5 Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China Water use efficiency (WUE) measures the trade-off between carbon gain and water loss of terrestrial ecosystems, and better understanding its dynamics and controlling factors is essential for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. We assessed the magnitude, spatial patterns, and trends of WUE of China's terrestrial ecosystems and its responses to drought using a process-based ecosystem model. During the period from 2000 to 2011, the national average annual WUE (net primary productivity (NPP)/evapotranspiration (ET)) of China was 0.79 g C kg-1 H2O. Annual WUE decreased in the southern regions because of the decrease in NPP and increase in ET and increased in most northern regions mainly because of the increase in NPP. Droughts usually increased annual WUE in Northeast China and central Inner Mongolia but decreased annual WUE in central China. "Turning-points" were observed for southern China where moderate and extreme drought reduced annual WUE and severe drought slightly increased annual WUE. The cumulative lagged effect of drought on monthly WUE varied by region. Our findings have implications for ecosystem management and climate policy making. WUE is expected to continue to change under future climate

Spatiotemporal urban land use changes in the Changzhutan Region of Hunan Province in China

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Changzhutan region in the north-central part of Hunan Province in China has experienced a rapid urbanization in the past few decades that has led to substantial changes in its environment. In 2007, the National Development and Reform Commission of China designated the metropolitan district of Ch...

Measurement and Study of Lidar Ratio by Using a Raman Lidar in Central China.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Gong, Wei; Mao, Feiyue; Pan, Zengxin; Liu, Boming

2016-05-18

We comprehensively evaluated particle lidar ratios (i.e., particle extinction to backscatter ratio) at 532 nm over Wuhan in Central China by using a Raman lidar from July 2013 to May 2015. We utilized the Raman lidar data to obtain homogeneous aerosol lidar ratios near the surface through the Raman method during no-rain nights. The lidar ratios were approximately 57 ± 7 sr, 50 ± 5 sr, and 22 ± 4 sr under the three cases with obviously different pollution levels. The haze layer below 1.8 km has a large particle extinction coefficient (from 5.4e-4 m(-1) to 1.6e-4 m(-1)) and particle backscatter coefficient (between 1.1e-05 m(-1)sr(-1) and 1.7e-06 m(-1)sr(-1)) in the heavily polluted case. Furthermore, the particle lidar ratios varied according to season, especially between winter (57 ± 13 sr) and summer (33 ± 10 sr). The seasonal variation in lidar ratios at Wuhan suggests that the East Asian monsoon significantly affects the primary aerosol types and aerosol optical properties in this region. The relationships between particle lidar ratios and wind indicate that large lidar ratio values correspond well with weak winds and strong northerly winds, whereas significantly low lidar ratio values are associated with prevailing southwesterly and southerly wind.

Measurement and Study of Lidar Ratio by Using a Raman Lidar in Central China

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Gong, Wei; Mao, Feiyue; Pan, Zengxin; Liu, Boming

2016-01-01

We comprehensively evaluated particle lidar ratios (i.e., particle extinction to backscatter ratio) at 532 nm over Wuhan in Central China by using a Raman lidar from July 2013 to May 2015. We utilized the Raman lidar data to obtain homogeneous aerosol lidar ratios near the surface through the Raman method during no-rain nights. The lidar ratios were approximately 57 ± 7 sr, 50 ± 5 sr, and 22 ± 4 sr under the three cases with obviously different pollution levels. The haze layer below 1.8 km has a large particle extinction coefficient (from 5.4e-4 m−1 to 1.6e-4 m−1) and particle backscatter coefficient (between 1.1e-05 m−1sr−1 and 1.7e-06 m−1sr−1) in the heavily polluted case. Furthermore, the particle lidar ratios varied according to season, especially between winter (57 ± 13 sr) and summer (33 ± 10 sr). The seasonal variation in lidar ratios at Wuhan suggests that the East Asian monsoon significantly affects the primary aerosol types and aerosol optical properties in this region. The relationships between particle lidar ratios and wind indicate that large lidar ratio values correspond well with weak winds and strong northerly winds, whereas significantly low lidar ratio values are associated with prevailing southwesterly and southerly wind. PMID:27213414

Attitudes and perceptions regarding antimicrobial use and resistance among medical students in Central China.

PubMed

Yang, Kun; Wu, Dongfang; Tan, Fei; Shi, Shaojun; Guo, Xianxi; Min, Qing; Zhang, Xiaolian; Cheng, Hong

2016-01-01

Senior medical students, who are future doctors, should be prepared to use antimicrobials appropriately and will be important partners in antimicrobial stewardship. This survey was designed to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of senior medical students regarding antimicrobial use and resistance. We performed a multi-center survey involving a questionnaire handed out to all fourth year medical students from five representative teaching hospitals in Central China. The survey was completed within 1 month (October to November, 2015). Antimicrobial stewardship programs were taught in all of the teaching hospitals, yet only part of the respondents took part in it. A total of 611 out of 728 students completed our survey. The majority of the respondents (92 %) believed that inappropriate use of antimicrobials causes antimicrobial resistance and agreed with the importance of a strong knowledge of antimicrobials in their medical careers. Most students (67 %) rated their education concerning antimicrobial use and resistance as useful or very useful, but only 25 % recalled having courses on this subject. The overall mean number of correct answers on a section of 11 knowledge questions was 3.78 (standard deviation 1.57, P value for score between hospitals <0.001). We should make an effort to optimize curriculum system in Chinese institutions, and this may contribute to making our future doctors better prepared for antimicrobial stewardship and prudent antimicrobial prescribing.

Holocene ENSO-related cyclic storms recorded by magnetic minerals in speleothems of central China.

PubMed

Zhu, Zongmin; Feinberg, Joshua M; Xie, Shucheng; Bourne, Mark D; Huang, Chunju; Hu, Chaoyong; Cheng, Hai

2017-01-31

Extreme hydrologic events such as storms and floods have the potential to severely impact modern human society. However, the frequency of storms and their underlying mechanisms are limited by a paucity of suitable proxies, especially in inland areas. Here we present a record of speleothem magnetic minerals to reconstruct paleoprecipitation, including storms, in the eastern Asian monsoon area over the last 8.6 ky. The geophysical parameter IRM soft-flux represents the flux of soil-derived magnetic minerals preserved in stalagmite HS4, which we correlate with rainfall amount and intensity. IRM soft-flux exhibits relatively higher values before 6.7 ky and after 3.4 ky and lower values in the intervening period, consistent with regional hydrological changes observed in independent records. Abrupt enhancements in the flux of pedogenic magnetite in the stalagmite agree well with the timing of known regional paleofloods and with equatorial El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) patterns, documenting the occurrence of ENSO-related storms in the Holocene. Spectral power analyses reveal that the storms occur on a significant 500-y cycle, coincident with periodic solar activity and ENSO variance, showing that reinforced (subdued) storms in central China correspond to reduced (increased) solar activity and amplified (damped) ENSO. Thus, the magnetic minerals in speleothem HS4 preserve a record of the cyclic storms controlled by the coupled atmosphere-oceanic circulation driven by solar activity.

Life expectancy impacts due to heating energy utilization in China: Distribution, relations, and policy implications.

PubMed

Wang, Shaobin; Luo, Kunli

2018-01-01

The relation between life expectancy and energy utilization is of particular concern. Different viewpoints concerned the health impacts of heating policy in China. However, it is still obscure that what kind of heating energy or what pattern of heating methods is the most related with the difference of life expectancies in China. The aim of this paper is to comprehensively investigate the spatial relations between life expectancy at birth (LEB) and different heating energy utilization in China by using spatial autocorrelation models including global spatial autocorrelation, local spatial autocorrelation and hot spot analysis. The results showed that: (1) Most of heating energy exhibit a distinct north-south difference, such as central heating supply, stalks and domestic coal. Whereas spatial distribution of domestic natural gas and electricity exhibited west-east differences. (2) Consumption of central heating, stalks and domestic coal show obvious spatial dependence. Whereas firewood, natural gas and electricity did not show significant spatial autocorrelation. It exhibited an extinct south-north difference of heat supply, stalks and domestic coal which were identified to show significant positive spatial autocorrelation. (3) Central heating, residential boilers and natural gas did not show any significant correlations with LEB. While, the utilization of domestic coal and biomass showed significant negative correlations with LEB, and household electricity shows positive correlations. The utilization of domestic coal in China showed a negative effect on LEB, rather than central heating. To improve the solid fuel stoves and control consumption of domestic coal consumption and other low quality solid fuel is imperative to improve the public health level in China in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydroclimatic variability in loess δDwax records from the central Chinese Loess Plateau over the past 250 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zheng; An, Zhisheng; Liu, Zhonghui; Qiang, Xiaoke; Zhang, Fan; Liu, Weiguo

2018-04-01

This study reports hydrogen isotopic records from the central Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) over the past 250 ka. After eliminating the influence of ice and local temperatures, the δDwax records extracted from two loess sites at Xifeng and Luochuan can be taken to represent arid/humid alternations in the hydrological environment in this marginal Asian Summer Monsoon (ASM) region; they also contain integrated information on summer precipitation patterns and the corresponding responses to these changes by predominant vegetation cover types. These arid/humid alternations show 100 ka, 40 ka and 20 ka cycles. An increase in precipitation in association with an enhanced summer monsoon has historically been taken to be the major factor driving a humid environment in the central CLP. However, hydroclimatic changes in δDwax records differ for the central CLP, central China and southern China. Over a 20 ka cycle, the influence of solar insolation on hydroclimatic changes can be shown to be consistent throughout the central CLP. However, changes in the relative location of the land and sea may have caused different hydroclimatic responses between southern China and the central CLP on a glacial-interglacial scale. The hydroclimatic variability in the central CLP would suggest that an enhanced summer monsoon due to climatic warming is the key to understanding decreased drought degree in this marginal monsoonal region.

The seed plant flora of the Mount Jinggangshan region, southeastern China.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Liao, Wenbo; Chen, Chunquan; Fan, Qiang

2013-01-01

The Mount Jinggangshan region is located between Jiangxi and Hunan provinces in southeastern China in the central section of the Luoxiao Mountains. A detailed investigation of Mount Jinggangshan region shows that the seed plant flora comprises 2,958 species in 1,003 genera and 210 families (Engler's system adjusted according to Zhengyi Wu's concept). Among them, 23 species of gymnospermae belong to 17 genera and 9 families, and 2,935 species of angiosperms are in 986 genera and 201 families. Moreover, they can also be sorted into woody plants (350 genera and 1,295 species) and herbaceous plants (653 genera and 1,663 species). The dominant families are mainly Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Theaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Magnoliaceae, Ericaceae, Styracaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Aceraceae, Rosaceae, Corylaceae, Daphniphyllaceae, Symplocaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Pinaceae, Taxodiaceae, Cupressaceae and Taxaceae. Ancient and relic taxa include Ginkgo biloba, Fokieniahodginsii, Amentotaxusargotaenia, Disanthuscercidifolia subsp. longipes, Hamamelismollis, Manglietiafordiana, Magnoliaofficinalis, Tsoongiodendronodorum, Fortuneariasinensis, Cyclocaryapaliurus, Eucommiaulmoides, Sargentodoxacuneata, Bretschneiderasinensis, Camptothecaacuminata, Tapisciasinensis, etc. The flora of Mount Jinggangshan region includes 79 cosmopolitan genera and 924 non-cosmopolitan genera, which are 7.88% and 92.12% of all genera. The latter includes 452 tropical genera (48.92%) and 472 temperate genera (51.08%). The temperate elements include 44 genera endemic to China, accounting for 4.76% of all genera. Among 1,003 genera, 465 have only a single species and 401 are oligotypic genera (with 2-5 species). These genera account for 86.34% of all genera. The floristic analysis indicates that the flora of Mount Jinggangshan region is closely related to the flora of Mount Wuyishan region in southeastern China. The flora of Mount Jinggangshan region also contains many elements of central and southern China

Reform of Teacher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Xiaoguang; Englert, Peter A. J.

2008-01-01

For more than 20 years the People's Republic of China has engaged in a significant transformation of its economy and social institutions, including its education system. This article provides a general picture of what changes have taken place in Chinese teacher education at a time of rapid transition from central control to devolved and…

Seismic investigation of an ocean-continent transition zone in the northern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, J.; Qiu, X.; Xu, H.; Zhan, W.; Sun, Z.

2011-12-01

Rifted continental margins and basins are mainly formed by the lithospheric extension. Thined lithosphere of passive continental margins results in decompression melt of magma and created oceanic crust and thined ocean-continent transition (OCT) zone. Two refraction profiles used ocean bottom seismometers deployed in the broad continental shelf and three multi-channel seismic reflection lines in the northern South China Sea, acquired by the ship "Shiyan 2" of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2010, are processed and interpreted in this study. Seismic reflection lines cut through the Dongsha rise, Zhu-1 and Zhu-2 depression within a Tertiary basin, Pear River Mouth basin (called as Zhujiangkou basin). These tectonic features are clear imaged in the seismic reflection records. Numerous normal faults, cutted through the basement and related to the stretch of the northern South China Sea margin, are imaged and interpreted. Reflection characteristics of the ocean-continent transition (OCT) zone are summaried and outlined. The COT zone is mainly divided into the northern syn-rift subsidence zone, central volcano or buried volcano uplift zone and tilt faulted block near the South Chia Sea basin. Compared to the previous seismic reflection data and refraction velocity models, the segmentation range of the OCT zone is outlined, from width of about 225 km in the northeastern South China Sea , of 160 km in the central to of 110 km in the north-central South China Sea. Based on the epicenter distribution of sporadic and large than 6 magnitude earthquakes, it suggests the OCT zone in the northern South China Sea at present is still an active seismic zone.

Assessment of Surface Air Temperature over China Using Multi-criterion Model Ensemble Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J.; Zhu, Q.; Su, L.; He, X.; Zhang, X.

2017-12-01

The General Circulation Models (GCMs) are designed to simulate the present climate and project future trends. It has been noticed that the performances of GCMs are not always in agreement with each other over different regions. Model ensemble techniques have been developed to post-process the GCMs' outputs and improve their prediction reliabilities. To evaluate the performances of GCMs, root-mean-square error, correlation coefficient, and uncertainty are commonly used statistical measures. However, the simultaneous achievements of these satisfactory statistics cannot be guaranteed when using many model ensemble techniques. Meanwhile, uncertainties and future scenarios are critical for Water-Energy management and operation. In this study, a new multi-model ensemble framework was proposed. It uses a state-of-art evolutionary multi-objective optimization algorithm, termed Multi-Objective Complex Evolution Global Optimization with Principle Component Analysis and Crowding Distance (MOSPD), to derive optimal GCM ensembles and demonstrate the trade-offs among various solutions. Such trade-off information was further analyzed with a robust Pareto front with respect to different statistical measures. A case study was conducted to optimize the surface air temperature (SAT) ensemble solutions over seven geographical regions of China for the historical period (1900-2005) and future projection (2006-2100). The results showed that the ensemble solutions derived with MOSPD algorithm are superior over the simple model average and any single model output during the historical simulation period. For the future prediction, the proposed ensemble framework identified that the largest SAT change would occur in the South Central China under RCP 2.6 scenario, North Eastern China under RCP 4.5 scenario, and North Western China under RCP 8.5 scenario, while the smallest SAT change would occur in the Inner Mongolia under RCP 2.6 scenario, South Central China under RCP 4.5 scenario, and

Paleozoic magmatism and porphyry Cu-mineralization in an evolving tectonic setting in the North Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Qiu, Kun-Feng; Deng, Jun; Taylor, Ryan D.; Song, Kai-Rui; Song, Yao-Hui; Li, Quan-Zhong; Goldfarb, Richard J.

2016-01-01

The NWW-striking North Qilian Orogenic Belt records the Paleozoic accretion–collision processes in NW China, and hosts Paleozoic Cu–Pb–Zn mineralization that was temporally and spatially related to the closure of the Paleo Qilian-Qinling Ocean. The Wangdian Cu deposit is located in the eastern part of the North Qilian Orogenic Belt, NW China. Copper mineralization is spatially associated with an altered early Paleozoic porphyritic granodiorite, which intruded tonalites and volcaniclastic rocks. Alteration zones surrounding the mineralization progress outward from a potassic to a feldspar-destructive phyllic assemblage. Mineralization consists mainly of quartz-sulfide stockworks and disseminated sulfides, with ore minerals chalcopyrite, pyrite, molybdenite, and minor galena and sphalerite. Gangue minerals include quartz, orthoclase, biotite, sericite, and K-feldspar. Zircon LA-ICPMS U–Pb dating of the ore-bearing porphyritic granodiorite yielded a mean 206Pb/238U age of 444.6 ± 7.8 Ma, with a group of inherited zircons yielding a mean U–Pb age of 485 ± 12 Ma, consistent with the emplacement age (485.3 ± 6.2 Ma) of the barren precursor tonalite. Rhenium and osmium analyses of molybdenite grains returned model ages of 442.9 ± 6.8 Ma and 443.3 ± 6.2 Ma, indicating mineralization was coeval with the emplacement of the host porphyritic granodiorite. Rhenium concentrations in molybdenite (208.9–213.2 ppm) suggest a mantle Re source. The tonalities are medium-K calc-alkaline. They are characterized by enrichment of light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and large-ion lithophile elements (LILEs), depletion of heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs) and high-field-strength elements (HFSEs), and minor negative Eu anomalies. They have εHf(t) values in the range of +3.6 to +11.1, with two-stage Hf model ages of 0.67–1.13 Ga, suggesting that the ca. 485 Ma barren tonalites were products of arc magmatism incorporating melts from the mantle wedge and

Distribution of soil selenium in China is potentially controlled by deposition and volatilization?

PubMed Central

Sun, Guo-Xin; Meharg, Andrew A.; Li, Gang; Chen, Zheng; Yang, Lei; Chen, Song-Can; Zhu, Yong-Guan

2016-01-01

Elucidating the environmental drivers of selenium (Se) spatial distribution in soils at a continental scale is essential to better understand it’s biogeochemical cycling to improve Se transfer into diets. Through modelling Se biogeochemistry in China we found that deposition and volatilization are key factors controlling distribution in surface soil, rather than bedrock-derived Se (<0.1 mg/kg). Wet deposition associated with the East Asian summer monsoon, and dry deposition associated with the East Asian winter monsoon, are responsible for dominant Se inputs into northwest and southeast China, respectively. In Central China the rate of soil Se volatilization is similar to that of Se deposition, suggesting that Se volatilization offsets it’s deposition, resulting in negligible net Se input in soil. Selenium in surface soil at Central China is roughly equal to low petrogenic Se, which is the main reason for the presence of the Se poor belt. We suggest that both deposition and volatilization of Se could play a key role in Se balance in other terrestrial environments worldwide. PMID:26883576

The formation and rejuvenation of continental crust in the central North China Craton: Evidence from zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing; Santosh, M.; Li, Sheng-Rong; Guo, Pu

2014-12-01

The Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) along the central part of the North China Craton (NCC) is considered as a Paleoproterozoic suture along which the Eastern and Western Blocks of the NCC were amalgamated. Here we investigate the Precambrian crustal evolution history in the Fuping segment of the TNCO and the subsequent reactivation associated with extensive craton destruction during Mesozoic. We present zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb and Lu-Hf data on TTG (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite) gneiss, felsic orthogneiss, amphibolite and granite from the Paleoproterozoic suite which show magmatic ages in the range of 2450-1900 Ma suggesting a long-lived convergent margin. The εHf(t) values of these zircons range from -11.9 to 12 and their model ages suggest magma derivation from both juvenile components and reworked Archean crust. The Mesozoic magmatic units in the Fuping area includes granite, diorite and mafic microgranular enclaves, the zircons from which define a tight range of 120-130 Ma ages suggesting a prominent Early Cretaceous magmatic event. However, the εHf(t) values of these zircons show wide a range from -30.3 to 0.2, indicating that the magmatic activity involved extensive rejuvenation of the older continental crust.

Third molar mineralization in relation to chronologic age estimation of the Han in central southern China.

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Geng, Kun; Chu, Yanhao; Xu, Mindi; Zha, Lagabaiyila

2018-03-03

The purpose of this study is to provide a forensic reference data about estimating chronologic age by evaluating the third molar mineralization of Han in central southern China. The mineralization degree of third molars was assessed by Demirjian's classification with modification for 2519 digital orthopantomograms (1190 males, 1329 females; age 8-23 years). The mean ages of the initial mineralization and the crown completion of third molars were around 9.66 and 13.88 years old in males and 9.52 and 14.09 years old in females. The minimum ages of apical closure were around 16 years in both sexes. Twenty-eight at stage C and stage G and 38 and 48 at stage F occurred earlier in males than in females. There was no significant difference between maxillary and mandibular teeth in males and females except that stage C in males. Two formulas were devised to estimate age based on mineralization stages and sexes. In Hunan Province, the person will probably be over age 14, when a third molar reaches the stage G. The results of the study could provide reference for age estimation in forensic cases and clinical dentistry.

India Should Develop Its Naval Power in View of Growing Potential Security Concerns Connected to China’s Non-Transparent Intentions in the Indian Ocean Region

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

across the Indian Ocean is central to interests of India and China. Hence, both have increased their regional presence using diplomatic, economic , and...trade across the Indian Ocean is central to interests of India and China. Hence, both have increased their regional presence using diplomatic, economic ...of Defense Staff CPEC China Pakistan Economic Corridor GDP Gross Domestic Product IOR Indian Ocean Region NSS National Security Strategy PLAN

Values, Music and Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Wai-Chung; Law, Wing-Wah

2004-01-01

This article examines the complexity of the education of values in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). It attempts to provide an insight into how the central state has managed the values of music education with respect to the dynamic changes to its political ideology across these four…

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, China

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-05

DAXUE Induction-Density Measurement at State-of-the XUEBAO [JOURNAL OF HUAZHONG (CENTRAL Art CHINA) UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND 91P60113B Beijing KEJI...SENSORS, OPTICS Two New Optical Devices Accredited [HUAZHONG LIGONG DAXUE XUEBAO, Dec 90] ................. 22 1.3-Micron Single-Mode Laser Light...DIANXIN JISHU, Jan 91] ........................... 31 PHYSICS Shape Measurement of Synchrotron Radiation With High Time Resolution [Cao Zhong , Liu

Effects of Thinning Intensities on Soil Infiltration and Water Storage Capacity in a Chinese Pine-Oak Mixed Forest

PubMed Central

Chen, Lili; Yuan, Zhiyou; Shao, Hongbo; Wang, Dexiang; Mu, Xingmin

2014-01-01

Thinning is a crucial practice in the forest ecosystem management. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest under three different thinning intensity treatments (15%, 30%, and 60%) were studied in Qinling Mountains of China. The thinning operations had a significant influence on soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity in different thinning treatments followed the order of control (nonthinning): <60%, <15%, and <30%. It demonstrated that thinning operation with 30% intensity can substantially improve soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest in Qinling Mountains. The soil initial infiltration rate, stable infiltration rate, and average infiltration rate in thinning 30% treatment were significantly increased by 21.1%, 104.6%, and 60.9%, compared with the control. The soil maximal water storage capacity and noncapillary water storage capacity in thinning 30% treatment were significantly improved by 20.1% and 34.3% in contrast to the control. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity were significantly higher in the surface layer (0~20 cm) than in the deep layers (20~40 cm and 40~60 cm). We found that the soil property was closely related to soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity. PMID:24883372

Effects of thinning intensities on soil infiltration and water storage capacity in a Chinese pine-oak mixed forest.

PubMed

Chen, Lili; Yuan, Zhiyou; Shao, Hongbo; Wang, Dexiang; Mu, Xingmin

2014-01-01

Thinning is a crucial practice in the forest ecosystem management. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest under three different thinning intensity treatments (15%, 30%, and 60%) were studied in Qinling Mountains of China. The thinning operations had a significant influence on soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity in different thinning treatments followed the order of control (nonthinning): <60%, <15%, and <30%. It demonstrated that thinning operation with 30% intensity can substantially improve soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity of pine-oak mixed forest in Qinling Mountains. The soil initial infiltration rate, stable infiltration rate, and average infiltration rate in thinning 30% treatment were significantly increased by 21.1%, 104.6%, and 60.9%, compared with the control. The soil maximal water storage capacity and noncapillary water storage capacity in thinning 30% treatment were significantly improved by 20.1% and 34.3% in contrast to the control. The soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity were significantly higher in the surface layer (0~20 cm) than in the deep layers (20~40 cm and 40~60 cm). We found that the soil property was closely related to soil infiltration rate and water storage capacity.

The systematic change of metamorphism along the Dabie-Sulu-Hongseong-Odesan collision belt between the North and South China blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, C. W.

2013-12-01

As a last step of formation of the Pangea supercontinent, the North China block collided with the South China block during Permo-Triassic time forming the Oinling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt which was identified by the finding of ultrahigh- and high-P/T eclogites along the belt. After the Qiling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt was found, the continuation of the collision belt into Korean Peninsula became a hot issue. Although the Imjingang belt in Korean Peninsula was suggested as an extension of the belt, no evidence of collision belt such as eclogite and ophiolite, was found. Whereas recent studies on Korean Peninsula reveal that Triassic eclogite (ca. > 230 Ma) formed in the Hongseong area and Triassic post collision igneous rocks (with ca. 230 Ma intrusion ages) occurred throughout the Gyeonggi Massif locating to the north of the line connecting the Hongseong, Yangpyeong and Odesan areas. These new findings derive the tectonic model in which the Permo-Triassic Qinling-Dabie-Sulu collision belt between the North and South China blocks extends into the Hongseong-Yangpyeong-Odesan collision belt in Korean Peninsula. The belt may be further extended into the late Paleozoic subduction complex in the Yanji belt in North Korea through the Paleozoic subduction complex in the inner part of SW Japan. The collision had started from Korea at ca. 250 Ma and propagated towards China. The collision completed during late Triassic. The metamorphic conditions systematically change along the collision belt; ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism occurred in the Odesan area (at 245-230Ma; 9.0-10.6 kbar, 915-1160°C), high-P/T metamorphism in the Hongseong area (17.0-21.9 kbar, 835-860°C) and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the Dabie and Sulu belts (30-40 kbar, 680-880°C). This systematic increasing peak pressure condition and decreasing peak temperature condition towards west, may be due to the increase in the depth of slab break-off towards west, which might be related to the increase

Dust deposition and ambient PM10 concentration in northwest China: Spatial and temporal variability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aeolian dust transport and deposition are important geophysical processes which influence global bio-geochemical cycles. Currently, reliable continental deposition data are scarce in central Asia. Located in the eastern part of central Asia, Xinjiang Province of northwestern China has long played a ...

Michurinist Biology in the People's Republic of China, 1948-1956.

PubMed

Schneider, Laurence

2012-01-01

Michurinist biology was introduced to China in 1948; granted a state supported monopoly in 1952; and reduced to parity with western genetics from 1956. The Soviets exported it through the propaganda agencies Sino Soviet Friendship Association (SSFA) and VOKS (Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries). China's Ministry of Agriculture achieved broad public awareness and acceptance of Michurinist biology through a translation, publication, and Soviet guest speakers campaign - all managed by a team of agriculturalists led by Luo Tianyu, a veteran CCP (Communist Party) cadre. The campaign grew exponentially, but did not affect university or Chinese Academy of Sciences biology. Luo Tianyu's failed attempt to force Michurinist biology on a Beijing university triggered its second stage: monopoly status and a ban on "Mendelist-Morganist" biology in teaching, research, and publication. The CCP Central Committee supported this policy believing that Michurinst biology would increase agricultural production for the forthcoming first Five Year Plan; whereas, western genetics had no practical value. Michurinist biology flourished at all levels of education, research, and science literature; Western genetics was completely shut down. This only began to change when the CCP Central Committee became wary of China's dependency on Soviet technical expertise and failure to fully utilize that of China. Change was further promoted by significant attacks on Michurinist biology by Soviet and East German biologists. Soon, these developments informed China's "genetics question," which became a test case for larger questions about the definition of science and the relationship between scientists and the state. Under the guidance of Lu Dingyi's Central Committee Propaganda Department, the CCP eventually decided that, henceforth, science controversies would only be resolved by the science community; and that monopolies or ideological orthodoxies would not be imposed on science. At the same time

The China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective study of acute myocardial infarction: study design.

PubMed

Dharmarajan, Kumar; Li, Jing; Li, Xi; Lin, Zhenqiu; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

2013-11-01

Cardiovascular diseases are rising as a cause of death and disability in China. To improve outcomes for patients with these conditions, the Chinese government, academic researchers, clinicians, and >200 hospitals have created China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE), a national network for research and performance improvement. The first study from China PEACE, the Retrospective Study of Acute Myocardial Infarction (China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study), is designed to promote improvements in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) quality of care by generating knowledge about the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients hospitalized with AMI across a representative sample of Chinese hospitals during the past decade. The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study will examine >18 000 patient records from 162 hospitals identified using a 2-stage cluster sampling design within economic-geographic regions. Records were chosen from 2001, 2006, and 2011 to identify temporal trends. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating center and will, in particular, address case ascertainment, data abstraction, and data management. Analyses will examine patient characteristics, diagnostic testing patterns, in-hospital treatments, in-hospital outcomes, and variation in results by time and site of care. In addition to publications, data will be shared with participating hospitals and the Chinese government to develop strategies to promote quality improvement. The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study is the first to leverage the China PEACE platform to better understand AMI across representative sites of care and during the past decade in China. The China PEACE collaboration among government, academicians, clinicians, and hospitals is poised to translate research about trends and patterns of AMI practices and outcomes into improved care for patients. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01624883.

Spatiotemporal behavior of floods and droughts and their impacts on agriculture in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Gu, Xihui; Singh, Vijay P.; Kong, Dongdong; Chen, Xiaohong

2015-08-01

China is an agricultural country with the largest population in the world. However, intensification of droughts and floods and amplification of precipitation extremes are having critical negative impacts on agriculture. In this study, flood- and drought-affected, flood- and drought-damaged crop areas, and also flood- and drought-induced agricultural loss from 29 provinces across China are analyzed in both space and time. Results indicate the following: (1) Large parts of China are dominated by intensified floods. Comparatively, spatial ranges dominated by intensifying drought hazards are smaller than those by intensifying flood hazards. (2) Drought intensity is increasing in northwest China with moderate changes in the degree of influence. Increasing flood intensity can be observed in northwest, southwest and central China. However, flood risks are higher in arid regions such as northwest China and drought risks are higher in humid regions such as southwest China. (3) Agreements are identified between abrupt behaviors of flood-affected and -destroyed crop areas. The change points of flood-affected and -destroyed crop areas is in the 1980s in northeast, north and central China and in the 1990s in south and southwest China. Nevertheless, spatial patterns of the change points in the drought-affected and -destroyed crop areas are sporadic but not confirmative. (4) Flood- and drought-induced losses of agricultural production have significant increasing trends in most parts of China. The loss rate and loss magnitude of agriculture before change points are significantly higher than those after change points. (5) Generally, amplifications of precipitation extremes, decreasing consecutive wet days and increasing consecutive dry days in both space and time are the major driving factors behind the changes of drought- and flood-affected, and -destroyed crop areas and their impacts on agriculture across China. These results are theoretically and practically relevant for

China Report, Economic Affairs

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-21

deposits, a chemical fertilizer plant and a coal mine that can provide raw materials for it. The other two same-scale soda plants will be built in...China and other countries. By the end of 1985, the number of such enterprises had reached 120, with investors from Indonesia , Japan, the Netherlands...oriented economy. Oil sales along with coal , are a central element in Beijing’s push to boost export earning generate the hard currency so vital to

The Origin of the Chinese Central Tianshan Block in the Southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Evidence from Detrital Zircon Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Z.; Long, X.; Yuan, C.

2016-12-01

The Chinese Central Tianshan Block (CTB) is one of the oldest continental fragments in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Although it is vital for understanding the evolution of the CAOB, its origin has been poorly studied. The CTB was previously suggested to have been originated from the North China, the South China, the Tarim cratons or the East European Craton (Baltica). A total of 165 concordant U-Pb and Hf isotopic analyses of detrital zircon are obtained from three meta-sediments in the CTB, including one meta-sandstone from Xingxingxia formation and one meta-sandstone as well as one quartzite from Kawabulake formation. Detrital zircon grains from the Xingxingxia and Kawabulake formations are dominated by respective youngest age populations at 1002 Ma and 930-960 Ma, providing constraints on the maximum depositional ages for these two formations. Zircon grains from the meta-sediments have very similar age distributions, with two dominant peaks at 0.93-1.0 Ga and 1.0-1.6 Ga and a minor peak at 2.3-2.7 Ga. They have similar Hf isotopic signatures, suggesting that the meta-sediments in the CTB share similar sedimentary provenance. The early Neoproterozoic detrital zircon grains are mainly local-derived, whereas the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic grains are both autochthonous and allochthonous. The occurrence of these Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic zircon grains are coincident with the Nuna breakup and the Rodinia assembly. This suggests that the CTB might experience the tectonic switching of the Nuna to the Rodinia. The distinct Meso-Neoproterozoic age patterns and Hf isotopic compositions of these detrital grains from the CTB and the surrounding blocks indicate that the CTB was not located close to the North China, the South China or the Tarim cratons in Precambrian. Our new data suggest that the CTB was most likely once a part of the East European Craton before the Neoproterozoic. This study was supported by National Basic Research Program of China

Co-Circulation and Genomic Recombination of Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71 during a Large Outbreak of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Central China

PubMed Central

Liu, Weiyong; Wu, Shimin; Xiong, Ying; Li, Tongya; Wen, Zhou; Yan, Mingzhe; Qin, Kai; Liu, Yingle; Wu, Jianguo

2014-01-01

A total of 1844 patients with hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), most of them were children of age 1–3-year-old, in Central China were hospitalized from 2011 to 2012. Among them, 422 were infected with coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16), 334 were infected with enterovirus 71 (EV71), 38 were co-infected with EV71 and CVA16, and 35 were infected with other enteroviruses. Molecular epidemiology analysis revealed that EV71 and CVA16 were detected year-round, but EV71 circulated mainly in July and CVA16 circulated predominantly in November, and incidence of HFMD was reduced in January and February and increased in March. Clinical data showed that hyperglycemia and neurologic complications were significantly higher in EV71-infected patients, while upper respiratory tract infection and C-reactive protein were significantly higher in CVA16-associated patients. 124 EV71 and 80 CVA16 strains were isolated, among them 56 and 68 EV71 strains were C4a and C4b, while 25 and 55 CVA16 strains were B1a and B1b, respectively. Similarity plots and bootscan analyses based on entire genomic sequences revealed that the three C4a sub-genotype EV71 strains were recombinant with C4b sub-genotype EV71 in 2B–2C region, and the three CVA16 strains were recombinant with EV71 in 2A–2B region. Thus, CVA16 and EV71 were the major causative agents in a large HFMD outbreak in Central China. HFMD incidence was high for children among household contact and was detected year-round, but outbreak was seasonal dependent. CVA16 B1b and EV71 C4b reemerged and caused a large epidemic in China after a quiet period of many years. Moreover, EV71 and CVA16 were co-circulated during the outbreak, which may have contributed to the genomic recombination between the pathogens. It should gain more attention as there may be an upward trend in co-circulation of the two pathogens globally and the new role recombination plays in the emergence of new enterovirus variants. PMID:24776922

On the tidally driven circulation in the South China Sea: modeling and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelko, Varjola; Saha, Abhishek; Chua, Vivien P.

2014-03-01

The South China Sea is a large marginal sea surrounded by land masses and island chains, and characterized by complex bathymetry and irregular coastlines. An unstructured-grid SUNTANS model is employed to perform depth-averaged simulations of the circulation in the South China Sea. The model is tidally forced at the open ocean boundaries using the eight main tidal constituents as derived from the OSU Tidal Prediction Software. The model simulations are performed for the year 2005 using a time step of 60 s. The model reproduces the spring-neap and diurnal and semidiurnal variability in the observed data. Skill assessment of the model is performed by comparing model-predicted surface elevations with observations. For stations located in the central region of the South China Sea, the root mean squared errors (RMSE) are less than 10 % and the Pearson's correlation coefficient ( r) is as high as 0.9. The simulations show that the quality of the model prediction is dependent on the horizontal grid resolution, coastline accuracy, and boundary locations. The maximum RMSE errors and minimum correlation coefficients occur at Kaohsiung (located in northern South China Sea off Taiwan coast) and Tioman (located in southern South China Sea off Malaysia coast). This may be explained with spectral analysis of sea level residuals and winds, which reveal dynamics at Kaohsiung and Tioman are strongly influenced by the seasonal monsoon winds. Our model demonstrates the importance of tidally driven circulation in the central region of the South China Sea.

Associations between Body Mass Index and Visual Impairment of School Students in Central China

PubMed Central

Yang, Fen; Yang, Chongming; Liu, Yuzhong; Peng, Shuzhen; Liu, Bei; Gao, Xudong; Tan, Xiaodong

2016-01-01

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a risk indicator for some eye diseases. However, the association between BMI and Visual Impairment (VI) was not quite certain in Chinese students. Our aim was to assess the relationship between BMI and VI with a cross-sectional study. A total of 3771 students aged 6–21 years, including 729 with VI, were sampled from 24 schools in Huangpi District of central China to participate in the study. A multistage stratified cluster random sampling was adopted. Each of the students answered a questionnaire and had physical and eye examinations. The association between BMI and VI was examined with logistic regression and threshold effect analysis. The prevalence of VI was 19.33% (729/3771). Compared to normal and underweight, overweight/obese students showed a stronger relation with VI in age- and sex-adjusted (Odds Ratio (OR) = 16.16, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 12.37–21.09, p < 0.001) and multivariable models (OR = 8.32, 95% CI: 6.13–11.30, p < 0.001). There was a nonlinear dose–response relation between levels of BMI and the prevalence of VI (p < 0.001). A high level of BMI (≥19.81 kg/m2) was associated with a higher VI prevalence (adjusted OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15–1.25, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the study demonstrated BMI levels were significantly associated with the prevalence of VI. PMID:27763567

A comparative study of golf industry between Yangtze River Delta, China and Central Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yangfan; Jin, Pingbin; Gong, Huiwen

2018-03-01

As a competition event of the 2016 Olympic Game, golf sport has aroused great attention around the world. And the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) in China, has already got certain basis and qualifications of developing golf industry, but somehow far from meeting the great potential demand of the market. This research selects the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Central Japan (CJ), which are indifferent golf developing stages, as the objectives. Comparative studies are being carried out with an aim of revealing the discrepancies of golf industry in selected regions. The correlations between golf industry and regional economic developing level have been explored as well. Mainly based on a geographical perspective, this research presents an initial effort to combine approaches of setting comparative indexes and spatial analysis, so that golf industry of selected regions will be compared in all directions. The results reveal that great gaps exist in YRD and CJ in terms of golf construction, service, and golf consumption. Problems in developing golf industry in YRD are identified based on the empirical results. A long-term golf development in YRD that deviating from the realistic demand is attributed to both government policies and the operational principles that the market subjects hold. Based on a comparative empirical study, suggestions relating to the government as well as the market players are put forward, with an aim of guiding the golf industry to develop in a sustainable way.

Patterns of genetic differentiation at MHC class I genes and microsatellites identify conservation units in the giant panda.

PubMed

Zhu, Ying; Wan, Qiu-Hong; Yu, Bin; Ge, Yun-Fa; Fang, Sheng-Guo

2013-10-22

Evaluating patterns of genetic variation is important to identify conservation units (i.e., evolutionarily significant units [ESUs], management units [MUs], and adaptive units [AUs]) in endangered species. While neutral markers could be used to infer population history, their application in the estimation of adaptive variation is limited. The capacity to adapt to various environments is vital for the long-term survival of endangered species. Hence, analysis of adaptive loci, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, is critical for conservation genetics studies. Here, we investigated 4 classical MHC class I genes (Aime-C, Aime-F, Aime-I, and Aime-L) and 8 microsatellites to infer patterns of genetic variation in the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and to further define conservation units. Overall, we identified 24 haplotypes (9 for Aime-C, 1 for Aime-F, 7 for Aime-I, and 7 for Aime-L) from 218 individuals obtained from 6 populations of giant panda. We found that the Xiaoxiangling population had the highest genetic variation at microsatellites among the 6 giant panda populations and higher genetic variation at Aime-MHC class I genes than other larger populations (Qinling, Qionglai, and Minshan populations). Differentiation index (FST)-based phylogenetic and Bayesian clustering analyses for Aime-MHC-I and microsatellite loci both supported that most populations were highly differentiated. The Qinling population was the most genetically differentiated. The giant panda showed a relatively higher level of genetic diversity at MHC class I genes compared with endangered felids. Using all of the loci, we found that the 6 giant panda populations fell into 2 ESUs: Qinling and non-Qinling populations. We defined 3 MUs based on microsatellites: Qinling, Minshan-Qionglai, and Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan. We also recommended 3 possible AUs based on MHC loci: Qinling, Minshan-Qionglai, and Daxiangling-Xiaoxiangling-Liangshan. Furthermore, we recommend

The Evolution History of South China Sea: a Synthesis of Recent Geophysical, Geological, and Geochemical Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, M.; Li, L.; Chen, L.

2016-12-01

South China Sea (SCS) is located in the continental margin of Eurasia plate, where different geological blocks/tectonic plates interact. The dynamic mechanism of the formation of South China Sea (SCS) has been debated for decades. In this study, we first synthesize our geophysical results obtained in South China Sea, including an updated 3D velocity model from surface tomography using surrounding land stations and regional earthquakes, and shear wave splitting results obtained at surrounding land stations and OBS, using local, regional, and teleseismic earthquakes. The observed splitting results in South China Sea are complex: the fast polarization direction beneath the central basin is approximately NE-SW, nearly parallel to the extinct ridge in the central basin of SCS; however, the fast axis within the slab is trench-parallel outside the ridge subduction region. In 3D velocity models, subducting slabs are observed as dipping high velocity anomalies, and discontinuous low velocities are observed above the subduction slab, as well as in the basin. How the splitting observations are connected with the velocity models? How observations are linked to one another? How are the observations in central basin linked with surrounding region? We are aiming to link these observations themselves as well as with newly published results from geophysics, geochemistry, and geology in this region. Such a synthesis will improve our understanding about the evolution of South China Sea and facilitate new ideas.

Hu Huanyong: father of China's population geography.

PubMed

She, W

1998-08-01

Professor Hu Huanyong died of an illness on April 30, 1998, in Shanghai, China. The professor was a forefather of modern Chinese demography and the founder of China's population geography. He drew the "Aihui-Tengchong Line," which was known internationally as the "Hu Line," in 1934; the line marked a striking difference in the distribution of China's population. He was born in 1901, in Yixing, Jiangsu Province. He studied literature, history, and geography at Nanjing Normal School (later named the Southeast University of China); he continued his education at the University of Paris from 1926 to 1928. Upon his return to China, he began teaching at the Nanjing Central University and was later appointed dean of the Department of Geography and president of the China Geographical Association. During this time, he wrote "Distribution of China's Population," a paper in which he drew China's first population density contour chart based on the 1933 national census data by county; this produced the "Hu Line." The professor began teaching at East-China Normal University in Shanghai in 1953; in 1957, he became director of the research office of population geography (which he helped to establish), the first demographic research institution in China. In 1958, he focused on the population geography of Jiangsu Province. In 1983, the office expanded to become a population research institute; Professor Hu became its president. During the 1980s, he described a geographic division of China's population based on differences in population density, ecological environment, socioeconomic conditions, and historical development. This resulted in 8 regions: 1) the lower parts of the Yellow River region; 2) the Liaoning-Jilin-Heilongjiang region; 3) the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze River region; 4) the southeast coastal region; 5) the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia region; 6) the Sichuan-Guizhou-Yunnan region; 7) the Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang region; and 8) the Qinghai-Tibet region. This

Effects of N Fertilizer Sources and Tillage Practices on NH3 Volatilization, Grain Yield, and N Use Efficiency of Rice Fields in Central China

PubMed Central

Liu, Tianqi; Huang, Jinfeng; Chai, Kaibin; Cao, Cougui; Li, Chengfang

2018-01-01

Tillage practices and nitrogen (N) sources are important factors affecting rice production. Few studies, however, have examined the interactions between tillage practices and N fertilizer sources on NH3 volatilization, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and rice grain yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of N fertilizer sources (no N fertilizer, inorganic N fertilizer, organic N fertilizer alone, organic N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer, and slow-release N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer) and tillage practices (no-tillage [NT] and conventional intensive tillage [CT]) on NH3 flux, grain yield, and NUE in the rice field of central China. N sources significantly affected NH3 volatilization, as the cumulative volatilization from the treatments of inorganic N fertilizer, organic N fertilizer, organic N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer, slow-release N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer was 4.19, 2.13, 3.42, and 2.23 folds in 2013, and 2.49, 1.68, 2.08, and 1.85 folds in 2014 compared with that under no N fertilizer treatment, respectively. The organic N fertilizer treatment had the lowest grain yield and NUE among all N fertilizer treatments, while slow-release N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer treatment led to relatively higher grain yield and the greatest N use efficiency. Moreover, NT only markedly increased NH3 volatilization from basal fertilizer by 10–14% in average compared with CT, but had no obvious effects on total volatilization during the whole seasons. Tillage practices had no significant effects on grain yield and NUE. Our study suggested that the combination of slow-release N fertilizer plus inorganic N fertilizer and NT might be a sustainable method for mitigating greenhouse gas and NH3 emissions and improving grain yield and NUE in paddy fields of central China. PMID:29623086

Impact of East Asian Summer Monsoon on the Air Quality over China: View from space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Chun; Wang, Yuhang; Yang, Qing

2010-05-04

Tropospheric O3 columns retrieved from OMI and MLS measurements, CO columns from MOPITT, and tropospheric O3 and CO concentrations from TES from May to August in 2006 are analyzed using the Regional chEmical and trAnsport Model (REAM) to investigate the impact of the East Asian summer monsoon on the air quality over China. The observed and simulated migrations of O3 and CO are in good agreement, demonstrating that the summer monsoon significantly affects the air quality over southeastern China and this influence extends to central East China from June to July. Enhancements of CO and O3 over southeastern China disappearmore » after the onset of the summer monsoon and re-emerge in August after the monsoon wanes. The pre-monsoon high O3 concentrations over southern China are due to photochemical production from pollutant emissions and the O3 transport from the stratosphere. In the summer monsoon season, the O3 concentrations are relatively low over monsoon-affected regions because of the transport of marine air masses and weak photochemical activity. We find that the monsoon system strongly modulates the pollution problem over a large portion of East China in summer, depending on its strength and tempo-spatial extension. Model results also suggest that transport from the stratosphere and long-range transport from East China and South/Central Asia all make significant contributions to O3 enhancements over West China. Satellite observations provide valuable information for investigating the monsoon impact on air quality, particularly for the regions with limited in situ measurements.« less

Paternal exposure to medical-related radiation associated with low birthweight infants

PubMed Central

Chen, Shi; Yang, Yingying; QV, Yimin; Zou, Yun; ZHU, Huijuan; Gong, Fengying; Zou, Yongwei; Yang, Hongbo; WANG, Linjie; Lian, Bill Q.; Liu, Cynthia; Jiang, Yu; Yan, Chengsheng; LI, Jianqiang; Wang, Qing; Pan, Hui

2018-01-01

Abstract Low birthweight (LBW) is closely associated with fetal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. We identified the risk factors of LBW and geographical differences in LBW incidence in 30 Chinese provinces in the present study. This study was a population-based, retrospective cohort study performed in 30 Chinese provinces. We used data from the free National Pre-pregnancy Checkups Project, which is a countrywide population-based retrospective cohort study. To identify regional differences in LBW incidence, we used the Qinling-Huaihe climate line to divide China into northern and southern sections and the Heihe-Tengchong economic line to divide it into eastern and western sections. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis with SAS 9.4 was used for data analysis. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. LBW incidence was 4.54% in rural China. Southern China had a significantly higher incidence (4.65%) than northern China (4.28%). Our main risk factor for LBW is paternal exposure to radiation (odds ratio = 1.537), which has never been studied before. This study identifies multiple risk factors of couples giving birth to LBW babies including paternal risk factors. PMID:29480847

China Report, Red Flag.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-06

the Great Truth of Marxism Lights Our Way Forward (pp 2-13) (Hu Yaobang) 1 Marxism and China’s Realities (pp 14-22) (Hu Sheng) 19 Marxism ...TRUTH OF MARXISM LIGHTS OUR WAY FORWARD Beijing RED FLAG in Chinese No 6, 16 Mar 83 pp 2-13 [Speech by Hu Yaobang, general secretary of the Central...world outlook and the most thorough theory of social revolution. From its very birth, Marxism has demonstrated its mighty power with which no other

Sequence stratigraphy and hydrocarbon potential of the Phu Khanh Basin offshore central Vietnam, South China Sea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, G.H.; Watkins, J.S.

1996-12-31

The Phu Khanh Basin offshore central Vietnam is one of the few untested basins on the Vietnam margin of the South China Sea. Analysis of over 1,600 km of multi-channel seismic reflection data indicates that the Phu Khanh Basin follows a typical rift-margin order: faulted basement, synrift sedimentation, a breakup unconformity, and postrift sedimentation. Postrift sedimentation consists of a transgressive phase characterized by ramp-like depositional geometries followed by a regressive phase characterized by prograding sequences. An early middle Miocene unconformity separates these two phases. During the transgressive phase rising sea level provided favorable conditions for carbonate buildup development. The regressivemore » interval contains a number of third-order depositional sequences composed of seismically resolvable lowstand, highstand, and rarely, transgressive systems tracts. Lacustrine sediments deposited in graben and half-graben lakes during the rifting stage are probably the principal source rocks. Fractured and/or weathered basement, carbonate complexes, basinfloor fans, and shallows water sands may have good reservoir quality. Potential traps include basement hills, carbonate complexes, fault taps, and stratigraphic traps within lowstand systems tracts. Hydrocarbon indicators such as flat spots, bright spots, gas chimneys with gas mounds on the seafloor occur at a number of locations.« less

Sequence stratigraphy and hydrocarbon potential of the Phu Khanh Basin offshore central Vietnam, South China Sea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, G.H.; Watkins, J.S.

1996-01-01

The Phu Khanh Basin offshore central Vietnam is one of the few untested basins on the Vietnam margin of the South China Sea. Analysis of over 1,600 km of multi-channel seismic reflection data indicates that the Phu Khanh Basin follows a typical rift-margin order: faulted basement, synrift sedimentation, a breakup unconformity, and postrift sedimentation. Postrift sedimentation consists of a transgressive phase characterized by ramp-like depositional geometries followed by a regressive phase characterized by prograding sequences. An early middle Miocene unconformity separates these two phases. During the transgressive phase rising sea level provided favorable conditions for carbonate buildup development. The regressivemore » interval contains a number of third-order depositional sequences composed of seismically resolvable lowstand, highstand, and rarely, transgressive systems tracts. Lacustrine sediments deposited in graben and half-graben lakes during the rifting stage are probably the principal source rocks. Fractured and/or weathered basement, carbonate complexes, basinfloor fans, and shallows water sands may have good reservoir quality. Potential traps include basement hills, carbonate complexes, fault taps, and stratigraphic traps within lowstand systems tracts. Hydrocarbon indicators such as flat spots, bright spots, gas chimneys with gas mounds on the seafloor occur at a number of locations.« less

Scientific approaches to AIDS prevention and control in China.

PubMed

Teng, T; Shao, Y

2011-04-01

The HIV epidemic in China started among intravenous drug users in the late 1980s. The second wave of the epidemic was caused by an outbreak in the paid plasma donors in central China in the mid-1990s. Sexually transmitted HIV cases have steadily increased and comprised more than half the reported HIV/AIDS infections since 2007. In the last 5 years, there has been a sharp increase of HIV infection in men who have sex with men. The HIV epidemic in China has expanded from high-risk groups to the general population and from rural regions to urban areas. This brief article discusses the history of HIV epidemics in China and the challenges facing the current AIDS control efforts in the country. It explains that only scientific approaches can sustain the national AIDS control programs and introduce the type of research needed to address those challenges. The selected research areas include molecular epidemiology, drug resistance surveillance, and the Chinese HIV vaccine research.

The Seed Plant Flora of the Mount Jinggangshan Region, Southeastern China

PubMed Central

Wang, Lei; Liao, Wenbo; Chen, Chunquan; Fan, Qiang

2013-01-01

The Mount Jinggangshan region is located between Jiangxi and Hunan provinces in southeastern China in the central section of the Luoxiao Mountains. A detailed investigation of Mount Jinggangshan region shows that the seed plant flora comprises 2,958 species in 1,003 genera and 210 families (Engler’s system adjusted according to Zhengyi Wu’s concept). Among them, 23 species of gymnospermae belong to 17 genera and 9 families, and 2,935 species of angiosperms are in 986 genera and 201 families. Moreover, they can also be sorted into woody plants (350 genera and 1,295 species) and herbaceous plants (653 genera and 1,663 species). The dominant families are mainly Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Theaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Magnoliaceae, Ericaceae, Styracaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Aceraceae, Rosaceae, Corylaceae, Daphniphyllaceae, Symplocaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Pinaceae, Taxodiaceae, Cupressaceae and Taxaceae. Ancient and relic taxa include Ginkgo biloba, Fokienia hodginsii , Amentotaxus argotaenia , Disanthus cercidifolia subsp. longipes , Hamamelis mollis , Manglietia fordiana , Magnolia officinalis , Tsoongiodendron odorum , Fortunearia sinensis , Cyclocarya paliurus , Eucommia ulmoides , Sargentodoxa cuneata , Bretschneidera sinensis , Camptotheca acuminata , Tapiscia sinensis , etc. The flora of Mount Jinggangshan region includes 79 cosmopolitan genera and 924 non-cosmopolitan genera, which are 7.88% and 92.12% of all genera. The latter includes 452 tropical genera (48.92%) and 472 temperate genera (51.08%). The temperate elements include 44 genera endemic to China, accounting for 4.76% of all genera. Among 1,003 genera, 465 have only a single species and 401 are oligotypic genera (with 2-5 species). These genera account for 86.34% of all genera. The floristic analysis indicates that the flora of Mount Jinggangshan region is closely related to the flora of Mount Wuyishan region in southeastern China. The flora of Mount Jinggangshan region also contains many elements

Unequal Exchange of Air Pollution and Economic Benefits Embodied in China's Exports.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Wang, Feng; Hubacek, Klaus; Liu, Yu; Wang, Jinnan; Feng, Kuishuang; Jiang, Ling; Jiang, Hongqiang; Zhang, Bing; Bi, Jun

2018-04-03

As the world's factory, China has enjoyed huge economic benefits from international export but also suffered severe environmental consequences. Most studies investigating unequal environmental exchange associated with trade took China as a homogeneous entity ignoring considerable inequality and outsourcing of pollution within China. This paper traces the regional mismatch of export-induced economic benefits and environmental costs along national supply chains by using the latest multiregional input-output model and emission inventory for 2012. The results indicate that approximately 56% of the national GDP induced by exports has been received by developed coastal regions, while about 72% of air pollution embodied in national exports, measured as aggregated atmospheric pollutant equivalents (APE), has been mainly incurred by less developed central and western regions. For each yuan of export-induced GDP, developed regions only incurred 0.4-0.6 g APE emissions, whereas less developed regions from western or central China had to suffer 4-8 times the amount of emissions. This is due to poorer regions providing lower value added and higher emission-intensive inputs and having lower environmental standards and less efficient technologies. Our results may pave a way to mitigate the unequal relationship between developed and less developed regions from the perspective of environment-economy nexus.

Mutual Adaptation: Enhancing Longer-Term Sustainability of Cross-Cultural In-Service Teacher Training Initiatives in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Chunmei

2008-01-01

This paper reports on a study that examines decisive factors for longer-term sustainability of cross-cultural teacher training initiatives in China. It focuses on teacher trainees' perspectives of a Sino-British adult education English language teaching project based in Central China. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were employed to…

Disease burden of enterovirus 71 in rural central China: A community-based survey.

PubMed

Gan, Zheng-kai; Jin, Hui; Li, Jing-xin; Yao, Xue-jun; Zhou, Yang; Zhang, Xue-feng; Zhu, Feng-cai

2015-01-01

In recent years, the epidemics of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) centered in the Asian-Pacific region have been characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infections were responsible for the majority of the infections leading to severe cases of HFMD and death. This is a community-based survey aimed to estimate the disease burden of EV71 in rural central China, especially for HFMD. From 2011 to 2013, demographic and socio-economic data were gathered from 343 ill children and their parents using a structured questionnaire. We quantified the health burden of disease resulting from EV71 infection in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Among 343 cases, 303 had confirmed HFMD, 6 presented with herpangina, 25 presented with respiratory symptoms, and 9 presented with non-specific symptoms. The number of severe cases was 47 (including 1 death) and all of these presented with HFMD. The total cost per patient for severe HFMD, mild HFMD, herpangina, respiratory disease, and non-specific disease was $2149.47, $513.22, $53.28, $31.95, and $39.25, respectively. The overall cost of EV71-related diseases as a proportion of local farmers' per capita net income ranged from 0.18% for those with non-specific disease to 187.12% for those with severe HFMD. The loss of DALYs for the 5 forms of disease were 3.47, 1.76, 1.07, 1.44, 1.22 person-years per 1000 persons, respectively. This study provides data on cost of treatment and health burden for diseases caused by EV71, which can be used in the evaluation of EV71 vaccine cost-effectiveness.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China: a nationwide prevalence study.

PubMed

Fang, Liwen; Gao, Pei; Bao, Heling; Tang, Xun; Wang, Baohua; Feng, Yajing; Cong, Shu; Juan, Juan; Fan, Jing; Lu, Ke; Wang, Ning; Hu, Yonghua; Wang, Linhong

2018-06-01

Because of the rapid change in economic development and lifestyle in China, and the ageing population, concerns have grown that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could become epidemic. An up-to-date nationwide estimation of COPD prevalence in China is needed. We did a cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of individuals from mainland China aged 40 years or older. The primary outcome was COPD, defined according to the 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) lung function criteria. Between Dec 29, 2014, and Dec 31, 2015, 66 752 adults were recruited to the study population. The estimated standardised prevalence of COPD was 13·6% (95% CI 12·0-15·2). The prevalence of COPD differed significantly between men and women (19·0%, 95% CI 16·9-21·2 vs 8·1%, 6·8-9·3; p<0·0001), mainly because of a significant difference in smoking status between men and women (current smokers 58·2% vs 4·0%). The prevalence of COPD differed by geographic region, with the highest prevalence in southwest China (20·2%, 95% CI 14·7-25·8) and the lowest in central China (10·2%, 8·2-12·2). Among adults with COPD, 56·4% (95% CI 53·7-59·2) had mild disease (GOLD stage I), 36·3% (34·3-38·3) had moderate disease (GOLD stage II), 6·5% (5·5-7·4) had severe disease (GOLD stage III), and 0·9% (0·6-1·1) had very severe disease (GOLD stage IV). In a large, nationally representative sample of adults aged 40 years or older, the estimated overall prevalence of COPD in China in 2014-15 was 13·6%, indicating that this disease has become a major public-health problem. Strategies aimed at prevention and treatment of COPD are needed urgently. Chinese Central Government, the Ministry of Science and Technology of The People's Republic of China, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research on the competitiveness of high-tech industries in northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Wang, Yang; Wang, Ming-Quan; Xiao, Yan-Bo; Gao, Ming

2017-06-01

Based on characteristics of high-tech industry in Northeast China, high-tech industry competitiveness index system was developed, and the competitiveness of high-tech industry was evaluated through principal component analysis and location quotient method. The results showed that the scale of high-tech industry in Northeast China as a whole was small, and presented a decreasing trend for the proportion in the country. The competitiveness of high-tech industry in Northeast China lagged far behind that of the eastern and central regions. The high-tech industry competitiveness of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China ranked 15, 19 and 21, respectively. The manufacture of medicine in Jilin province, and the manufacture of aircraft and spacecraft and the related equipment in Liaoning and Heilongjiang provinces had high competitive advantage, but the manufacture of electronic equipment and communication equipment and the manufacture of computers and office equipment was lack of competitiveness. The development suggestions were put forward to improve the competitiveness of high-tech industries in Northeast China.

Response of evapotranspiration to changes in land use and land cover and climate in China during 2001-2013.

PubMed

Li, Gen; Zhang, Fangmin; Jing, Yuanshu; Liu, Yibo; Sun, Ge

2017-10-15

Land surface evapotranspiration (ET) is a central component of the Earth's global energy balance and water cycle. Understanding ET is important in quantifying the impacts of human influences on the hydrological cycle and thus helps improving water use efficiency and strengthening water use planning and watershed management. China has experienced tremendous land use and land cover changes (LUCC) as a result of urbanization and ecological restoration under a broad background of climate change. This study used MODIS data products to analyze how LUCC and climate change affected ET in China in the period 2001-2013. We examined the separate contribution to the estimated ET changes by combining LUCC and climate data. Results showed that the average annual ET in China decreased at a rate of -0.6mm/yr from 2001 to 2013. Areas in which ET decreased significantly were mainly distributed in the northwest China, the central of southwest China, and most regions of south central and east China. The trends of four climatic factors including air temperature, wind speed, sunshine duration, and relative humidity were determined, while the contributions of these four factors to ET were quantified by combining the ET and climate datasets. Among the four climatic factors, sunshine duration and wind speed had the greatest influence on ET. LUCC data from 2001 to 2013 showed that forests, grasslands and croplands in China mutually replaced each other. The reduction of forests had much greater effects on ET than change by other land cover types. Finally, through quantitative separation of the distinct effects of climate change and LUCC on ET, we conclude that climate change was the more significant than LULC change in influencing ET in China during the period 2001-2013. Effective water resource management and vegetation-based ecological restoration efforts in China must consider the effects of climate change on ET and water availability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design characteristics of acute care units in china.

PubMed

Lu, Yi; Wang, Yijia

2014-01-01

To describe the current state of design characteristics of acute care units in China's public hospitals and compare these with characteristics with acute care units in the United States. The healthcare construction industry in China is one of the fastest growing sectors in China and, arguably, in the world. Understanding the physical design of acute care units in China is of great importance because it will influence a large population. Descriptive study was performed of unit configuration, size, patient visibility, distance to nursing station and supplies, and lighting conditions in 25 units in 19 public hospitals built after 2003. Data and information were collected based on spatial and visibility analysis. The study identified major design characteristics of the recently built (from 2003 onward) acute care units in China, comparing them, where appropriate, with those in U.S. It found there are three dominant types of unit layout: single-corridor (52%), triangular (36%), and double-corridor (12%). The number of private rooms is very low (11%), compared with two- or three-bed rooms. Centralized nursing stations are the only type of nurses' working area. China also has a large unit size in terms of number of patient beds. The average number of patient beds in a unit is 40.6 in China (versus 32.9 in U.S.). The care units in China have longer walking distance from nursing station to patient bedside. The percentage of beds visible from a nursing station is lower in China than in the U.S. The access to natural light and direct sunlight in patient rooms is greater in China compared with those in U.S.-100% of patient rooms in China have natural lighting. A majority of them face south or southeast and thus receiving direct sunlight (91.4%). Because of the differences in economies and building codes, there are dramatic differences between the spatial characteristics of acute care units in China and the United States. © 2014 Vendome Group, LLC.

Differentiate responses of soil structure to natural vegetation and artificial plantation in landslide hazard region of the West Qinling Mountains, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Huang, Z.; Zhao, Y.; Hong, M.

2017-12-01

Natural vegetation and artificial plantation are the most important measures for ecological restoration in soil erosion and landslide hazard-prone regions of China. Previous studies have demonstrated that both measures can significantly change the soil structure and decrease soil and water erosion. Few reports have compared the effects of the two contrasting measures on mechanical and hydrological properties and further tested the differentiate responses of soil structure. In the study areas, two vegetation restoration measures-natural vegetation restoration (NVR) and artificial plantation restoration (APR) compared with control site, with similar topographical and geological backgrounds were selected to investigate the different effects on soil structure based on eight-year ecological restoration projects. The results showed that the surface vegetation played an important role in releasing soil erosion and enhance soil structure stability through change the soil aggregates (SA) and total soil porosity (TSP). The SA<0.25mm content in NVR (36.13%) was higher than that in APR (32.14%). The study indicated that SA and TSP were the principal components (PCs) related to soil structure variation. Soil organic carbon, soil water retention, clay and vegetation biomass were more strongly correlated with the PCs in NVR than those in APR. The study indicated that NVR was more beneficial for soil structure stability than APR. These findings will provide a theoretical basis for the decisions around reasonable land use for ecological restoration and conservation in geological hazard-prone regions.

"We Can't Change Much Unless the Exams Change": Teachers' Dilemmas in the Curriculum Reform in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Chunmei

2015-01-01

This article reports on a study of English secondary teachers' perceptions of and implementation of the New English Curriculum Reform in China. Triangulated data collection methods were employed to gather information about teachers' perceptions of the New Curriculum and their teaching behaviours in Central China. An implementation gap emerged…

Effects of Conservation Policies on Forest Cover Change in Giant Panda Habitat Regions, China

PubMed Central

Li, Yu; Viña, Andrés; Yang, Wu; Chen, Xiaodong; Zhang, Jindong; Ouyang, Zhiyun; Liang, Zai; Liu, Jianguo

2014-01-01

After long periods of deforestation, forest transition has occurred globally, but the causes of forest transition in different countries are highly variable. Conservation policies may play important roles in facilitating forest transition around the world, including China. To restore forests and protect the remaining natural forests, the Chinese government initiated two nationwide conservation policies in the late 1990s -- the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and the Grain-To-Green Program (GTGP). While some studies have discussed the environmental and socioeconomic effects of each of these policies independently and others have attributed forest recovery to both policies without rigorous and quantitative analysis, it is necessary to rigorously quantify the outcomes of these two conservation policies simultaneously because the two policies have been implemented at the same time. To fill the knowledge gap, this study quantitatively evaluated the effects of the two conservation policies on forest cover change between 2001 and 2008 in 108 townships located in two important giant panda habitat regions -- the Qinling Mountains region in Shaanxi Province and the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary in Sichuan Province. Forest cover change was evaluated using a land-cover product (MCD12Q1) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). This product proved to be highly accurate in the study region (overall accuracy was ca. 87%, using 425 ground truth points collected in the field), thus suitable for the forest change analysis performed. Results showed that within the timeframe evaluated, most townships in both regions exhibited either increases or no changes in forest cover. After accounting for a variety of socioeconomic and biophysical attributes, an Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model suggests that the two policies had statistically significant positive effects on forest cover change after seven years of implementation, while

Effects of Conservation Policies on Forest Cover Change in Giant Panda Habitat Regions, China.

PubMed

Li, Yu; Viña, Andrés; Yang, Wu; Chen, Xiaodong; Zhang, Jindong; Ouyang, Zhiyun; Liang, Zai; Liu, Jianguo

2013-07-01

After long periods of deforestation, forest transition has occurred globally, but the causes of forest transition in different countries are highly variable. Conservation policies may play important roles in facilitating forest transition around the world, including China. To restore forests and protect the remaining natural forests, the Chinese government initiated two nationwide conservation policies in the late 1990s -- the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and the Grain-To-Green Program (GTGP). While some studies have discussed the environmental and socioeconomic effects of each of these policies independently and others have attributed forest recovery to both policies without rigorous and quantitative analysis, it is necessary to rigorously quantify the outcomes of these two conservation policies simultaneously because the two policies have been implemented at the same time. To fill the knowledge gap, this study quantitatively evaluated the effects of the two conservation policies on forest cover change between 2001 and 2008 in 108 townships located in two important giant panda habitat regions -- the Qinling Mountains region in Shaanxi Province and the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary in Sichuan Province. Forest cover change was evaluated using a land-cover product (MCD12Q1) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). This product proved to be highly accurate in the study region (overall accuracy was ca. 87%, using 425 ground truth points collected in the field), thus suitable for the forest change analysis performed. Results showed that within the timeframe evaluated, most townships in both regions exhibited either increases or no changes in forest cover. After accounting for a variety of socioeconomic and biophysical attributes, an Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model suggests that the two policies had statistically significant positive effects on forest cover change after seven years of implementation, while

How does green technology influence CO2 emission in China?--An empirical research based on provincial data of China.

PubMed

Ding, Weina; Han, Botang; Zhao, Xin; Mazzanti, Massimiliano

2015-07-01

This paper investigates the role of green innovations aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions as a factor that compensates for growth and population effects. It has been shown from tests that the positive effect of green innovations on carbon emissions exists within a STIRPAT framework from a local perspective. The panel data is derived from China Statistical Yearbook and China Intellectual Property Office covered from 1999 to 2013. In addition,the static panel model was run to estimate the diversity among three typical regions of China. The main result shows that the green technology change has not played a dominant role yet in promoting environmental protection, while a scale effect (Affluence and Population)still prevails, although green patents show positive influences on the CO2 emission reduction inthe whole country as well as the East and West regions, except the Central region. Moreover, it turns out that the classical EKC hypothesis does stand in China, referring to the three regions with the inverted "U" shape. The analysis gives suggestions to the policy makers, which would support enlarging the investment scale on green patents and encourage international corporation with environmental related innovations.

Regional frequency analysis of observed sub-daily rainfall maxima over eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hemin; Wang, Guojie; Li, Xiucang; Chen, Jing; Su, Buda; Jiang, Tong

2017-02-01

Based on hourly rainfall observational data from 442 stations during 1960-2014, a regional frequency analysis of the annual maxima (AM) sub-daily rainfall series (1-, 2-, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-h rainfall, using a moving window approach) for eastern China was conducted. Eastern China was divided into 13 homogeneous regions: Northeast (NE1, NE2), Central (C), Central North (CN1, CN2), Central East (CE1, CE2, CE3), Southeast (SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4), and Southwest (SW). The generalized extreme value performed best for the AM series in regions NE, C, CN2, CE1, CE2, SE2, and SW, and the generalized logistic distribution was appropriate in the other regions. Maximum return levels were in the SE4 region, with value ranges of 80-270 mm (1-h to 24-h rainfall) and 108-390 mm (1-h to 24-h rainfall) for 20- and 100 yr, respectively. Minimum return levels were in the CN1 and NE1 regions, with values of 37-104 mm and 53-140 mm for 20 and 100 yr, respectively. Comparing return levels using the optimal and commonly used Pearson-III distribution, the mean return-level differences in eastern China for 1-24-h rainfall varied from -3-4 mm to -23-11 mm (-10%-10%) for 20-yr events, reaching -6-26 mm (-10%-30%) and -10-133 mm (-10%-90%) for 100-yr events. In view of the large differences in estimated return levels, more attention should be given to frequency analysis of sub-daily rainfall over China, for improved water management and disaster reduction.

Spatial and temporal variation of historical anthropogenic NMVOCs emission inventories in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bo, Y.; Cai, H.; Xie, S. D.

2008-12-01

Multiyear emission inventories of anthropogenic NMVOCs in China for 1980-2005 were established based on time-varying statistical data, literature surveyed and model calculated emission factors, which were further gridded at a high spatial resolution of 40 km×40 km using the GIS methodology. Results show a continuous growth trend of China's historical NMVOCs emissions during the period of 1980-2005, with the emission increasing by 4.2 times at an annual average rate of 10.6% from 3.91 Tg in 1980 to 16.49 Tg in 2005. Vehicles, biomass burning, industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion, solvent utilization, and storage and transport generated 5.50 Tg, 3.84 Tg, 2.76 Tg, 1.98 Tg, 1.87 Tg, and 0.55 Tg of NMVOCs, respectively, in 2005. Motorcycles, biofuel burning, heavy duty vans, synthetic fibre production, biomass open burning, and industrial and commercial consumption were primary emission sources. Besides, source contributions of NMVOCs emissions showed remarkable annual variation. However, emissions of these sources had been continuously increasing, which coincided well with China's economic growth. Spatial distribution of NMVOCs emissions illustrates that high emissions mainly concentrates in developed regions of northern, eastern and southern coastal areas, which produced more emissions than the relatively underdeveloped western and inland regions. Particularly, southeastern, northern, and central China covering 35.2% of China's territory, generated 59.4% of the total emissions, while the populous capital cities covering merely 4.5% of China's territory, accounted for 24.9% of the national emissions. Annual variation of regional emission intensity shows that emissions concentrating in urban areas tended to transfer to rural areas year by year. Moreover, eastern, southern, central, and northeastern China were typical areas of high emission intensity and had a tendency of expanding to the northwestern China, which revealed the transfer of emission

Holocene moisture variations over the arid central Asia revealed by a comprehensive sand-dune record from the central Tian Shan, NW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Hao; Shen, Ji; Chen, Jianhui; Tsukamoto, Sumiko; Yang, Linhai; Cheng, Hongyi; Frechen, Manfred

2017-10-01

Arid central Asia (ACA) is one of the largest arid (desert) areas in the world, and its climate is dominated by the westerlies. In this study, we examined sand dune evolution from the Bayanbulak Basin in the Tian Shan (Xinjiang, NW China), aiming to infer the Holocene moisture history of the ACA. Combined with stratigraphic observation and environmental proxies analysis (grain size, magnetic susceptibility and total organic content), large numbers of luminescence ages from multiple sites (eight sections, 79 samples) were applied to reconstruct the evolution of the sand dune accumulation in the study basin. The overall results imply very dry conditions characterized by sand dune accumulation at ∼12-6.5 ka, a wet interval between ∼6.5 and 0.8 ka when soil formation occurred, and decreased moisture during the last 0.8 ka. This moisture variation pattern is generally consistent with that inferred from many lacustrine records in the core zone of ACA, suggesting a widespread dry period in the early-to-middle Holocene and relatively wet middle-to-late Holocene. Thus, the moisture history derived from the current sand dune system contrasts with that in Asian monsoon areas, which are characterized by a strong monsoon (high precipitation) in the early and mid-Holocene and a weak monsoon (low precipitation and dry climate) during the late Holocene. Our results strongly suggest that the winter solar insolation and the external boundary conditions such as atmospheric CO2 concentration, ice sheets, and meltwater fluxes, have been major influential factors triggering the Holocene moisture evolution in the core zone of ACA.

Prevalence of amblyopia and strabismus in a population of 7th-grade junior high school students in Central China: the Anyang Childhood Eye Study (ACES).

PubMed

Fu, Jing; Li, Shi Ming; Liu, Luo Ru; Li, Jin Ling; Li, Si Yuan; Zhu, Bi Dan; Li, He; Yang, Zhou; Li, Lei; Wang, Ning Li

2014-06-01

To determine the prevalence of amblyopia and strabismus in 7th-grade junior high school students in central China. Using stratified cluster sampling, 2363 7th-grade students were recruited from four junior high schools in Anyang city into the cross-sectional Anyang Childhood Eye Study (ACES). All students underwent visual acuity (VA), cycloplegic autorefraction, cover test, and ocular movement examinations. Uncorrected VA and best-corrected VA (BCVA) were measured with a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart. Cycloplegic autorefraction was performed after administration of 1.0% cyclopentolate and Mydrin-P. Strabismus was defined as heterotropia at near or distance fixation. Amblyopia was defined as BCVA ≤ 0.1 logMAR units in one or both eyes, without ocular pathology in either eye. Of the 2363 eligible students, 2260 (95.6%) completed all examinations. The mean age of the students was 12.4 ± 0.6 years. Amblyopia was present in 52 students (2.5%), of whom 33 (63.5%) had unilateral and 19 (36.6%) had bilateral amblyopia. Of those with unilateral amblyopia, 18 (54.5 %) had anisometropia and 7 (21.2%) had strabismus. Of those with bilateral amblyopia, 6 (31.6%) had significant refractive error. Strabismus was present in 108 students (5.0%), of whom 2 (1.9%) had esotropia, 102 (94.4%) had exotropia, 3 (2.8%) had vertical strabismus, and 1 (0.9%) had microstrabismus. Of the 108 students with strabismus, 9 (8.3%) had amblyopia. The cross-sectional ACES which examined the prevalence of amblyopia and strabismus in 7th-grade students in central China revealed the prevalence of strabismus, particularly the proportion of exotropia, to be higher than previously reported.

DNA barcode and phylogeography of six new high altitude wingless Niphadomimus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) from Southwest China.

PubMed

Grebennikov, Vasily V

2014-07-17

The genus Niphadomimus Zherikhin, 1987 is taxonomically revised herein. In addition to the two recorded Nepalese species, N. nigriventris Zherikhin and N. niger Zherikhin, known only from the holotypes, two additional specimens of N. nigriventris are reported and six new species from China represented by 96 specimens are described and illustrated. These are: N. alcyone sp. n. (Sichuan), N. celaeno sp. n. (Yunnan), N. electra sp. n. (Yunnan), N. maia sp. n. (Yunnan), N. merope sp. n. (Shaanxi) and N. sterope sp. n. (Sichuan). All known Niphadomimus species are apterous inhabitants of the leaf litter in the upper Rhododendron-dominated forest zone between 2000 and 4114 m. Phylogenetic analyses using DNA barcodes of six new species and representatives of 13 other Molytinae genera with available DNA data (A.) corroborates Niphadomimus monophyly; (B.) strongly argues for the sister-group relationship between N. merope sp. n. from the Qinling Mt. Range and the rest of the species distributed in the Hengduan mountains; (C.) in two among four analyses weakly relates the genus with the East Palaearctic Leiosoma. The tribe Typoderini could not be shown as monophyletic, which may be due to insufficient signal content of the cox1 marker at the tribal level. The detected phylogeographic pattern of Niphadomimus is compared with that of similarly distributed or closely related clades. Temporal DNA analysis estimates the N. merope sp. n. split at 6-11 MY, while the diversification of the Hengduan clade dates between 5.5 MY and 3.6 MY, i.e. well before the onset of the Quaternary climate fluctuations.

Source apportionment of atmospheric mercury pollution in China using the GEOS-Chem model.

PubMed

Wang, Long; Wang, Shuxiao; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Yuxuan; Zhang, Yanxu; Nielsen, Chris; McElroy, Michael B; Hao, Jiming

2014-07-01

China is the largest atmospheric mercury (Hg) emitter in the world. Its Hg emissions and environmental impacts need to be evaluated. In this study, China's Hg emission inventory is updated to 2007 and applied in the GEOS-Chem model to simulate the Hg concentrations and depositions in China. Results indicate that simulations agree well with observed background Hg concentrations. The anthropogenic sources contributed 35-50% of THg concentration and 50-70% of total deposition in polluted regions. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impacts of mercury emissions from power plants, non-ferrous metal smelters and cement plants. It is found that power plants are the most important emission sources in the North China, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) while the contribution of non-ferrous metal smelters is most significant in the Southwest China. The impacts of cement plants are significant in the YRD, PRD and Central China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid increase of ozone concentrations in Xi'an, China: Anthropogenically or naturally?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, J.; Li, G.; Junji, C.

2017-12-01

The air quality in the Guanzhong basin, China has deteriorated recently caused by growing industries, city expansions, and increasing transportation activity. We report here a substantial increasing trend of ozone (O3) concentrations in Xi'an, the largest city of the basin, and the average observed O3 concentration in the afternoon during summertime has increased by 39% from 2013 to 2016. There are two main possible reasons for the rapid O3 increase. Motor vehicle has been reported to increase by 35% in Xi'an, which enhances the O3 precursors emissions to facilitate the O3 formation. In addition, the surface solar radiation at the meteorological site in Xi'an has been observed to intensify by 30%, which increases the photolysis rates to expedite the O3 production. A persistent high O3 episode from 16 to 22 June 2016 in Xi'an has been simulated using the WRF-CHEM model to evaluate the contribution of the transportation emission and solar radiation enhancement on the O3 trend. The model generally performs reasonably well in simulating the temporal variation and spatial distribution of near-surface O3 and NO2 concentrations against measurements in Xi'an. Sensitivity studies have revealed that the enhancement of transportation emissions and the solar radiation explains about 70% of the O3 trend from 2013 to 2016. Considering that large amounts of biogenic emissions are released over the Qinling Mountains on the south of Xi'an, which can be delivered to Xi'an under favorable meteorological conditions, enhancing O3 formation. Therefore, future studies need to be performed to evaluate impacts of the solar radiation enhancement on the biogenic emissions and further the O3 formation in Xi'an.

The Great Leap Forward: Anatomy of a Central Planning Disaster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Wei; Yang, Dennis Tao

2005-01-01

The Great Leap Forward disaster, characterized by a collapse in grain production and a widespread famine in China between 1959 and 1961, is found attributable to a systemic failure in central planning. Wishfully expecting a great leap in agricultural productivity from collectivization, the Chinese government accelerated its aggressive…

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Ground Monitored PM2.5 Concentrations in China in Recent Years

PubMed Central

Li, Junming; Han, Xiulan; Li, Xiao; Yang, Jianping; Li, Xuejiao

2018-01-01

This paper firstly explores the space-time evolution of city-level PM2.5 concentrations showed a very significant seasonal cycle type fluctuation during the period between 13 May 2014 and 30 May 2017. The period from October to April following each year was a heavy pollution period, whereas the phase from April to October of the current year was part of a light pollution period. The average monthly PM2.5 concentrations in mainland China based on ground monitoring, employing a descriptive statistics method and a Bayesian spatiotemporal hierarchy model. Daily and weekly average PM2.5 concentrations in 338 cities in mainland China presented no significant spatial difference during the severe pollution period but a large spatial difference during light pollution periods. The severe PM2.5 pollution areas were mainly distributed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration in the North China Plain during the beginning of each autumn-winter season (September), spreading to the Northeast Plains after October, then later continuing to spread to other cities in mainland China, eventually covering most cities. PM2.5 pollution in China appeared to be a cyclic characteristic of first spreading and then centralizing in the space in two spring-summer seasons, and showed an obvious process of first diffusing then transferring to shrinkage alternation during the spring-summer season of 2015, but showed no obvious diffusion during the spring-summer season of 2016, maintaining a stable spatial structure after the shrinkage in June, as well as being more concentrated. The heavily polluted areas are continuously and steadily concentrated in East China, Central China and Xinjiang Province. PMID:29324671

Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2013.

PubMed

Chen, Wanqing; Zheng, Rongshou; Zhang, Siwei; Zeng, Hongmei; Xia, Changfa; Zuo, Tingting; Yang, Zhixun; Zou, Xiaonong; He, Jie

2017-08-10

National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCRC) updated nationwide statistics of cancer incidence and mortality in China using population-based cancer registration data in 2013 from all available cancer registries. In 2016, 255 registries' data were qualified and included in this analysis. We estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths in China in 2013 using age-specific rates and corresponding national population stratified by area, sex, age group (0, 1-4, 5-9, 10-14…85+) and cancer type. The world Segi's population was applied for age-standardized rates. All rates were expressed per 100,000 person-year. A total of 3,682,000 new cancer cases and 2,229,300 cancer deaths were estimated in China in 2013. Cancers of lung, female breast, stomach, liver, colon-rectum and esophagus were the most common cancers, accounting for about half of all cancer new cases. Lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer were the five leading causes of cancer death, accounting for about 60% of all cancer deaths. The cancer patterns showed differences not only between male and female, but also among different geographic regions in China. For overall cancers, the age-standardized incidence rates were stable during the past decades in male, but significantly increased by 2.2% per year in female. Cancer poses a major threat to public health and the cancer burden keep raising in China. The annual updated cancer statistics can provide scientific basis for cancer prevention and control. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Molecular diagnosis of central nervous system opportunistic infections and mortality in HIV-infected adults in Central China.

PubMed

Yang, Rongrong; Zhang, Hong; Xiong, Yong; Gui, Xien; Zhang, Yongxi; Deng, Liping; Gao, Shicheng; Luo, Mingqi; Hou, Wei; Guo, Deyin

2017-01-01

CSF PCR is the standard diagnostic technique used in resource-rich settings to detect pathogens of the CNS infection. However, it is not currently used for routine CSF testing in China. Knowledge of CNS opportunistic infections among people living with HIV in China is limited. Intensive cerebrospiral fluid (CSF) testing was performed to evaluate for bacterial, viral and fungal etiologies. Pathogen-specific primers were used to detect DNA from cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and John Cunningham virus (JCV) via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cryptococcal meningitis accounted for 63.0% (34 of 54) of all causes of meningitis, 13.0% (7/54) for TB, 9.3% (5/54) for Toxoplasma gondii. Of 54 samples sent for viral PCR, 31.5% (17/54) were positive, 12 (22.2%) for CMV, 2 (3.7%) for VZV, 1 (1.9%) for EBV, 1 (1.9%) for HHV-6 and 1 (1.9%) for JCV. No patient was positive for HSV. Pathogen-based treatment and high GCS score tended to have a lower mortality rate, whereas patients with multiple pathogens infection, seizures or intracranial hypertension showed higher odds of death. CNS OIs are frequent and multiple pathogens often coexist in CSF. Cryptococcal meningitis is the most prevalent CNS disorders among AIDS. The utility of molecular diagnostics for pathogen identification combined with the knowledge provided by the investigation may improve the diagnosis of AIDS related OIs in resource-limited developing countries, but the cost-efficacy remains to be further evaluated.

Analysis of National Policies for Entrepreneurship Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Xiaozhou

2012-01-01

This article reviews major national policies and strategies adopted by the Chinese central government to promote entrepreneurship education and also describes the current social and economic background to reveal the motives of entrepreneurship education in mainland China. The core of this article sums up the content of national policies on…

Evidence of a Cooler Continental Climate in East China during the Warm Early Cenozoic.

PubMed

Zhang, Qian-Qian; Smith, Thierry; Yang, Jian; Li, Cheng-Sen

2016-01-01

The early Cenozoic was characterized by a very warm climate especially during the Early Eocene. To understand climatic changes in eastern Asia, we reconstructed the Early Eocene vegetation and climate based on palynological data of a borehole from Wutu coal mine, East China and evaluated the climatic differences between eastern Asia and Central Europe. The Wutu palynological assemblages indicated a warm temperate vegetation succession comprising mixed needle- and broad-leaved forests. Three periods of vegetation succession over time were recognized. The changes of palynomorph relative abundance indicated that period 1 was warm and humid, period 2 was relatively warmer and wetter, and period 3 was cooler and drier again. The climatic parameters estimated by the coexistence approach (CA) suggested that the Early Eocene climate in Wutu was warmer and wetter. Mean annual temperature (MAT) was approximately 16°C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) was 800-1400 mm. Comparison of the Early Eocene climatic parameters of Wutu with those of 39 other fossil floras of different age in East China, reveals that 1) the climate became gradually cooler during the last 65 million years, with MAT dropping by 9.3°C. This cooling trend coincided with the ocean temperature changes but with weaker amplitude; 2) the Early Eocene climate was cooler in East China than in Central Europe; 3) the cooling trend in East China (MAT dropped by 6.9°C) was gentler than in Central Europe (MAT dropped by 13°C) during the last 45 million years.

Evidence of a Cooler Continental Climate in East China during the Warm Early Cenozoic

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qian-Qian; Smith, Thierry; Yang, Jian; Li, Cheng-Sen

2016-01-01

The early Cenozoic was characterized by a very warm climate especially during the Early Eocene. To understand climatic changes in eastern Asia, we reconstructed the Early Eocene vegetation and climate based on palynological data of a borehole from Wutu coal mine, East China and evaluated the climatic differences between eastern Asia and Central Europe. The Wutu palynological assemblages indicated a warm temperate vegetation succession comprising mixed needle- and broad-leaved forests. Three periods of vegetation succession over time were recognized. The changes of palynomorph relative abundance indicated that period 1 was warm and humid, period 2 was relatively warmer and wetter, and period 3 was cooler and drier again. The climatic parameters estimated by the coexistence approach (CA) suggested that the Early Eocene climate in Wutu was warmer and wetter. Mean annual temperature (MAT) was approximately 16°C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) was 800–1400 mm. Comparison of the Early Eocene climatic parameters of Wutu with those of 39 other fossil floras of different age in East China, reveals that 1) the climate became gradually cooler during the last 65 million years, with MAT dropping by 9.3°C. This cooling trend coincided with the ocean temperature changes but with weaker amplitude; 2) the Early Eocene climate was cooler in East China than in Central Europe; 3) the cooling trend in East China (MAT dropped by 6.9°C) was gentler than in Central Europe (MAT dropped by 13°C) during the last 45 million years. PMID:27196048

Status of tuberculosis-related stigma and associated factors: a cross-sectional study in central China.

PubMed

Yin, Xiaoxv; Yan, Shijiao; Tong, Yeqing; Peng, Xin; Yang, Tingting; Lu, Zuxun; Gong, Yanhong

2018-02-01

Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant challenge to public health worldwide. Stigma is a major obstacle to TB control by leading to delay in diagnosis and treatment non-adherence. This study aimed to evaluate the status of TB-related stigma and its associated factors among TB patients in China. Cross-sectional survey. Thus, 1342 TB patients were recruited from TB dispensaries in three counties in Hubei Province using a multistage sampling method and surveyed using a structured anonymous questionnaire including validated scales to measure TB-related stigma. A generalised linear regression model was used to identify the factors associated with TB-related stigma. The average score on the TB-related Stigma Scale was 9.33 (SD = 4.25). Generalised linear regression analysis revealed that knowledge about TB (ß = -0.18, P = 0.0025), family function (ß = -0.29, P < 0.0001) and doctor-patient communication (ß = -0.32, P = 0.0005) were negatively associated with TB-related stigma. TB-related stigma was high among TB patients in China. Interventions concentrating on reducing TB patients' stigma in China should focus on improving patients' family function and patients' knowledge about TB. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inequality of Paediatric Workforce Distribution in China.

PubMed

Song, Peige; Ren, Zhenghong; Chang, Xinlei; Liu, Xuebei; An, Lin

2016-07-12

Child health has been addressed as a priority at both global and national levels for many decades. In China, difficulty of accessing paediatricians has been of debate for a long time, however, there is limited evidence to assess the population- and geography-related inequality of paediatric workforce distribution. This study aimed to analyse the inequality of the distributions of the paediatric workforce (including paediatricians and paediatric nurses) in China by using Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient, and Theil L index, data were obtained from the national maternal and child health human resource sampling survey conducted in 2010. In this study, we found that the paediatric workforce was the most inequitable regarding the distribution of children <7 years, the geographic distribution of the paediatric workforce highlighted very severe inequality across the nation, except the Central region. For different professional types, we found that, except the Central region, the level of inequality of paediatric nurses was higher than that of the paediatricians regarding both the demographic and geographic distributions. The inner-regional inequalities were the main sources of the paediatric workforce distribution inequality. To conclude, this study revealed the inadequate distribution of the paediatric workforce in China for the first time, substantial inequality of paediatric workforce distribution still existed across the nation in 2010, more research is still needed to explore the in-depth sources of inequality, especially the urban-rural variance and the inner- and inter-provincial differences, and to guide national and local health policy-making and resource allocation.

Inequality of Paediatric Workforce Distribution in China

PubMed Central

Song, Peige; Ren, Zhenghong; Chang, Xinlei; Liu, Xuebei; An, Lin

2016-01-01

Child health has been addressed as a priority at both global and national levels for many decades. In China, difficulty of accessing paediatricians has been of debate for a long time, however, there is limited evidence to assess the population- and geography-related inequality of paediatric workforce distribution. This study aimed to analyse the inequality of the distributions of the paediatric workforce (including paediatricians and paediatric nurses) in China by using Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient, and Theil L index, data were obtained from the national maternal and child health human resource sampling survey conducted in 2010. In this study, we found that the paediatric workforce was the most inequitable regarding the distribution of children <7 years, the geographic distribution of the paediatric workforce highlighted very severe inequality across the nation, except the Central region. For different professional types, we found that, except the Central region, the level of inequality of paediatric nurses was higher than that of the paediatricians regarding both the demographic and geographic distributions. The inner-regional inequalities were the main sources of the paediatric workforce distribution inequality. To conclude, this study revealed the inadequate distribution of the paediatric workforce in China for the first time, substantial inequality of paediatric workforce distribution still existed across the nation in 2010, more research is still needed to explore the in-depth sources of inequality, especially the urban-rural variance and the inner- and inter-provincial differences, and to guide national and local health policy-making and resource allocation. PMID:27420083

A six-stalagmite composite record of East Asian Summer Monsoon in northern China since 11.5 thousand years ago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C. C.; Dong, J.; Kong, X.; WU, C. C.; Ren, H. A.; Wang, Y.

2017-12-01

Here we present replicated carbonate δ18O records of six stalagmites with sub-decadal to multi-decadal resolutions from Lianhua Cave (38º10'N, 113º43'E), Shanxi Province, to reveal a detailed evolution of the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) intensity in northern China since 11.5 thousand years ago (ka BP, before 1950 AD). This composite record shows that solar forcing dominated hydroclimatic changes, including an intensified monsoon at the Holocene Optimum from the termination of Younger Dryas to 6.5 ka BP, and a subsequent multi-millennial weakening of monsoon intensity, that agree with cave records in central and southern China. However, the EASM has retreated southwards more rapidly than the Indian summer monsoon after 6.5 ka BP, resulting in aridity conditions occurring at 4.0 ka BP in northern China, which is almost 2000-year earlier than in central and southern China. This asynchroneity may be related to the different regional responses among the coupling of the EASM, Indian summer monsoon, the solar forcing, and the differences in thermal forcing due to complex geographical configurations. In addition, a relative enrichment of 1‰ in 18O data of Lianhua record from 9.5 to 8.1 ka BP shows that the Holocene Optimum was punctuated by a millennial-long weak monsoon interval, which is not registered among previous cave records in central and southern China. The fresh water-induced cold climate conditions in the North Atlantic region could create stronger East Asian winter monsoon and induce a weakened EASM and a southward shift of rain belt in northern China. Therefore, it shall not be surprised that there are strong heterogeneities among regional hydroclimatic conditions across monsoonal China in the Holocene.

Carbon Dioxide Flux from Rice Paddy Soils in Central China: Effects of Intermittent Flooding and Draining Cycles

PubMed Central

Liu, Yi; Wan, Kai-yuan; Tao, Yong; Li, Zhi-guo; Zhang, Guo-shi; Li, Shuang-lai; Chen, Fang

2013-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to (i) examine the diurnal and seasonal soil carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes pattern in rice paddy fields in central China and (ii) assess the role of floodwater in controlling the emissions of CO2 from soil and floodwater in intermittently draining rice paddy soil. The soil CO2 flux rates ranged from −0.45 to 8.62 µmol.m−2.s−1 during the rice-growing season. The net effluxes of CO2 from the paddy soil were lower when the paddy was flooded than when it was drained. The CO2 emissions for the drained conditions showed distinct diurnal variation with a maximum efflux observed in the afternoon. When the paddy was flooded, daytime soil CO2 fluxes reversed with a peak negative efflux just after midday. In draining/flooding alternating periods, a sudden pulse-like event of rapidly increasing CO2 efflux occured in response to re-flooding after draining. Correlation analysis showed a negative relation between soil CO2 flux and temperature under flooded conditions, but a positive relation was found under drained conditions. The results showed that draining and flooding cycles play a vital role in controlling CO2 emissions from paddy soils. PMID:23437170

Copper smelting and sediment pollution in Bronze Age China.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Dong, G.

2017-12-01

The emergence and diffusion of metallurgical technology had tremendous environmental consequence, however, the spatial-temporal consequences of the metallurgy during Bronze Age are not clear in China. Here, Xray fluorescence (XRF) measurement and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted on heavy metal element (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cr and As) concentrations (HMEC) of natural and anthropogenic sediment samples systematically collected from 22 late Neolithic-Bronze Age sites in Hexi corridor to explore the potential for subcontinental-wide changes in soil geochemistry. We place this data within the context of the Cu concentrations in lacustrine sediments located near smelting and mining centers in Bronze Age China. Our results show that variation of HMEC in anthropogenic sediment in Hexi corridor is contemporaneous with the increases of the Cu concentrations in lacustrine sediment around 4000 BP. Comparative data suggests the metallurgical production diffused from the Hexi corridor to central and southwestern China around 3600 BP. We argue that sediment pollution is not an isolated phenomenon during the Bronze Age China, but rather occurred on regional scales and is closely related to the intensity of smelting activities.

Harmonious Society -- Rise of the New China

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Zedong China, beginning with Deng Xiaoping in 1978, remains authoritarian but has Col John P. Geis II is currently director, Center for Strategy and...Party (CCP)—embarked on incremental reforms to maximize China’s economic potential while retaining strict authoritarian control. Together these... authoritarian systems, such as those in Central Asia, to the influence of American NGOs, assessing that they fomented revolution in these countries

Exploring the Abundance and Diversity of Bacterial Communities and Quantifying Antibiotic-Related Genes Along an Elevational Gradient in Taibai Mountain, China.

PubMed

Peng, Chu; Wang, He; Jiang, Yingying; Yang, Jinhua; Lai, Hangxian; Wei, Xiaomin

2018-05-10

Thus far, no studies have investigated the soil microbial diversity over an elevational gradient in Taibai Mountain, the central massif of the Qinling Mountain Range. Here, we used Illumina sequencing and quantitative PCR of the 16S rRNA gene to assess the diversity and abundance of bacterial communities along an elevational gradient in representative vegetation soils in Taibai Mountain. We identified the soil, climate, and vegetation factors driving the variations in soil bacterial community structure by Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis. We also evaluated the potential for antibiotic discovery by quantitative PCR of the PKS-I, PKS-II, and NRPS genes from Actinobacteria. The results showed that soil bacterial alpha diversity increased first and then decreased with an elevational rise in both the northern and southern slopes of Taibai Mountain. The bacterial abundance was significantly correlated with soil organic matter and nitrate nitrogen. The average relative abundance of Actinobacteria in Taibai Mountain was markedly higher than those in other mountain forest soils. The absolute abundance of PKS and NPRS gene was significantly higher in the tested soils compared with the gene copy numbers reported in tropical urban soils. Taibai Mountain is rich in actinomycete resources and has great potential for antibiotic excavation.

Comparison of emissions inventories of anthropogenic air pollutants and greenhouse gases in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saikawa, Eri; Kim, Hankyul; Zhong, Min; Avramov, Alexander; Zhao, Yu; Janssens-Maenhout, Greet; Kurokawa, Jun-ichi; Klimont, Zbigniew; Wagner, Fabian; Naik, Vaishali; Horowitz, Larry W.; Zhang, Qiang

2017-05-01

Anthropogenic air pollutant emissions have been increasing rapidly in China, leading to worsening air quality. Modelers use emissions inventories to represent the temporal and spatial distribution of these emissions needed to estimate their impacts on regional and global air quality. However, large uncertainties exist in emissions estimates. Thus, assessing differences in these inventories is essential for the better understanding of air pollution over China. We compare five different emissions inventories estimating emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 µm or less (PM10) from China. The emissions inventories analyzed in this paper include the Regional Emission inventory in ASia v2.1 (REAS), the Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC), the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research v4.2 (EDGAR), the inventory by Yu Zhao (ZHAO), and the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS). We focus on the period between 2000 and 2008, during which Chinese economic activities more than doubled. In addition to national totals, we also analyzed emissions from four source sectors (industry, transport, power, and residential) and within seven regions in China (East, North, Northeast, Central, Southwest, Northwest, and South) and found that large disagreements exist among the five inventories at disaggregated levels. These disagreements lead to differences of 67 µg m-3, 15 ppbv, and 470 ppbv for monthly mean PM10, O3, and CO, respectively, in modeled regional concentrations in China. We also find that all the inventory emissions estimates create a volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited environment and MEIC emissions lead to much lower O3 mixing ratio in East and Central China compared to the simulations using REAS and EDGAR estimates, due to their low VOC emissions. Our results illustrate that a better

Coal-type gas provinces in China and their geochemical characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Xiaobao; Xu Yonghang; Shen Ping

1996-12-31

The distribution of coal - type gases in China can be divided into the east gas province, the central gas province and the west gas province the east gas province lies in the East China Meso - Cenozoic Rift Belt, including Donghai Basin and Bohaiwan Basin. The ages of gas source rocks are Carbo - Permian and Tertiary. The types of gas reservoirs are a anticline or a hidden mountain - fault block combination reservoir. The CH{sub 4} content ofthe gases there is 83 -90%, with {delta}{sup 13}C{sub 1} -35.5 {approximately} -39.9{per_thousand}, and {delta}{sup 13}C{sub 2} -24.0 {approximately} -26.8{per_thousand}. Themore » {delta}{sup 13}C of condensate oils associated with the gases ranges from -25.4{per_thousand} to -26.8{per_thousand}. The central gas province is inside the Central China Paleozoic Plates, including Orclos Basin and Sichuan Basin. The gas source rocks are Carbo - Permian and Triassic. The types of gas reservoirs are an anticline-fault combination or a lithological-tectonic combination reservoir. The {delta}{sup 13}C{sub 1} of the gases there is -37.9 {approximately} -37. l{per_thousand}, with the {delta}{sup 13}C of condensate oil accompanying them - 25.1 {approximately} -26.6{per_thousand}. The west gas province is within the West China Late Paleozoic Intracontinental Compressive Belt, including Tarim Basin, Jungar Basin and Tuna Basin. The age of gas source rocks is Jurassic. The types of gas reservoirs are an anticline or an anticline-fault reservoir. The CH{sub 4} content of the gases there varies from 60 to 90%, with {delta}{sup 13}C{sub 1} from - 38.7 to -43.7{per_thousand} and {delta} {sup 13}C{sub 2} from -25.9{per_thousand} to -29.9{per_thousand}. The {delta} {sup 13}C of light oils and condensate oils accompanying the gases changes from 24.3{per_thousand} to 27.8{per_thousand}.« less

Coal-type gas provinces in China and their geochemical characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Xiaobao; Xu Yonghang; Shen Ping

1996-01-01

The distribution of coal - type gases in China can be divided into the east gas province, the central gas province and the west gas province the east gas province lies in the East China Meso - Cenozoic Rift Belt, including Donghai Basin and Bohaiwan Basin. The ages of gas source rocks are Carbo - Permian and Tertiary. The types of gas reservoirs are a anticline or a hidden mountain - fault block combination reservoir. The CH[sub 4] content ofthe gases there is 83 -90%, with [delta][sup 13]C[sub 1] -35.5 [approximately] -39.9[per thousand], and [delta][sup 13]C[sub 2] -24.0 [approximately] -26.8[permore » thousand]. The [delta][sup 13]C of condensate oils associated with the gases ranges from -25.4[per thousand] to -26.8[per thousand]. The central gas province is inside the Central China Paleozoic Plates, including Orclos Basin and Sichuan Basin. The gas source rocks are Carbo - Permian and Triassic. The types of gas reservoirs are an anticline-fault combination or a lithological-tectonic combination reservoir. The [delta][sup 13]C[sub 1] of the gases there is -37.9 [approximately] -37. l[per thousand], with the [delta][sup 13]C of condensate oil accompanying them - 25.1 [approximately] -26.6[per thousand]. The west gas province is within the West China Late Paleozoic Intracontinental Compressive Belt, including Tarim Basin, Jungar Basin and Tuna Basin. The age of gas source rocks is Jurassic. The types of gas reservoirs are an anticline or an anticline-fault reservoir. The CH[sub 4] content of the gases there varies from 60 to 90%, with [delta][sup 13]C[sub 1] from - 38.7 to -43.7[per thousand] and [delta] [sup 13]C[sub 2] from -25.9[per thousand] to -29.9[per thousand]. The [delta] [sup 13]C of light oils and condensate oils accompanying the gases changes from 24.3[per thousand] to 27.8[per thousand].« less

Efficiency performance of China's health care delivery system.

PubMed

Zhang, Luyu; Cheng, Gang; Song, Suhang; Yuan, Beibei; Zhu, Weiming; He, Li; Ma, Xiaochen; Meng, Qingyue

2017-07-01

Improving efficiency performance of the health care delivery system has been on the agenda for the health system reform that China initiated in 2009. This study examines the changes in efficiency performance and determinants of efficiency after the reform to provide evidence to assess the progress of the reform from the perspective of efficiency. Descriptive analysis, Data Envelopment Analysis, the Malmquist Index, and multilevel regressions are used with data from multiple sources, including the World Bank, the China Health Statistical Yearbook, and routine reports. The results indicate that over the last decade, health outcomes compared with health investment were relatively higher in China than in most other countries worldwide, and the trend was stable. The overall efficiency and total factor productivity increased after the reform, indicating that the reform was likely to have had a positive impact on the efficiency performance of the health care delivery system. However, the health care delivery structure showed low system efficiency, mainly attributed to the weakened primary health care system. Strengthening the primary health care system is central to enhancing the future performance of China's health care delivery system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

May–June Maximum Temperature Reconstruction from Mean Earlywood Density in North Central China and Its Linkages to the Summer Monsoon Activities

PubMed Central

Chen, Feng; Yuan, Yujiang

2014-01-01

Cores of Pinus tabulaformis from Tianshui were subjected to densitometric analysis to obtain mean earlywood density data. Climate response analysis indicates that May–June maximum temperature is the main factor limiting the mean earlywood density (EWD) of Chinese pine trees in the Shimen Mountains. Based on the EWD chronology, we have reconstructed May–June maximum temperature 1666 to 2008 for Tianshui, north central China. The reconstruction explains 40.1% of the actual temperature variance during the common period 1953–2008. The temperature reconstruction is representative of temperature conditions over a large area to the southeast and northwest of the sampling site. Preliminary analysis of links between large-scale climatic variation and the temperature reconstruction shows that there is a relationship between extremes in spring temperature and anomalous atmospheric circulation in the region. It is thus revealed that the mean earlywood density chronology of Pinus tabulaformis has enough potential to reconstruct the temperature variability further into the past. PMID:25207554

Overview of Contemporary Issues of Forest Research and Management in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Hong S.; Shifley, Stephen R.; Thompson, Frank R.

2011-12-01

With 207 million ha of forest covering 22% of its land area, China ranks fifth in the world in forest area. Rapid economic growth, climate change, and forest disturbances pose new, complex challenges for forest research and management. Progress in meeting these challenges is relevant beyond China, because China's forests represent 34% of Asia's forests and 5% of the worlds' forests. To provide a broader understanding of these management challenges and of research and policies that address them, we organized this special issue on contemporary forest research and management issues in China. At the national level, papers review major forest types and the evolution of sustainable forestry, the development of China's forest-certification efforts, the establishment of a forest inventory system, and achievements and challenges in insect pest control in China. Papers focused on Northern China address historical, social, and political factors that have shaped the region's forests; the use of forest landscape models to assess how forest management can achieve multiple objectives; and analysis and modeling of fuels and fire behavior. Papers addressing Central and South China describe the "Grain for Green" program, which converts low productivity cropland to grassland and woodland to address erosion and soil carbon sequestration; the potential effects of climate change on CO2 efflux and soil respiration; and relationships between climate and net primary productivity. China shares many forest management and research issues with other countries, but in other cases China's capacity to respond to forest management challenges is unique and bears watching by the rest of the world.

Reconstruction of March-June precipitation from tree rings in central Liaoning, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yanchao; Liu, Yu

2017-11-01

A dendrochronological profile was generated from Chinese pines ( Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) in the Qianshan Mountains in northeastern China. Based on correlation analyses, the pattern of precipitation from March to June ( P 36 ) was reconstructed using a simple linear model, which explained 42.7% of the total variance in observed precipitation from 1951 to 2012. The reconstructed P 36 series revealed a consistently increasing trend in precipitation during the twentieth century in the Qianshan Mountains. The reconstructed data showed trends that were similar to those in the variation in trends for March-June precipitation observed at the Shenyang station, the reconstructed January-May precipitation trends in Shenyang City, and the reconstructed average June-September relative humidity for Yiwulü Mountain. The reconstructed data also showed good agreement with the droughts reported in historical documents and recorded by meteorological stations in Liaoning. Spatial correlation analyses show that the reconstructed data reflect the variability in precipitation that occurs over much of northeastern China. In addition, our reconstruction showed a significant periodicity. The significant correlations between the reconstructed P 36 and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and sunspot numbers indicate that precipitation variability in the Qianshan Mountain region is probably driven by extensive atmosphere-sea interactions and solar activities.

Intensive rice agriculture deteriorates the quality of shallow groundwater in a typical agricultural catchment in subtropical central China.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Li, Yuyuan; Li, Yong; Liu, Feng; Liu, Xinliang; Gong, Dianlin; Ma, Qiumei; Li, Wei; Wu, Jinshui

2015-09-01

High nitrogen (N) concentrations in rural domestic water supplies have been attributed to excessive agricultural N leaching into shallow groundwater systems; therefore, it is important to determine the impact of agriculture (e.g., rice production) on groundwater quality. To understand the impact of agricultural land use on the N concentrations in the shallow groundwater in subtropical central China, a large observation program was established to observe ammonium-N (NH4-N), nitrate-N (NO3-N), and total N (TN) concentrations in 161 groundwater observation wells from April 2010 to November 2012. The results indicated that the median values of NH4-N, NO3-N, and TN concentrations in the groundwater were 0.15, 0.39, and 1.38 mg N L(-1), respectively. A total of 36.3 % of the water samples were categorized as NH4-N pollution, and only a small portion of the samples were categorized as NO3-N pollution, based on the Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Groundwater of GB/T 14848-93 (General Administration of Quality Supervision of China, 1993). These results indicated of moderate groundwater NH4-N pollution, which was mainly attributed to intensive rice agriculture with great N fertilizer application rates in the catchment. In addition, tea and vegetable fields showed higher groundwater NO3-N and TN concentrations than other agricultural land use types. The factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) suggested that the flooded agricultural land use types (e.g., single-rice and double-rice) had potential to impose NH4-N pollution, particularly in the soil exhausting season during from July to October. And, the great N fertilizer application rates could lead to a worse NO3-N and TN pollution in shallow groundwater. Hence, to protect groundwater quality and minimize NH4-N pollution, managing optimal fertilizer application and applying appropriate agricultural land use types should be implemented in the region.

Dog-transmitted Rabies in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing Yuan; Zhang, Bi; Zhang, Shou Feng; Zhang, Fei; Li, Nan; Liu, Ye; Hu, Rong Liang

2017-07-01

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. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Boundary Layer Structure during a Persistent Haze Event in the Central Liaoning City Cluster, Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaolan; Wang, Yangfeng; Shen, Lidu; Zhang, Hongsheng; Zhao, Hujia; Zhang, Yunhai; Ma, Yanjun

2018-04-01

The characteristics of boundary layer structure during a persistent regional haze event over the central Liaoning city cluster of Northeast China from 16 to 21 December 2016 were investigated based on the measurements of particulate matter (PM) concentration and the meteorological data within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). During the observational period, the maximum hourly mean PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in Shenyang, Anshan, Fushun, and Benxi ranged from 276 to 355 μg m-3 and from 378 to 442 μg m-3, respectively, and the lowest hourly mean atmospheric visibility (VIS) in different cities ranged from 0.14 to 0.64 km. The central Liaoning city cluster was located in the front of a slowly moving high pressure and was mainly controlled by southerly winds. Wind speed (WS) within the ABL (< 2 km) decreased significantly and WS at 10-m height mostly remained below 2 m s-1 during the hazy episodes, which was favorable for the accumulation of air pollutants. A potential temperature inversion layer existed throughout the entire ABL during the earlier hazy episode [from 0500 Local Time (LT) 18 December to 1100 LT 19 December], and then a potential temperature inversion layer developed with the bottom gradually decreased from 900 m to 300 m. Such a stable atmospheric stratification further weakened pollutant dispersion. The atmospheric boundary layer height (ABLH) estimated based on potential temperature profiles was mostly lower than 400 m and varied oppositely with PM2.5 in Shenyang. In summary, weak winds due to calm synoptic conditions, strong thermal inversion layer, and shallow atmospheric boundary layer contributed to the formation and development of this haze event. The backward trajectory analysis revealed the sources of air masses and explained the different characteristics of the haze episodes in the four cities.

Remote sensing, paleoecology, and the archaeology of human migration during the Pleistocene in central Asia and western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glantz, Michelle M.; Todd, Lawrence

2003-07-01

Remote sensing used in the context of global information systems has enormous applications within archaeology. This technology enables the discovery of new archaeological features and promotes an understanding of the relationship between ecosystem and cultural dynamics. Archaeologists are able to add a time dimension to 'creeping environmental changes' that other areas of scientific inquiry concerned with climate change often lack. Remote sensing and other aerial prospecting has been used successfully to model land use and population expansions during relatively recent archaeological eras, such as the Bronze and Iron Ages. Although satellite image databases exist for numerous areas of the New and Old World, very little research has been conducted in Central Asia or western China. This region is historically significant because of its position along the important trading route called the Silk Road. The purpose of the present research is to investigate another poorly understood period of human history that would benefit from the application of remote sensing and associated ground truthing techniques. The migration of hominids out of Africa during the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene and their subsequent colonization of north-central, east, and south-east Asia is relatively well documented in the archaeological record and marks the beginning of the long-term process of human impacts on the region. However, the trajectory of dispersal of Homo erectus, Neandertals, and early modern humans and the ways by which ecosystem vagaries affected this dispersal across Eurasia is unknown. Our purpose is to summarize what is currently known about the geological indicators of ecosystem changes that remote sensing techniques provide and how ecosystem variables may allow us to model human migration as that of an invasive species through this important geographic crossroads of the Old World.

First Jurassic grasshopper (Insecta, Caelifera) from China.

PubMed

Gu, Jun-Jie; Yue, Yanli; Shi, Fuming; Tian, He; Ren, Dong

2016-09-20

Orthoptera is divided into two suborders, the Ensifera (katydids, crickets and mole crickets) and the Caelifera (grasshoppers and pygmy mole crickets). The earliest definitive caeliferans are those found in the Triassic (Bethoux & Ross 2005). The extinct caeliferan families, such as Locustopsidae and Locustavidae, may prove to be stem groups to some of the modern superfamilies (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). Locustopsidae is known from the Late Triassic or Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, consisting of two subfamilies (Gorochov et al. 2006). They are recorded from Europe, England, Russia, central Asia, China, Egypt, North America, Brazil and Australia. Up to now, Late Mesozoic fossil deposits of China has been reported plenty taxa of orthopterids, e.g. ensiferans, phasmatodeans, grylloblattids (Cui et al. 2012; Gu et al. 2010; Gu et al. 2012a; Gu et al. 2012b; Ren et al. 2012; Wang et al. 2014); but, with few caeliferans records, only four species, Pseudoacrida costata Lin 1982, Mesolocustopsis sinica Hong 1990, Tachacris stenosis Lin 1977 and T. turgis Lin 1980, were reported from the Early Cretaceous of Ningxia, Shandong, Yunnan and Zhejiang of China.

Antimicrobial resistance surveillance of flomoxef in China.

PubMed

Cui, Lanqing; Li, Yun; Lv, Yuan; Xue, Feng; Liu, Jian

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of flomoxef against clinical isolates collected from China and understand the trend of antimicrobial resistance. A total of 2955 pathogenic strains isolated from 18 tertiary hospitals in 18 cities of China over the period from July 2011 to June 2012 were studied. And the susceptibility tests were performed using agar dilution method recommended by CLSI in central laboratory. Flomoxef showed good potency against Enterobacteriaceae with susceptibility rate 85%-100%. The susceptibility rates of flomoxef against Staphylococcus spp. isolates were 63.9%-92.2%; 98.8% of MSSA and 88.2% of MSSE were susceptible to this drug. For other tested bacteria including Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus spp., and Streptococcus spp. (except Viridans group streptococci) flomoxef showed good potency with susceptibility rate more than 95%. All these results strongly suggest that flomoxef is a potent antibacterial agent against major pathogens in China. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic review of human listeriosis in China, 1964-2010.

PubMed

Feng, Yanfang; Wu, Shuyu; Varma, Jay K; Klena, John D; Angulo, Frederick J; Ran, Lu

2013-10-01

Listeria is an important foodborne pathogen with severe manifestations and high case-fatality rate. However, listeriosis is not yet a notifiable disease in China, and there is no national monitoring system for cases. We conducted a systematic review to better understand the clinical and epidemiologic features of listeriosis in China. Both electronic and manual retrieval systems were used to search Chinese literature for cases and isolates of human listeriosis reported between 1964 and 2010. We recorded and analysed demographic, clinical and laboratory information available for reported cases. A total of 147 clinical cases, 479 Listeria isolates and 82 outbreak-related cases were reported in 28 (90%) provinces in China from January 1964 to December 2010. Of the clinical cases, 45 (31%) were central nervous system infections, 68 (46%) were septicaemia and 34 (23%) were focal infections or gastroenteritis. The overall case-fatality rate was 26% (34/130) among clinical cases with known outcomes and 46% (21/46) among neonatal cases. Listeriosis cases occurred in China throughout the study period between 1964 and 2010. Case-fatality was similar to published data from other countries. China should consider requiring notification of listeriosis cases to improve estimates of incidence, identification of risk factors and design of preventive measures. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The relationship between the age and depth of the oceanic crust in the central South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yi-Jui; Hsu, Shu-Kun; Chiao, Ling-Yun

2016-04-01

South China Sea (SCS) is the largest marginal basin in the western Pacific. The onset of seafloor spreading in the central part of the SCS was suggested at 32 Ma. After a ridge jump around 25 Ma, the southwestern sub-basin started to open. The spreading of the entire basin ended at ~16 Ma, then a phase of post-magmatic seamount formation occurred (eg., Taylor and Hayes, 1983; Briais et al.,1993; Barckhausen et al., 2014). In this study, we want to find the relationship between the age and depth of the oceanic crust in the central SCS. We will also study a fracture zone trending NW-SE near to Manila trench and to understand how did the fracture zone affect the development of the SCS. We have analyzed five reflection seismic profiles collected by R/V Ocean Researcher 1 during the cruise ORI-1115. We have correlated the age of seismic strata in the central SCS by comparing to the seismic phase of profile MCS1115-7 that has crossed the IODP drilling site U1431. To understand the characteristics of the fracture zone, we have also applied the analytic signal and Euler deconvolution methods to the gravity and magnetic anomalies related to the fracture zone. We suggest that the fraction zone was formed in order to accommodate the spreading in the east sub-basin. However, this fracture zone is somewhat curved concave southwestward. According to the collision-extrusion model of Tapponnier et al. (1982), the formation of Indochina is followed with the constitution of Ailao Shan-Red River Shear Zone. We suppose that the formation of the fracture zone in this study is similar to the Ailao Shan-Red River Shear Zone. The fan-shaped crustal fabric is distinct in the younger portions of the oceanic basin. Both Ailao Shan-Red River Shear Zone and the fracture zone in northeastern SCS may share the same rotation pole. Furthermore, we have tried to find a relationship between oceanic crust depth and age in this area. The preliminary result shows that the relationship between depth and

Mass Casualty Incident Primary Triage Methods in China.

PubMed

Chen, Jin-Hong; Yang, Jun; Yang, Yu; Zheng, Jing-Chen

2015-10-05

To evaluate the technical characteristics and application of mass casualty incident (MCI) primary triage (PT) methods applied in China. Chinese literature was searched by Chinese Academic Journal Network Publishing Database (founded in June 2014). The English literature was searched by PubMed (MEDLINE) (1950 to June 2014). We also searched Official Websites of Chinese Central Government's (http://www.gov.cn/), National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/), and China Earthquake Information (http://www.csi.ac.cn/). We included studies associated with mass casualty events related to China, the PT applied in China, guidelines and standards, and application and development of the carding PT method in China. From 3976 potentially relevant articles, 22 met the inclusion criteria, 20 Chinese, and 2 English. These articles included 13 case reports, 3 retrospective analyses of MCI, two methods introductions, three national or sectoral criteria, and one simulated field testing and validation. There were a total of 19 kinds of MCI PT methods that have been reported in China from 1950 to 2014. In addition, there were 15 kinds of PT methods reported in the literature from the instance of the application. The national and sectoral current triage criteria are developed mainly for earthquake relief. Classification is not clear. Vague criteria (especially between moderate and severe injuries) operability are not practical. There are no triage methods and research for children and special populations. There is no data and evidence supported triage method. We should revise our existing classification and criteria so it is clearer and easier to be grasped in order to build a real, practical, and efficient PT method.

The China PEACE (Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) Retrospective Study of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Study Design China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study Design

PubMed Central

Dharmarajan, Kumar; Li, Jing; Li, Xi; Lin, Zhenqiu; Krumholz, Harlan; Jiang, Lixin

2014-01-01

Background Cardiovascular diseases are rising as a cause of death and disability in China. To improve outcomes for patients with these conditions, the Chinese government, academic researchers, clinicians, and more than 200 hospitals have created China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China-PEACE), a national network for research and performance improvement. The first study from China PEACE, the Retrospective Study of Acute Myocardial Infarction (China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study), is designed to promote improvements in AMI quality of care by generating knowledge about the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) across a representative sample of Chinese hospitals over the last decade. Methods and Results The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study will examine more than 18,000 patient records from 162 hospitals identified using a 2-stage cluster sampling design within economic-geographic regions. Records were chosen from 2001, 2006, and 2011 to identify temporal trends. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating center and will, in particular, address case ascertainment, data abstraction, and data management. Analyses will examine patient characteristics, diagnostic testing patterns, in-hospital treatments, in-hospital outcomes, and variation in results by time and site of care. In addition to publications, data will be shared with participating hospitals and the Chinese government to develop strategies to promote quality improvement. Conclusions The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study is the first to leverage the China PEACE platform to better understand AMI across representative sites of care and over the last decade in China. The China PEACE collaboration between government, academicians, clinicians and hospitals is poised to translate research about trends and patterns of AMI practices and outcomes into improved care for patients. PMID:24221838

Two new species of Neoperla (Plecoptera, Perlidae) from Dabie Mountains of China.

PubMed

Li, Wei-Hai; Zhang, Sheng-Quan

2014-01-01

Two new species of the stonefly genus Neoperla, N. nigromarginata sp. n. and N. similiflavescens sp. n., are described from Dabie Mountains of Central China in the Liankangshan National Nature Reserve. The new species are compared with related congeners.

Historical reconstruction of atmospheric lead pollution in central Yunnan province, southwest China: an analysis based on lacustrine sedimentary records.

PubMed

Liu, Enfeng; Zhang, Enlou; Li, Kai; Nath, Bibhash; Li, Yanling; Shen, Ji

2013-12-01

Atmospheric lead (Pb) pollution during the last century in central Yunnan province, one of the largest non-ferrous metal production centers in China, was reconstructed using sediment cores collected from Fuxian and Qingshui Lakes. Lead concentrations and isotopic ratios ((207)Pb/(206)Pb and (208)Pb/(206)Pb) were measured in sediment cores from both lakes. The operationally defined chemical fractions of Pb in sediment core from Fuxian Lake were determined by the optimized BCR procedure. The chronology of the cores was reconstructed using (210)Pb and (137)Cs dating methods. Similar three-phase variations in isotopic ratios and enrichment factors of Pb were observed in the sediment cores from both lakes. Before the 1950s, the sediment data showed low (207)Pb/(206)Pb and (208)Pb/(206)Pb ratios and enrichment factors (EFs=~1), indicating that the sedimentary Pb was predominantly of lithogenic origin. However, these indices were increased gradually between the 1950s and the mid-1980s, implying an atmospheric Pb deposition. The EFs and isotopic ratios of Pb reached their peak during recent years, indicating aggravating atmospheric Pb pollution. The average anthropogenic Pb fluxes since the mid-1980s were estimated to be 0.032 and 0.053 g m(-2) year(-1) recorded in Fuxian and Qingshui cores, respectively. The anthropogenic Pb was primarily concentrated in the reducible fraction. Combining the results of Pb isotopic compositions and chemical speciations in the sediment cores and in potential sources, we deduced that recent aggravating atmospheric Pb pollution in central Yunnan province should primarily be attributed to regional emissions from non-ferrous metal production industries.

An overview of monogenetic carbonatitic magmatism from Uganda, Italy, China and Spain: Volcanologic and geochemical features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoppa, Francesco; Schiazza, Mariangela

2013-01-01

We address general features of carbonatite monogenetic volcanic fields located in continental settings which are peculiar being associated with kamafugites or melilite-bearing leucitites. Instructive examples are the Toro Ankole in Uganda, West Qinling in China, and Campo de Calatrava in Spain and the Intra-mountain Ultra-alkaline Province (IUP) of Italy. Maars are the typical volcanic forms, occurring in isolation or in clusters along fault systems. Concentric-shelled juvenile lapilli and bombs, having a upper-mantle peridotite kernel, are unique to this type of volcanism. These pyroclasts are interpreted as the result of deep-seated fragmentation of magma having a high carbon dioxide-water (CO2/H2O) ratio. The presence of discrete, large peridotitic nodules implies a high-velocity propagation of magma, while the associated large CO2 emission suggests a high proportion of juvenile CO2. Magma fragmentation is inferred to occur as a consequence of explosive CO2 exsolution at the upper mantle level (diatresis) followed by immiscibility. Based on field evidence, carbonatitic maar formation could be due to violent CO2 expansion and does not require phreatomagmatic phenomena. Extrusive carbonatites and associated rocks represent very primitive melts having a distinct High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) distribution, the source of which is related to enriched mantle. Carbonated peridotite is a stable paragenesis at depths of 400-600 km; thus, primary carbonatitic silicate magma can be produced at these depths as a consequence of rising deeper melt/fluids that are trapped at the transition zone. In our opinion, carbonatitic carbon is linked to the primary process of deep-mantle differentiation and Earth's core degassing.

AFLP-based genetic diversity of wild orchardgrass germplasm collections from Central Asia and Western China, and the relation to environmental factors

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chenglin; Sun, Ming; Zhang, Xinquan; Chen, Shiyong; Nie, Gang; Peng, Yan; Huang, Linkai

2018-01-01

Dactylis glomerata L. (orchardgrass) is an important perennial forage species in temperate areas of the world. It is usually used for silage, grazing and hay because of its high nutritional value and reproducibility. Central Asia, Xinjiang and Tibetan Plateau in China possess various special micro-environments that harbor many valuable resources, while different degrees of degradation of the grassland ecosystem occurred due to climatic changing and human activities. Investigating the genetic diversity of wild D. glomerat could provide basis for collection, protection, and utilization of some excellent germplasm resources. Totally 210 individuals from 14 populations—five from Xinjiang, two from Kangding (Tibetan Plateau), and seven from Central Asia were identified using AFLP technology. The average values of Nei’s genetic diversity (Hj) and Shannon information index (Ho) were 0.383 and 0.394 respectively. UPGMA tree, STRUCTURE analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed populations from same region clustered together. AMOVA revealed 35.10% of the genetic differentiation (Fst) occurred among populations. Gene flow (Nm) was limited among all populations. Genetic diversity of D. glomerata was high but limited under isolation-by-distance pattern, resulting in high genetic differentiation and low gene flow among populations. Adjacent regions also exhibited similar results because of the barriers of high mountains. The environmental factors, such as precipitation, elevation, latitude and longitude also had some impacts on genetic diversity and structure pattern of populations. PMID:29641553

Uyghur Muslim Ethnic Separatism in Xinjiang, China

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

distinction within an autonomous relationship with China, and others are integrating into the Chinese system. There is no single Uyghur agenda.  The...the Uyghur groups make claims that are difficult to substantiate. Nonetheless, the Uyghur grievances against the Chinese government have old roots...multiple “strike hard” campaigns by the central Chinese government in Xinjiang simultaneously tamps down violence in the short- run but fuels a sense of

Regional differences in awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion in China: findings from the ITC China Survey

PubMed Central

Li, Lin; Yong, Hua-Hie; Borland, Ron; Wu, Xi; Li, Qiang; Wu, Changbao; Foong, Kin

2010-01-01

Objective To examine whether levels of, and factors related to, awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion differ across six cities in China. Methods Data from wave 1 of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey (April to August 2006) were analysed. The ITC China Survey employed a multistage sampling design in Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai, Changsha, Guangzhou and Yinchuan. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 4763 smokers and 1259 non-smokers. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion. Results The overall levels of noticing advertisements varied considerably by city. Cities reporting lower levels of advertising tended to report higher levels of point of sale activity. Noticing tobacco industry promotions was associated with more positive attitudes to tobacco companies. Conclusion The awareness of tobacco advertising and promotional activities was not homogeneous across the six Chinese cities, suggesting variations in the tobacco industry's activities and the diversity of implementing a central set of laws to restrict tobacco promotion. This study clearly demonstrates the need to work with the implementation agencies if national laws are to be properly enforced. PMID:20008156

Regional differences in awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion in China: findings from the ITC China Survey.

PubMed

Yang, Yan; Li, Lin; Yong, Hua-Hie; Borland, Ron; Wu, Xi; Li, Qiang; Wu, Changbao; Foong, Kin

2010-04-01

To examine whether levels of, and factors related to, awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion differ across six cities in China. Data from wave 1 of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) China Survey (April to August 2006) were analysed. The ITC China Survey employed a multistage sampling design in Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai, Changsha, Guangzhou and Yinchuan. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 4763 smokers and 1259 non-smokers. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion. The overall levels of noticing advertisements varied considerably by city. Cities reporting lower levels of advertising tended to report higher levels of point of sale activity. Noticing tobacco industry promotions was associated with more positive attitudes to tobacco companies. The awareness of tobacco advertising and promotional activities was not homogeneous across the six Chinese cities, suggesting variations in the tobacco industry's activities and the diversity of implementing a central set of laws to restrict tobacco promotion. This study clearly demonstrates the need to work with the implementation agencies if national laws are to be properly enforced.

Planning for War Termination with China

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-04

proximate to the continental power of central Asia. 16 Forward basing, presence and the ability to play the “away game ” versus defending from the...designed to target an aircraft carrier under way at sea. Andrew S Erickson and David D. Yang. "On the Verge of a Game -Changer." Proceedings (May 2009...China begin war games near Jhelum." Internatinoal Herald Tribune, Pakistan, (November 15, 2011). 82 Kenneth Lieberthal, "The American Pivot to Asia

China's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research environment: A snapshot.

PubMed

Han, Xueying; Appelbaum, Richard P

2018-01-01

In keeping with China's President Xi Jinping's "Chinese Dream," China has set a goal of becoming a world-class innovator by 2050. China's higher education Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) research environment will play a pivotal role in influencing whether China is successful in transitioning from a manufacturing-based economy to an innovation-driven, knowledge-based economy. Past studies on China's research environment have been primarily qualitative in nature or based on anecdotal evidence. In this study, we surveyed STEM faculty from China's top 25 universities to get a clearer understanding of how faculty members view China's overall research environment. We received 731 completed survey responses, 17% of which were from individuals who received terminal degrees from abroad and 83% of which were from individuals who received terminal degrees from domestic institutions of higher education. We present results on why returnees decided to study abroad, returnees' decisions to return to China, and differences in perceptions between returnees and domestic degree holders on the advantages of having a foreign degree. The top five challenges to China's research environment identified by survey respondents were: a promotion of short-term thinking and instant success (37% of all respondents); research funding (33%); too much bureaucratic or governmental intervention (31%); the evaluation system (27%); and a reliance on human relations (26%). Results indicated that while China has clearly made strides in its higher education system, there are numerous challenges that must be overcome before China can hope to effectively produce the kinds of innovative thinkers that are required if it is to achieve its ambitious goals. We also raise questions about the current direction of education and inquiry in China, particularly indications that government policy is turning inward, away from openness that is central to innovative thinking.

The old age health security in rural China: where to go?

PubMed

Dai, Baozhen

2015-11-04

The huge number of rural elders and the deepening health problems (e.g. growing threats of infectious diseases and chronic diseases etc.) place enormous pressure on old age health security in rural China. This study aims to provide information for policy-makers to develop effective measures for promoting rural elders' health care service access by examining the current developments and challenges confronted by the old age health security in rural China. Search resources are electronic databases, web pages of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China on the internet, China Population and Employment Statistics Yearbook, China Civil Affairs' Statistical Yearbook and China Health Statistics Yearbooks etc. Articles were identified from Elsevier, Wiley, EBSCO, EMBASE, PubMed, SCI Expanded, ProQuest, and National Knowledge Infrastructure of China (CNKI) which is the most informative database in Chinese. Search terms were "rural", "China", "health security", "cooperative medical scheme", "social medical assistance", "medical insurance" or "community based medical insurance", "old", or "elder", "elderly", or "aged", "aging". Google scholar was searched with the same combination of keywords. The results showed that old age health security in rural China had expanded to all rural elders and substantially improved health care service utilization among rural elders. Increasing chronic disease prevalence rates, pressing public health issues, inefficient rural health care service provision system and lack of sufficient financing challenged the old age health security in rural China. Increasing funds from the central and regional governments for old age health security in rural China will contribute to reducing urban-rural disparities in provision of old age health security and increasing health equity among rural elders between different regions. Meanwhile, initiating provider payment reform may contribute to

[Dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Wu, Min; Zhang, Wen-Hui; Zhou, Jian-Yun; Ma, Chuang; Ma, Li-Wei

2011-11-01

In order to explore the dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains, three kinds of micro-habitats (understory, forest gap, and forest edge) were selected, with the seed rain quantity and quality of Q. variabilis, seed amount and viability in soil seed bank, as well as the seedling development of Q. variabilis studied. The seed rain of Q. variabilis started from mid August, reached the peak in mid September-early October, and ended at the beginning of November, and there existed differences in the dissemination process, occurrence time, and composition of the seed rain among the three micro-habitats. The seed rain had the maximum intensity (39.55 +/- 5.56 seeds x m(-2)) in understory, the seeds had the earliest landing time, the longest lasting duration, and the highest viability in forest gap, and the mature seeds had the largest proportion in forest edge, accounting for 58.7% of the total. From the ending time of seed rain to next August, the total reserve of soil seed bank was the largest in understory and the smallest in forest edge. In the three habitats, the amount of mature and immature seeds, that of seeds eaten by animals, and the seed viability in soil seed bank all decreased with time. In contrast, the number of moldy seeds increased. The seeds were mainly concentrated in litter layer, a few of them were in 0-2 cm soil layer, and few were in 2-5 cm soil layer. The density of the seedlings varied with habitats, being the largest in forest gap, followed by in forest edge, and the least in understory, which suggested that forest gap was more suitable for the seed germination and seedling growth of Q. variabilis, and thus, appropriate thinning should be taken to increase forest gap to provide favorable conditions for the natural regeneration of Q. variabilis forest.

The bee family Halictidae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Central Asia collected by the Kyushu and Shimane Universities Expeditions

PubMed Central

Tadauchi, Osamu; Miyanaga, Ryoichi

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Central Asia is one of the important centers of bee diversity in the Palearctic Region. However, there is insufficient information for many taxa in the central Asian bee fauna. The Kyushu and Shimane Universities (Japan) Expeditions to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang Uyghur of China were conducted in the years 2000 to 2004 and 2012 to 2014. New information Eighty-eight species of the bee family Halictidae Thomson, 1869 are enumerated including new localities in central Asia. Halictus tibialis Walker, 1871, H. persephone Ebmer, 1976, Lasioglossum denislucum (Strand, 1909), L. griseolum (Morawitz, 1872), L. melanopus (Dalla Torre, 1896), L. nitidiusculum (Kirby, 1802), L. sexnotatulum (Nylander, 1852), L. subequestre (Blüthgen, 1931), L. sublaterale (Blüthgen, 1931), and L. zonulum (Smith, 1848) are recorded from central Asia for the first time. Thirty-two species are newly recorded from Kazakhstan, 19 spp. from Kyrgyzstan, 2 spp. from Uzbekistan, and 11 spp. from Xinjiang Uyghur of China. The genus Lasioglossum dominated the number of species and individuals in the collection. The halictid fauna mostly composed of western to central Asian elements in our surveyed area. PMID:29104434

Historical analysis of SO2 pollution control policies in China.

PubMed

Gao, Cailing; Yin, Huaqiang; Ai, Nanshan; Huang, Zhengwen

2009-03-01

Coal is not only an important energy source in China but also a major source of air pollution. Because of this, China's national sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) emissions have been the highest in the world for many years, and since the 1990s, the territory of China's south and southwest has become the third largest acid-rain-prone region in the world. In order to control SO(2) emissions, the Chinese government has formulated and promulgated a series of policies and regulations, but it faces great difficulties in putting them into practice. In this retrospective look at the history of SO(2) control in China, we found that Chinese SO(2) control policies have become increasingly strict and rigid. We also found that the environmental policies and regulations are more effective when central officials consistently give environmental protection top priority. Achieving China's environmental goals, however, has been made difficult by China's economic growth. Part of this is due to the practice of environmental protection appearing in the form of an ideological "campaign" or "storm" that lacks effective economic measures. More recently, better enforcement of environmental laws and regulations has been achieved by adding environmental quality to the performance assessment metrics for leaders at all levels. To continue making advances, China needs to reinforce the economic and environmental assessments for pollution control projects and work harder to integrate economic measures into environmental protection. Nonetheless, China has a long way to go before economic growth and environmental protection are balanced.

Outsourcing CO2 within China.

PubMed

Feng, Kuishuang; Davis, Steven J; Sun, Laixiang; Li, Xin; Guan, Dabo; Liu, Weidong; Liu, Zhu; Hubacek, Klaus

2013-07-09

Recent studies have shown that the high standard of living enjoyed by people in the richest countries often comes at the expense of CO2 emissions produced with technologies of low efficiency in less affluent, developing countries. Less apparent is that this relationship between developed and developing can exist within a single country's borders, with rich regions consuming and exporting high-value goods and services that depend upon production of low-cost and emission-intensive goods and services from poorer regions in the same country. As the world's largest emitter of CO2, China is a prominent and important example, struggling to balance rapid economic growth and environmental sustainability across provinces that are in very different stages of development. In this study, we track CO2 emissions embodied in products traded among Chinese provinces and internationally. We find that 57% of China's emissions are related to goods that are consumed outside of the province where they are produced. For instance, up to 80% of the emissions related to goods consumed in the highly developed coastal provinces are imported from less developed provinces in central and western China where many low-value-added but high-carbon-intensive goods are produced. Without policy attention to this sort of interprovincial carbon leakage, the less developed provinces will struggle to meet their emissions intensity targets, whereas the more developed provinces might achieve their own targets by further outsourcing. Consumption-based accounting of emissions can thus inform effective and equitable climate policy within China.

Geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors related to malaria re-emergence in Huang-Huai River of central China.

PubMed

Zhou, Shui S; Huang, Fang; Wang, Jian J; Zhang, Shao S; Su, Yun P; Tang, Lin H

2010-11-24

Malaria still represents a significant public health problem in China, and the cases dramatically increased in the areas along the Huang-Huai River of central China after 2001. Considering spatial aggregation of malaria cases and specific vectors, the geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors were analysed to determine the key factors related to malaria re-emergence in these particular areas. The geographic information of 357 malaria cases and 603 water bodies in 113 villages were collected to analyse the relationship between the residence of malaria cases and water body. Spearman rank correlation, multiple regression, curve fitting and trend analysis were used to explain the relationship between the meteorological factors and malaria incidence. Entomological investigation was conducted in two sites to get the vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate to determine whether the effect of vector lead to malaria re-emergence. The distances from household of cases to the nearest water-body was positive-skew distributed, the median was 60.9 m and 74% malaria cases were inhabited in the extent of 60 m near the water body, and the risk rate of people live there attacked by malaria was higher than others(OR = 1.6, 95%CI (1.042, 2.463), P < 0.05). The annual average temperature and rainfall may have close relationship with annual incidence. The average monthly temperature and rainfall were the key factors, and the correlation coefficients are 0.501 and 0.304(P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, 75.3% changes of monthly malaria incidence contributed to the average monthly temperature (T(mean)), the average temperature of last two months(T(mean₀₁)) and the average rainfall of current month (R(mean)) and the regression equation was Y = -2.085 + 0.839I₁ + 0.998T(mean₀) - 0.86T(mean₀₁) + 0.16R(mean₀). All the collected mosquitoes were Anopheles sinensis. The vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis in two sites were 0

Geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors related to malaria re-emergence in Huang-Huai River of central China

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Malaria still represents a significant public health problem in China, and the cases dramatically increased in the areas along the Huang-Huai River of central China after 2001. Considering spatial aggregation of malaria cases and specific vectors, the geographical, meteorological and vectorial factors were analysed to determine the key factors related to malaria re-emergence in these particular areas. Methods The geographic information of 357 malaria cases and 603 water bodies in 113 villages were collected to analyse the relationship between the residence of malaria cases and water body. Spearman rank correlation, multiple regression, curve fitting and trend analysis were used to explain the relationship between the meteorological factors and malaria incidence. Entomological investigation was conducted in two sites to get the vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate to determine whether the effect of vector lead to malaria re-emergence. Results The distances from household of cases to the nearest water-body was positive-skew distributed, the median was 60.9 m and 74% malaria cases were inhabited in the extent of 60 m near the water body, and the risk rate of people live there attacked by malaria was higher than others(OR = 1.6, 95%CI (1.042, 2.463), P < 0.05). The annual average temperature and rainfall may have close relationship with annual incidence. The average monthly temperature and rainfall were the key factors, and the correlation coefficients are 0.501 and 0.304(P < 0.01), respectively. Moreover, 75.3% changes of monthly malaria incidence contributed to the average monthly temperature (Tmean), the average temperature of last two months(Tmean01) and the average rainfall of current month (Rmean) and the regression equation was Y = -2.085 + 0.839I1 + 0.998Tmean0 - 0.86Tmean01 + 0.16Rmean0. All the collected mosquitoes were Anopheles sinensis. The vectorial capacity and the basic reproductive rate of An. sinensis in two sites were 0

Mapping spatial distribution of forest age in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuan; Yao, Yitong; Wang, Xuhui; Liu, Yongwen; Piao, Shilong

2017-03-01

Forest stand age is a meaningful metric, which reflects the past disturbance legacy, provides guidelines for forest management practices, and is an important factor in qualifying forest carbon cycles and carbon sequestration potential. Reliable large-scale forest stand age information with high spatial resolutions, however, is difficult to obtain. In this study, we developed a top-down method to downscale the provincial statistics of national forest inventory data into 1 km stand age map using climate data and light detection and ranging-derived forest height. We find that the distribution of forest stand age in China is highly heterogeneous across the country, with a mean value of 42.6 years old. The relatively young stand age for Chinese forests is mostly due to the large proportion of newly planted forests (0-40 years old), which are more prevailing in south China. Older forests (stand age > 60 years old) are more frequently found in east Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the central mountain areas of west and northeast China, where human activities are less intensive. Among the 15 forest types, forests dominated by species of Taxodiaceae, with the exception of Cunninghamia lanceolata stands, have the oldest mean stand age (136 years), whereas Pinus massoniana forests are the youngest (18 years). We further identified uncertainties associated with our forest age map, which are high in west and northeast China. Our work documents the distribution of forest stand age in China at a high resolution which is useful for carbon cycle modeling and the sustainable use of China's forest resources.

A spotlight on snow leopard conservation in China.

PubMed

Alexander, Justine S; Zhang, Chengcheng; Shi, Kun; Riordan, Philip

2016-07-01

China holds the greatest proportion of the snow leopard's (Panthera uncia) global range and is central to their conservation. The country is also undergoing unprecedented economic growth, which increases both the threats to the snow leopard and the opportunities for its conservation. In this paper we aim to review published literature (from 1950 to 2014) in English and Mandarin on snow leopard ecology and conservation in China in order to identify thematic and geographic research gaps and propose research priorities. We first retrieved all published items that considered snow leopards in China (n = 106). We extracted from these papers 274 reports of snow leopard presence in China. We then reviewed a subset of papers (n = 33) of this literature, which specifically focused on snow leopard ecology and conservation within China. We introduced a thematic framework that allows a structured and comprehensive assessment of findings. This framework recognizes 4 critical and interrelated topics underpinning snow leopard ecology and conservation: habitat (distribution and protected area coverage); prey (distribution and abundance, predator-prey relationships); human interactions (hunting and trade, livestock interactions and conflicts); and the underlying policy context. Significant gains in knowledge as well as research gaps and priorities are discussed with reference to our framework. The modest quantity and limited scope of published research on the snow leopard in China calls for a continued and intensified effort to inform and support national conservation policies. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The China Patient-Centred Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE)-Prospective Study of 3-Vessel Disease: rationale and design

PubMed Central

Rao, Chenfei; Bongiovanni, Tasce; Li, Xi; Gao, Huawei; Zhang, Heng; Li, Jing; Zhao, Yan; Yuan, Xin; Hua, Kun; Hu, Shengshou; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin; Zheng, Zhe

2016-01-01

Introduction Complex coronary artery disease (left main and three-vessel disease) carries high risks of adverse events and cost burden. However, in China, little is known about which patients are directed toward which treatment strategies and what outcomes are being achieved. Methods and analysis Using the China PEACE (Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) research network, this prospective study of three-Vessel Disease, the China PEACE-3VD study, has a plan to consecutively register over 4000 patients with a diagnosis of 3VD and/or left-main disease by elective coronary angiography at 24 large cardiovascular centres in China. We centrally conducted medical record abstraction and SYNTAX Score calculation for all registered patients. The sites invited patients to the prospective cohort, and conducted 1-year follow-up on major events, including cardiac events, symptoms, secondary prevention and quality of life. The estimated entire sample size of eligible patients of 4000 was determined based on both feasibility and consideration of adequate statistical precision for describing the treatment decisions, guidelines adherence and appropriateness of treatment for patients with complex coronary artery diseases. The study is designed to investigate patient, clinician and hospital factors associated with each treatment strategy (percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting or medical therapy) as well as appropriateness of treatment choice, current guideline compliance and patient-reported outcomes for patients with complex coronary artery disease in large cardiovascular centres in China, as a foundation for enhanced knowledge in the field and to assist quality improvement initiatives. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee at the China National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases. Findings will be shared with participating hospitals, policymakers and the academic community, to promote

A country-wide study of spoligotype and drug resistance characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from children in China.

PubMed

Jiao, Weiwei; Liu, Zhiguang; Han, Rui; Zhao, Xiuqin; Dong, Fang; Dong, Haiyan; Huang, Hairong; Tian, Jianling; Li, Qinjing; Lian, Lulu; Yin, Qingqin; Song, Wenqi; Wan, Kanglin; Shen, A-Dong

2013-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a big threat to human health, especially in children. However, an isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture from pediatric cases remains a challenge. In order to provide some scientific basis for children TB control, we investigated the genotyping and drug resistance characteristics of M. tuberculosis isolates from pediatric cases in China. In this study, a total of 440 strains including 90 from children (<15 years), 159 from adolescents (15-18 years) and 191 from adults (>18 years) isolated in 25 provinces across China were subjected to spoligotyping and drug susceptibility testing. As a result, Beijing family strains were shown to remain predominant in China (85.6%, 81.1% and 75.4% in three above groups, respectively), especially among new children cases (91.0% vs. 69.6% in previously treated cases, P=0.03). The prevalence of the Beijing genotype isolates was higher in northern and central China in the total collection (85.1% in northern and 83.9% in central vs. 61.6% in southern China, P<0.001) and a similar trend was seen in all three age groups (P=0.708, <0.001 and 0.025, respectively). In adolescents, the frequencies of isoniazid (INH)-resistant and ethambutol (EMB)-resistant isolates were significantly higher among Beijing strains compared to non-Beijing genotype strains (P=0.028 for INH and P=0.027 for EMB). Furthermore, strong association was observed between resistance to rifampicine (RIF), streptomycin (STR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) among Beijing compared to non-Beijing strains in previously treated cases of children (P=0.01, 0.01 and 0.025, respectively). Beijing family was more prevalent in northern and central China compared to southern China and these strains were predominant in all age groups. The genetic diversity of M. tuberculosis isolates from children was similar to that found in adolescents and adults. Beijing genotype was associated with RIF, STR and MDR resistance in previously treated children.

Assessment of flooding impacts in terms of sustainability in Mainland China.

PubMed

Ni, Jinren; Sun, Liying; Li, Tianhong; Huang, Zheng; Borthwick, Alistair G L

2010-10-01

An understanding of flood impact in terms of sustainability is vital for long-term disaster risk reduction. This paper utilizes two important concepts: conventional insurance related flood risk for short-term damage by specific flood events, and long-term flood impact on sustainability. The Insurance Related Flood Risk index, IRFR, is defined as the product of the Flood Hazard Index (FHI) and Vulnerability. The Long-term Flood Impact on Sustainability index, LFIS, is the ratio of the flood hazard index to the Sustainable Development Index (SDI). Using a rapid assessment approach, quantitative assessments of IRFR and LFIS are carried out for 2339 counties and cities in mainland China. Each index is graded from 'very low' to 'very high' according to the eigenvalue magnitude of cluster centroids. By combining grades of FHI and SDI, mainland China is then classified into four zones in order to identify regional variations in the potential linkage between flood hazard and sustainability. Zone I regions, where FHI is graded 'very low' or 'low' and SDI is 'medium' to 'very high', are mainly located in western China. Zone II regions, where FHI and SDI are 'medium' or 'high', occur in the rapidly developing areas of central and eastern China. Zone III regions, where FHI and SDI are 'very low' or 'low', correspond to the resource-based areas of western and north-central China. Zone IV regions, where FHI is 'medium' to 'very high' and SDI is 'very low' to 'low', occur in ecologically fragile areas of south-western China. The paper also examines the distributions of IRFR and LFIS throughout mainland China. Although 57% of the counties and cities have low IRFR values, 64% have high LFIS values. The modal values of LFIS are ordered as Zone I

Injection drug use and HIV/AIDS in China: Review of current situation, prevention and policy implications

PubMed Central

Qian, Han-Zhu; Schumacher, Joseph E; Chen, Huey T; Ruan, Yu-Hua

2006-01-01

Illicit drug abuse and HIV/AIDS have increased rapidly in the past 10 to 20 years in China. This paper reviews drug abuse in China, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its association with injection drug use (IDU), and Chinese policies on illicit drug abuse and prevention of HIV/AIDS based on published literature and unpublished official data. As a major drug trans-shipment country with source drugs from the "Golden Triangle" and "Gold Crescent" areas in Asia, China has also become an increasingly important drug consuming market. About half of China's 1.14 million documented drug users inject, and many share needles. IDU has contributed to 42% of cumulatively reported HIV/AIDS cases thus far. Drug trafficking is illegal in China and can lead to the death penalty. The public security departments adopt "zero tolerance" approach to drug use, which conflict with harm reduction policies of the public health departments. Past experience in China suggests that cracking down on drug smuggling and prohibiting drug use alone can not prevent or solve all illicit drug related problems in the era of globalization. In recent years, the central government has outlined a series of pragmatic policies to encourage harm reduction programs; meanwhile, some local governments have not fully mobilized to deal with drug abuse and HIV/AIDS problems seriously. Strengthening government leadership at both central and local levels; scaling up methadone substitution and needle exchange programs; making HIV voluntary counseling and testing available and affordable to both urban and rural drug users; and increasing utilization of outreach and nongovernmental organizations are offered as additional strategies to help cope with China's HIV and drug abuse problem. PMID:16451717

Cancer incidence and mortality: A cohort study in China, 2008-2013.

PubMed

Pan, Rui; Zhu, Meng; Yu, Canqing; Lv, Jun; Guo, Yu; Bian, Zheng; Yang, Ling; Chen, Yiping; Hu, Zhibin; Chen, Zhengming; Li, Liming; Shen, Hongbing

2017-10-01

The National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCR) was the only available source of cancer monitoring in China, even though only about 70% of cancer registration sites were qualified by now. In this study, based on a national large prospective cohort-the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB), we aimed to provide additional cancer statistics and compare the difference of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China. A total of 497,693 cancer-free participants aged 35-74 years were recruited and successfully followed up from 2004 to 2013 in 5 urban and 5 rural areas across China. Except for traditional registration systems, the national health insurance system and active follow-up were used to determine new cancer incidents and related deaths. The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) was used to compare the differences of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China. We found that cancer mortality coincided well between our cohort and NCCR, while the incidence was much higher in our cohort. Based on CKB, we found the MIR of all cancers was 0.54 in rural areas, which was approximately one-third higher than that in urban areas with 0.39. Cancer profiles in urban areas were transiting to Western distributions, which were characterized with high incidences of breast cancer and colorectal cancer; while cancers of the esophagus, liver and cervix uteri were still common in rural areas of China. Our results provide additional cancer statistics of China and demonstrate the differences of cancer burden between urban and rural areas of China. © 2017 UICC.

Rayleigh wave tomography in South China from ambient seismic noise cross-correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, S.; Song, X.; Wang, L.; Xu, M.

2012-12-01

South China is a composite of continental blocks with relics of Proterozoic and late-Paleozoic sutures, and underwent complex transformations in geological history. The connection of Yangtze Block (YZB) and Cathaysian Block (CTB) around 1 Ga led to Neoproterozoic rift systems in the central South China. Subsequently, strong folding and thrusting with intracontinental shortening occurred in the central South China during Mesozoic as a response to the collision of China-Indochina with Philippine Plate. Post orogenesis during Jurassic and Cretaceous, accompanied by extension and delamination, led to the thinning of lithosphere and granite intrusion, which becomes the main mineralization process in South China. The mechanism of the intracontinental collision and boundary of YZB with CTB have been debated for a long time. Detailed lithospheric structures are important for us to understand characteristics of the continental blocks, their boundaries, and the evolution processes. We use ambient noise cross-correlation method to obtain high resolution 3-D velocity images of South China. Continuous records of 298 stations from January 2010 to June 2011 are used to retrieve Rayleigh wave Green functions between possible station pairs. Waveform and dispersion curve comparisons with earthquake-emitted Rayleigh wave indicate that the ambient noise method is efficient and reliable. Both group and phase velocity images of 0.5°×0.5° grid from 8 to 40 s are estimated. Then, shear velocities are inversed in each grid, using a recent regional S-velocity model as a constraint for deeper structures. The surface wave maps in short periods clearly delineate basins and mountains. Deeper Moho in west of South China is observed, which can be interpreted as a result of strata folding and shortening in Mesozoic or long-range effects from Indian-Asian collision in Cenozoic. The collision mode between YZB and CTB is different for Lower-YZB (L-YZB) and Upper-YZB (U-YZB): the L-YZB is a simple

Two new species of Neoperla (Plecoptera, Perlidae) from Dabie Mountains of China

PubMed Central

Li, Wei-Hai; Zhang, Sheng-Quan

2014-01-01

Abstract Two new species of the stonefly genus Neoperla, N. nigromarginata sp. n. and N. similiflavescens sp. n., are described from Dabie Mountains of Central China in the Liankangshan National Nature Reserve. The new species are compared with related congeners. PMID:25197218

Efficient GIS-based model-driven method for flood risk management and its application in central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Zhou, J.; Song, L.; Zou, Q.; Guo, J.; Wang, Y.

2014-02-01

In recent years, an important development in flood management has been the focal shift from flood protection towards flood risk management. This change greatly promoted the progress of flood control research in a multidisciplinary way. Moreover, given the growing complexity and uncertainty in many decision situations of flood risk management, traditional methods, e.g., tight-coupling integration of one or more quantitative models, are not enough to provide decision support for managers. Within this context, this paper presents a beneficial methodological framework to enhance the effectiveness of decision support systems, through the dynamic adaptation of support regarding the needs of the decision-maker. In addition, we illustrate a loose-coupling technical prototype for integrating heterogeneous elements, such as multi-source data, multidisciplinary models, GIS tools and existing systems. The main innovation is the application of model-driven concepts, which put the system in a state of continuous iterative optimization. We define the new system as a model-driven decision support system (MDSS ). Two characteristics that differentiate the MDSS are as follows: (1) it is made accessible to non-technical specialists; and (2) it has a higher level of adaptability and compatibility. Furthermore, the MDSS was employed to manage the flood risk in the Jingjiang flood diversion area, located in central China near the Yangtze River. Compared with traditional solutions, we believe that this model-driven method is efficient, adaptable and flexible, and thus has bright prospects of application for comprehensive flood risk management.

Projection of heat waves variation over a warming climate in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, X.; Wu, S.; Pan, T.

2016-12-01

Heat waves (HW) have adverse impacts on economies, human health, societies and environment, which have been observed around the world and are expected to increase in a warming climate. However, the variations of HW under climate change over China are not clear yet. Using the HadGEM2-ES RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 daily maximum temperature and humidity dataset, variation of heat waves in China for 2021-2050 comparing to 1991-2000 as baseline were analyzed. The CMA-HI (Heat Index standardized by China Meteorological Administration) index was used to calculate the frequency and intensity of head waves. This paper classified the HW into three intensity levels including mild HW, moderate HW and severe HW , and defined a heat wave event (HWE) as that CMA-HI are all above or equal to 2.8 and keep at a intensity level more than five consecutive days. Results show that during 2021to 2050, the distribution area, frequency and duration of each intensity level have an increasing trend over China, and those of severe HW will increase mostly. The distribution area of mild, moderate and severe HW will increase 18%, 22%, 35% respectively. Average HWE frequency of each level will concentrate on 0.5-1instead of 0-0.3 in baseline period. Maximum frequency of each intensity can reach to almost 3 times a year. During 1991-2000, the average frequency of mild HW, moderate HW and severe HW kept a downward sequence. But it will change to increase in the future, and the shift occurs during 2031-2040. In addition, only severe HW duration will increase in the future. Its average value will increase from 9days to 13days, and keep a maximum duration of 42days.While the average duration of mild HW and moderate HW just keep almost 6 days and 8 days as usual. Regionally, both the frequency and duration will keep high value in the region of eastern China, central China, southern China and central Xinjiang autonomous region in the future. And only severe HW has a great change in distribution. Under RCP 8

Gobi Desert, China as seen from STS-59

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

View to the south by southwest across the southern Gobi Desert (China) across the Chi-Lien-Shan or Quilienshan or Nanshan (Mountains) in Gansu Province to Lake Quinghai or Ch'ing-Hai (orthography varies with political conditions and scholarship) in Quinghai Province. The lake has a surface elevation of 10,450 feet, partially filling one of the easternmost closed drainage basins of Central Asia.

Phylogeography of Sophora davidii (Leguminosae) across the 'Tanaka-Kaiyong Line', an important phytogeographic boundary in Southwest China.

PubMed

Fan, Deng Mei; Yue, Ji Pei; Nie, Ze Long; Li, Zhi Min; Comes, Hans Peter; Sun, Hang

2013-08-01

The 'Tanaka-Kaiyong Line' (TKL) is a major phytogeographic boundary in Southwest China, separating East Asia's Sino-Himalayan and Sino-Japanese Floras. However, little is known about the importance of this boundary in promoting intraspecific phylogeographic subdivision and divergence. Using chloroplast (cpDNA) and nuclear-intron (nDNA) sequence data, we reconstructed the population history of Sophora davidii, a drought-tolerant riparian shrub widely distributed on either side of the TKL. Specifically, we aimed at testing two long-standing explanations for possible vicariant events across the TKL: (i) Late Pliocene (c. 3 Ma) geological uplift of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) or (ii) a sharp environmental gradient associated with the establishment of different monsoon regimes on either side of the TKL during the (Late) Pleistocene. Our genealogical analyses detected a major west-east split in cpDNA, geographically largely consistent with the TKL, and dated to c. 1.28 Ma (95% HPD: 0.21-2.96 Ma), hence postdating the latest phase of eastern QTP uplift. Furthermore, integrating cpDNA phylogeographic patterns with mismatch analyses, we found multiple refugial isolation and long-term demographic stability of populations in the west (Hengduan Mountain Range) compared with extensive range expansions in the east, possibly during the last glacial period(s) and followed by differentiation into regional sublineages (southeast: Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau vs. northeast: Qinling Mts./Loess Plateau). Although nuclear differentiation was less marked, the geographical pattern of nDNA haplotypes provided some further indication of the species' eastward expansion, possibly from source populations located just east of the TKL (lower Jinshajiang region). Overall, the present data reject the geological (tectonic) explanation for the TKL and, instead, provide supportive evidence for its role as a climatically driven barrier to present-day plant dispersal. In addition, our study

Risk exposure assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in drinking water and atmosphere in central eastern China.

PubMed

Lu, Zhibo; Lu, Rong; Zheng, Hongyuan; Yan, Jing; Song, Luning; Wang, Juan; Yang, Haizhen; Cai, Minghong

2018-04-01

We examined per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in air from eight cities, and in water from six drinking-water treatment plants (DWTPs), in central eastern China. We analyzed raw and treated water samples from the DWTPs for 17 ionic PFASs with high-performance liquid chromatography/negative-electrospray-ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/(-)ESI-MS/MS), and analyzed the gas and particle phases of atmospheric samples for 12 neutral PFASs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were the dominant compounds in drinking water, and fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) dominated in atmospheric samples. Of all the compounds in the treated water samples, the concentration of PFOA, at 51.0 ng L -1 , was the highest. Conventional treatments such as coagulation (COA), flocculation (FOC), sedimentation (SED), and sand filtration (SAF) did not remove PFASs. Advanced treatments, however, including ultrafiltration (UF) and activated carbon (AC), removed the majority of PFASs except for shorter-chain PFASs such as perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPA). We also investigated human exposure to PFASs via drinking water and the atmosphere and found that the mean daily intake of PFASs was 0.43 ng kg -1  day -1 .

Mass Casualty Incident Primary Triage Methods in China

PubMed Central

Chen, Jin-Hong; Yang, Jun; Yang, Yu; Zheng, Jing-Chen

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the technical characteristics and application of mass casualty incident (MCI) primary triage (PT) methods applied in China. Data Sources: Chinese literature was searched by Chinese Academic Journal Network Publishing Database (founded in June 2014). The English literature was searched by PubMed (MEDLINE) (1950 to June 2014). We also searched Official Websites of Chinese Central Government's (http://www.gov.cn/), National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/), and China Earthquake Information (http://www.csi.ac.cn/). Study Selection: We included studies associated with mass casualty events related to China, the PT applied in China, guidelines and standards, and application and development of the carding PT method in China. Results: From 3976 potentially relevant articles, 22 met the inclusion criteria, 20 Chinese, and 2 English. These articles included 13 case reports, 3 retrospective analyses of MCI, two methods introductions, three national or sectoral criteria, and one simulated field testing and validation. There were a total of 19 kinds of MCI PT methods that have been reported in China from 1950 to 2014. In addition, there were 15 kinds of PT methods reported in the literature from the instance of the application. Conclusions: The national and sectoral current triage criteria are developed mainly for earthquake relief. Classification is not clear. Vague criteria (especially between moderate and severe injuries) operability are not practical. There are no triage methods and research for children and special populations. There is no data and evidence supported triage method. We should revise our existing classification and criteria so it is clearer and easier to be grasped in order to build a real, practical, and efficient PT method. PMID:26415807

Multiregional input-output model for China's farm land and water use.

PubMed

Guo, Shan; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping

2015-01-06

Land and water are the two main drivers of agricultural production. Pressure on farm land and water resources is increasing in China due to rising food demand. Domestic trade affects China's regional farm land and water use by distributing resources associated with the production of goods and services. This study constructs a multiregional input-output model to simultaneously analyze China's farm land and water uses embodied in consumption and interregional trade. Results show a great similarity for both China's farm land and water endowments. Shandong, Henan, Guangdong, and Yunnan are the most important drivers of farm land and water consumption in China, even though they have relatively few land and water resource endowments. Significant net transfers of embodied farm land and water flows are identified from the central and western areas to the eastern area via interregional trade. Heilongjiang is the largest farm land and water supplier, in contrast to Shanghai as the largest receiver. The results help policy makers to comprehensively understand embodied farm land and water flows in a complex economy network. Improving resource utilization efficiency and reshaping the embodied resource trade nexus should be addressed by considering the transfer of regional responsibilities.

Estimating the Change of Groundwater Salinization in the Central North China Plain for Sustainable Groundwater Utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Y.; He, X.; Zheng, C.; Guo, Z.

2017-12-01

Due to the growing demand of food supplies and limited freshwater resources, North China Plain (NCP) is highly dependent on the groundwater resources. Groundwater overdraft has made NCP a closed hydrologic basin, where the connection between surface and groundwater has been cut off, which can lead to salt accumulation in the groundwater system. Thus it is imperative to investigate the overall salt balance in the region for sustainable utilization of groundwater resources, as well as to better understand the salt accumulating processes caused by groundwater pumping and return flow. The central plain of NCP (excluding the piedmont plain and coastal plain) is selected in the present study, where the groundwater salt content is mainly controlled by precipitation, irrigation, groundwater pumping and rock-water interaction in vertical direction; therefore, a conceptual 1-D mixing model is developed for salt balance calculation, where the salt content is expressed by the concentration of Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) in groundwater. Geological structures and regional water balance data are obtained from numerical groundwater models previously developed in the area. The simulation starts in year 1900 with a 50-year time step and groundwater vertical flow velocity starting with 2 m/y. TDS concentration is then calculated through salt input and output in each layer, with consideration of soil salt accumulation, change of precipitation, rock-water interaction etc. The results suggest that in a closed hydrologic basin, groundwater pumping and return flow will gradually increase salt content in the groundwater body from upper layers to lower layers resulting from the flushing of salt accumulated in the top soil layer. After two time steps, the model is able to reproduce the observed TDS concentration in present time with reasonable accuracy; and after six time steps, which correspond to 300 years, the whole central plain of NCP will be under the influence of high salinity, which

Environmental assessment and investment strategies of provincial industrial sector in China — Analysis based on DEA model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Juan, E-mail: wangjuan_tju@163.com; Zhao, Tao; Zhang, Xiaohu

As an energy-intensive industry, the industrial sector consumes 70% of energy consumption and causes serious environmental pollution in China. Also, the government emphasized the promotion of R&D investment in the industrial sector in China's National Plan on Climate Change (2014–2020). It is meaningful and contributes to assessing energy and environmental performance, as well as R&D and industrial pollution control (IPC) investment strategies of China's industrial sector. A non-radial DEA model, as with natural and managerial disposability, was adopted to evaluate this from provincial and regional perspectives during the 2008–2012 period. Energy and environmental performance was evaluated by unified efficiency undermore » natural disposability (UEN), unified efficiency under managerial disposability (UEM), and unified efficiency under natural and managerial disposability (UENM). The empirical results indicated that Shandong and Hainan were efficient under natural and managerial disposability, while other provinces had the potential to improve their energy and environmental performance. The number of provinces that was fit for investments of R&D and IPC increased from 2008 to 2010, then decreased in 2011 and 2012. In spite of this, many provincial industrial sectors should make efforts to reduce pollution by investment on technology. Tianjin, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi and Henan were especially the best investment objects because investments of R&D and IPC turned to be effective for them during the whole study period. Moreover, western China had the highest average UENM, followed by eastern China and central China. Eastern China and central China were rewarding to expand investments. Coal consumption was the main factor to negatively affect unified efficiency whereas the increase in economic development level was primarily responsible for the improvement of unified efficiency. According to the results, differentiated suggestions to further improve energy and

Trends in geographical disparities for cervical cancer mortality in China from 1973 to 2013: a subnational spatio-temporal study

PubMed Central

Xia, Changfa; Ding, Chao; Zheng, Rongshou; Zhang, Siwei; Zeng, Hongmei; Wang, Jinfeng; Liao, Yilan; Zhang, Ningxu; Yang, Zhixun; Chen, Wanqing

2017-01-01

Objective This study was designed to explore the time trends in geographical variations of cervical cancer mortality in mainland China over the period 1973 to 2013, to provide subnational spatio-temporal patterns for targeted promotion of human papillomavirus vaccine in China. Methods Data were extracted from three national retrospective death surveys and cancer registry. The rate ratio (RR) was estimated for the aggregated data for seven geographical regions using generalized linear models to evaluate time trends in geographical disparities of cervical cancer mortality. Results There was a significant decrease in cervical cancer mortality in China from 1973–1975 to 2004–2005, but leveled off thereafter to 2011–2013. Compared to the period 1973–1975 the RR for the three last time periods were 0.33 [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.30–0.37] for 1990–1992, 0.21 (95% CI: 0.19–0.24) for 2004–2005 and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.22–0.26) for 2011–2013. Females living in the Northwest China and Central China have a high risk of mortality from cervical cancer compared to the nationwide, with the RR being 2.09 (95% CI: 1.83–2.38) and 1.26 (95% CI: 1.11–1.44) respectively, while the RRs for South China, Northeast China and Southwest China were below 1.00, indicating the lower death risk. Despite the mortality rate had increased slightly from 2004 to 2013, there was an encouraging sign that the geographical disparities in cervical cancer mortality had gradually narrowed over time across China. Conclusions Although cervical cancer mortality in China has reduced to very low levels, the high risk of cervical cancer in Northwest China and Central China is still noteworthy. Public health policies including the promotion of vaccine should be targeted to further reduction of geographical disparities in cervical cancer mortality. PMID:29353971