China is one of the diversity centers of gymnosperms. Nearly one-fifth (195 species) of gymnosperms are located in China, but 69 species are threatened. To date, the conservation status of gymnosperms, especially threatened gymnosperms in China, remains largely unknown, which seriously restricts the comprehensive protection of gymnosperms. Understanding the distribution pattern of species richness and exploring the relationships between species richness and environmental factors are key steps for their protection. In this study, we first constructed a database for the 69 threatened species of gymnosperms with 13 270 distribution records. It is found that 31 of the grid cells (50 × 50 km) cover all threatened gymnosperm species in China, and the grid cells of threatened gymnosperms are mainly distributed in the southern area of the Yellow River, with a distribution center in the Western Sichuan Plateau. Then, we evaluated the conservation status of threatened gymnosperms, and the results indicate that 9 (13%) threatened gymnosperms are distributed outside of nature reserves. Therefore, there are still conservation gaps in the protection of threatened gymnosperms in China. We should give more attention to unprotected threatened gymnosperms and conduct taxonomic studies on the species without detailed distribution records. Finally, conservation priority areas and priority conservation levels of threatened gymnosperms in China were proposed. The Western Sichuan Plateau is the most important conservation priority area of threatened gymnosperms. This study will shed light on plant protection and forest management in China.
Short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs, respectively) have raised environmental concern due to their potential for persistence, long-range transport, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. However, little is known about the production, use, and environmental emissions of SCCPs and MCCPs in China, the world’s largest producer and consumer. In this study, we estimated the amounts of SCCPs and MCCPs produced and used in China in 2018–2019 based on a nationwide survey and measurements of concentrations in products, from which we estimated the environmental emissions of SCCPs and MCCPs in China. Our results show that 225.2 and 236.4 metric kilotons (kt) of SCCPs and 428.5 and 450.2 kt of MCCPs were used in China in 2018 and 2019, respectively, with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) products dominating SCCP and MCCP usage. Moreover, a total of 3.9 and 4.2 kt SCCPs and 3.8 and 4.1 kt MCCPs were emitted into China’s environment in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Although less MCCPs are released into the air relative to SCCPs, their level exceeds the emission of SCCPs into soil. Finally, detailed mass balance calculation indicates that, although emissions from the use of PVC products dominate SCCP and MCCP inputs into the air, emissions from the use of polyurethane foam adhesives are more closely related to input into surface waters for SCCPs and MCCPs. For input into soil, the main emission sources are the use of polyurethane foam adhesives (for SCCPs) and rubber products (for MCCPs). This study provides a preliminary overview of the distributions of SCCPs and MCCPs in products and insight into the mass balance of SCCPs and MCCPs from their production and use to emission in China. This assessment also provides an important foundation for better understanding the environmental risks and fates associated with SCCPs and MCCPs in China and around the world.
BACKGROUND: We describe a dataset providing information on the geographic distribution of northern Asian endemic alpine plants. It was obtained by digitising maps from the atlas "Endemic alpine plants of Northern Asia". Northern Asia includes numerous mountain ranges which may have served as refugia during the Pleistocene ice ages, but there have been no studies that analysed this question. We suggest that this dataset can be applied for better understanding of the alpine endemism in northern Asia. NEW INFORMATION: The dataset includes 13709 species distribution records, representing 211 species from 31 families and 106 genera. Each record provides data regarding the distribution of an individual species. These data provide a foundation for studying northern Asia's endemic alpine species and conducting research on the factors concerning their distribution.
{BACKGROUND: The difference between an individual's chronological and DNA methylation predicted age (DNAmAge), termed DNAmAge acceleration (DNAmAA), can capture life-long environmental exposures and age-related physiological changes reflected in methylation status. Several studies have linked DNAmAA to morbidity and mortality, yet its relationship with kidney function has not been assessed. We evaluated the associations between seven DNAm aging and lifespan predictors (as well as GrimAge components) and five kidney traits (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio [uACR], serum urate, microalbuminuria and chronic kidney disease [CKD]) in up to 9688 European, African American and Hispanic/Latino individuals from seven population-based studies. RESULTS: We identified 23 significant associations in our large trans-ethnic meta-analysis (p < 1.43E-03 and consistent direction of effect across studies). Age acceleration measured by the Extrinsic and PhenoAge estimators, as well as Zhang's 10-CpG epigenetic mortality risk score (MRS), were associated with all parameters of poor kidney health (lower eGFR, prevalent CKD, higher uACR, microalbuminuria and higher serum urate). Six of these associations were independently observed in European and African American populations. MRS in particular was consistently associated with eGFR (beta = - 0.12, 95% CI = [- 0.16, - 0.08] change in log-transformed eGFR per unit increase in MRS
Mainstream policies encourage pastoralists to apply credit loans and input exogenous fodder to alleviate the stress caused by climatic variability and uncertainty. Such external inputs induce new driving forces to the coupled pastoral social-ecological system (SES), but their long-term impacts are not fully understood. Taking Sonid Left Banner of Inner Mongolia as a case study area, we applied an agent-based model and Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the impacts of fodder import and credit loans on the resilience of pastoral SES in terms of pastoralist household livelihood, livestock production, and rangeland health. The results showed that the strategy of importing fodder only in natural disaster years could make the pastoral SES more resilient to climatic variability, while frequent importing of fodder in climatically normal years would increase the vulnerability of the pastoral SES. Credit loans could enhance the resilience of the pastoral SES in general if fodder is not imported or only imported in disaster years, but could reduce the resilience if fodder is imported frequently. Our findings revealed several differences with previous research on fodder input and credit loan effects, indicating that relevant policies should be holistically evaluated from the perspective of social-ecological systems.
Risk prediction tools are crucial for population-based management of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, most prediction models are currently used to assess long-term risk instead of the risk of short-term CVD onset. We developed a Dynamic Risk-based Early wArning Monitoring (DREAM) system using large-scale, real-time electronic health record (EHR) data from 2010 to 2020 from the CHinese Electronic health Records Research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) study. The dynamic risk scores were derived from a 1:5 matched nested case–control set comprising 70,470 individuals (11,745 CVD events) and then validated in a cohort of 81,205 individuals (5950 CVD events). The individuals were Chinese adults aged 40–79 years without a history of CVD at baseline. Eleven predictors related to vital signs, laboratory tests, and health service utilization were selected to establish the dynamic scores. The proposed scores were significantly associated with the subsequent CVD onset (adjusted odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.20–1.23). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) was 0.6010 (0.5929–0.6092) and 0.6021 (0.5937–0.6105) for the long-term 10-year CVD risk <10% and ≥10% groups in the derivation set, respectively. In the long-term 10-year CVD risk ≥10% group in the validation set, the change in AUC in addition to the long-term risk was 0.0235 (0.0155–0.0315). By increasing the risk threshold from 7 to 16 points, the proportion of true subsequent CVD cases among those given alerts increased from 40.61% to 85.31%. In terms of management efficiency, the number needed to manage per CVD case ranged from 2.46 to 1.17 using the risk scores. With the increasing popularity and integration of EHR systems with wearable technology, the DREAM scores can be incorporated into an early-warning system and applied in dynamic, real-time, EHR-based, automated management to support healthcare decision making for individuals, general practitioners, and policymakers.
The current study aimed to investigate the damage of long-term high concentrate diet feeding pattern on Yak jejunal structure, physiological function and protein composition during cold season. Twelve Datong male Yak (Bos grunniens) with the same age from cold season were randomly selected and slaughtered to determine Yak jejunal digestive enzyme activity, morphology and protein composition on different feeding patterns in Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that Yak jejunum digestive enzyme activity and morphology of grazing reared group were better than those in the intensively reared group. A total of 96 differentially expressed proteins were identified by label-free Mass Spectrometry (MS), which could be concluded to two predominant themes: protein structure and inflammatory response. Nine differentially expressed proteins were correlated in Yak jejunum damage in different feeding patterns. According to this research, we found that feeding pattern resulted the differences in Yak jejunum physiological function, morphology and protein composition. This fact was confirmed long-term high dietary concentrate feeding could damage the jejunum epithelial morphology and function.
The development of a difference-in-differences estimator is a new move in patent policy evaluation research. However, such an estimator neglects the possibility that academic patent activities follow a spatial autoregressive process with respect to the dependent variable. The objective of this study was to propose a spatial difference-in-differences estimator accounting for possible spatial spillover effects. In this study, an empirical analysis of a sample of 31 Chinese provinces from 2010 to 2019 indicates that an incentive patent policy has a positive impact on the output and commercialization of academic patents, with positive effects also spilling over into neighboring provinces. This study further found that incentive patent policies play a placebo role in academic patent activities. Provincial patent policies are merely a proxy for other variables that characterize the systemic differences between provinces that implement patent policies and those that do not. Therefore, the promotion of academic patent activities cannot be attributed to policy incentives.
<p id="p00005">Comprehensively understanding the mechanisms underlying the formation of ecosystem services is a prerequisite for maintaining the sustainable supply of ecosystem services. Plant functional traits directly participate in a variety of ecosystem processes, which in turn affect the supply of ecosystem services. Revealing the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem services is an important way to understand the formation mechanism of ecosystem services. Based on a systematic literature review, 86 papers on plant functional properties and ecosystem services were retrieved in the Web of Science database, and data for 466 pairs of plant functional traits and ecosystem services and 83 plant functional traits were collected. The current status of research on the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem services was revealed. Moreover, the main plant functional traits that affect different ecosystem services and their mechanisms underlying their impacts were also demonstrated. The results show that the research on the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem services mostly focuses on natural ecosystems such as grasslands and forests. Most of these studies focus on ecosystem products providing and supporting services, including biomass, net primary productivity, and soil fertility. Based on the impacts of plant functional traits on different ecosystem services, the plant functional traits can be clustered into five categories: soil-conservation-related traits, water-cycle-related traits, ecosystem- multifunction- related traits, product-providing-related traits, and pollination-biocontrol-related traits. The impacts of climate change, human activities, and variations in spatial and temporal scales on the relationship between plant functional traits and ecosystem services need to be further explored.</p>