Genomic analyses provide insights into peach local adaptation and responses to climate change.

The environment has constantly shaped plant genomes, but the genetic bases underlying how plants adapt to environmental influences remain largely unknown. We constructed a high-density genomic variation map of 263 geographically representative peach landraces and wild relatives. A combination of whole-genome selection scans and genome-wide environmental association studies (GWEAS) was performed to reveal the genomic bases of peach adaptation to diverse climates. A total of 2092 selective sweeps that underlie local adaptation to both mild and extreme climates were identified, including 339 sweeps conferring genomic pattern of adaptation to high altitudes. Using genome-wide environmental association studies (GWEAS), a total of 2755 genomic loci strongly associated with 51 specific environmental variables were detected. The molecular mechanism underlying adaptive evolution of high drought, strong UVB, cold hardiness, sugar content, flesh color, and bloom date were revealed. Finally, based on 30 yr of observation, a candidate gene associated with bloom date advance, representing peach responses to global warming, was identified. Collectively, our study provides insights into molecular bases of how environments have shaped peach genomes by natural selection and adds candidate genes for future studies on evolutionary genetics, adaptation to climate changes, and breeding.

The effect of information provision on consumers' risk perceptions of, support for a ban, and behavioral intention towards the preventive use of antibiotics in food animals.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics have been widely used in feed and drinking water for food animals to prevent them from getting sick. Such preventive use of antibiotics has become a contributor to increasing antibiotic resistance and thus poses threats to human health. However, consumers have little knowledge about this practice and the associated health risks of increasing transmission of antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria. This study aimed to examine the effect of information provision on consumers' risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention regarding the preventive use of antibiotics in food animals. Especially, the study sought to test two competing hypotheses which were informed by two theoretical perspectives of fear appeal theory - the linear model and the plateau effect model. The former suggested that providing information on the health risks of both antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria would have a stronger effect compared to providing information on only one of them, while the latter posited that providing information on both risks might not have additional influence, as the effect of information on either risk could reach the plateau. METHODS: An experimental study with four conditions was conducted where participants read different information on the health risks associated with the preventive use first and then answered questions regarding consumers' risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention regarding the preventive use. Condition 1 was the control condition, where basic information about antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, and the preventive use was provided. Condition 2 and Condition 3 further added information on the health risk of antibiotic residues (Condition 2) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (Condition 3) due to the preventive use, respectively. Condition 4 provided all information contained in the first three conditions. RESULTS: The results showed that compared to participants in the control condition, participants in Conditions 2-4 reported higher risk perceptions, stronger support for a ban on the preventive use, and a higher intention to buy meat produced without the preventive use of antibiotics. However, there were no significant differences in these factors between Conditions 2-4, indicating that providing information on the health risk of either antibiotic residues, or antibiotic resistant bacteria, or both, has similar effect on these variables. That is, the hypothesis based on the plateau effect model was supported. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that informing the public with the health risk of either antibiotic residues or antibiotic resistant bacteria associated with the preventive use is effective enough to reach plateau effect in increasing risk perceptions, support for a ban, and behavioral intention, which has important implications for policymakers and livestock industries to develop effective communication strategies to promote responsible antibiotic use in food animals.

Radiomics model for preoperative prediction of 3-year survival-based CT image biomarkers in esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to develop a radiomics nomogram to predict 3-year overall survival of esophageal cancer patients after chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: A total of 109 esophageal cancer patients, diagnosed from November 2012 to February 2015, were enrolled in this retrospective study. They were randomly divided into training set (77 cases) and verification set (32 cases). Image standardization was performed prior to feature extraction. And then, about 1670 radiomics features were extracted from the pretreatment diagnostic computed tomography image. A radiomics signature was constructed with the lasso algorithm; then, a radiomics score was calculated to reflect survival probability using the radiomics signature for each patient. A radiomics nomogram was developed by incorporating the radiomics score and clinical factors. A clinical model was constructed using clinical factors only. The performance of the nomogram was assessed with respect to its calibration and discrimination. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: Sixteen radiomics features were selected to build the radiomics signature. The radiomics nomogram showed better calibration and classification capacity than the clinical model with AUC 0.96 vs. 0.72 for the training cohort, and 0.87 vs. 0.67 for the validation cohort. The model showed good discrimination with a Harrell's Concordance Index of 0.76 in the training cohort and 0.81 in the validation cohort. Decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical usefulness of the radiomics nomogram. A significant difference (p value < 0.05; log-rank test) was observed between the survival curves of the nomogram-predicted survival and non-survival groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study proposed a radiomics-based nomogram involving the radiomics signature and clinical factors. It can be potentially applied in the individual preoperative prediction of 3-year survival in esophageal cancer patients.

DEAD-Box RNA Helicase DDX47 Maintains Midgut Homeostasis in Locusta migratoria.

Tissue homeostasis is critical for maintaining organ shape, size, and function. The condition is regulated by the balance between the generation of new cells and the loss of senescent cells, and it involves many factors and mechanisms. The midgut, an important part of the intestinal tract, is responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption in insects. LmDDX47, the ortholog of DEAD-box helicase 47 from Locusta migratoria, is indispensable for sustaining a normal midgut in the nymphs. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, LmDDX47 knockdown resulted in atrophy of the midgut and gastric cecum in both nymph and adult locusts. After LmDDX47 knockdown, the number of regenerative and columnar cells in the midgut was significantly reduced, and cell death was induced in columnar tissue. LmDDX47 was localized to the nucleolus; this was consistent with the reduction in 18S rRNA synthesis in the LmDDX47 knockdown group. In addition, the acetylation and crotonylation levels of midgut proteins were significantly increased. Therefore, LmDDX47 could be a key regulator of midgut homeostasis, regulating 18S rRNA synthesis as well as protein acetylation and crotonylation in the migratory locust.

The RNA helicase DDX3 is required for ovarian development and oocyte maturation in Locusta migratoria.

DDX3 represents a well-defined subfamily of DEAD-box RNA helicase and exerts multiple functions in RNA metabolism, cell cycle, tumorigenesis, signal pathway, and fertility. Our previous study has shown that LmDDX3, the ortholog of DDX3 in Locusta migratoria, is ubiquitously expressed, and with a high abundance in testis and ovary. Knockdown of LmDDX3 results in a lethal phenotype in nymph, but it still remains unclear for its role in reproductive process. In this study, we therefore characterized LmDDX3 expression in female adult locust and analyzed its function in oocyte development. LmDDX3 was expressed in all tissues examined with significant more transcripts in ovary and hindgut. In ovary, a strong expression level was detected at the day just after adult eclosion, and a dramatic reduction then occurred during the oocyte development. LmDDX3 RNAi led to a reduced vitellogenin (Vg) expression in fat body via partially at least, the JH signaling pathway, and caused an upregulation of vitellogenin receptor (VgR) in ovary, and thus blocked the ovarian development and oocyte maturation. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicated that LmDDX3 was closely related to termite DDX3. Taken together, these data reveal a critical role for LmDDX3 in regulating the transcription of Vg and VgR, two major factors in vitellogenesis that is a key process required for ovary development and oocyte maturation in locust, and contribute thereof a new putative target for locust biological control.

Seasonal Variation in Water-Soluble Ions in Airborne Particulate Deposition in the Suburban Nanjing Area, Yangtze River Delta, China, During Haze Days and Normal Days.

To investigate the seasonal variation and characterization of water-soluble ions (WSIs) present in airborne particle deposition (APD) during Haze Days (visibility ≤7.5 km) and Normal Days (visibility >7.5 km) in suburban Nanjing area, 151 filter samples were collected from 18 May 2013 to 26 May 2014. Ten different WSIs from the samples were determined by Ion Chromatography. The results indicated that secondary WSIs (NH4+, NO3-, and SO42-) were the main ions in the WSIs, averaging 17.2, 18.5, and 17.1 µg/m3, respectively, and accounting respectively 20.9, 22.5, and 20.8% of the total WSIs. On Haze Days, the concentration of WSIs increased dramatically in fine size (particle size <2.1 µm), especially for NH4+, NO3-, and SO42- (increased by 52.6, 71.3, and 73.1%, respectively), whereas the concentrations of WSIs increased slowly in coarse size (2.1 µm < particle size < 10 µm), in which NH4+, NO3-, and SO42- increased by 14.7, 27.2, and 54.5%, respectively. According to the backward trajectories and the principal component analysis analysis, Nanjing APD were mainly derived from the soil dust in northern China (35%) in the spring, from ocean air masses (61 and 55%) in the summer and the autumn, and from local air masses (73%) in the winter. On summer Haze Days, secondary components in PM2.1 consisted mainly of (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3, whereas secondary components in PM2.1-10 consisted mainly of (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl, and NH4NO3. The increasing concentrations of secondary components increase the light extinction coefficients of aerosol on winter and autumn Haze Days. The concentrations of WSIs in fine size rose sharply on Haze Days, leading the visibility to exponential decline. Differently, the concentrations of WSIs in coarse size were not the main cause in the change of the visibility.

Source Apportionment of Volatile Organic Compounds in an Urban Environment at the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected continuously during June-August 2013 and December 2013-February 2014 at an urban site in Nanjing in the Yangtze River Delta. The positive matrix factorization receptor model was used to analyse the sources of VOCs in different seasons. Eight and seven sources were identified in summer and winter, respectively. In summer and winter, the dominant sources of VOCs were vehicular emissions, liquefied petroleum gas/natural gas (LPG/NG) usage, solvent usage, biomass/biofuel burning, and industrial production. In summer, vehicular emissions made the most significant contribution to ambient VOCs (38%), followed by LPG/NG usage (20%), solvent usage (19%), biomass/biofuel burning (13%), and industrial production (10%). In winter, LPG/NG usage accounted for 36% of ambient VOCs, whereas vehicular emissions, biomass/biofuel burning, industrial production and solvent usage contributed 30, 18, 9, and 6%, respectively. The contribution of LPG/NG usage in winter was approximately four times that in summer, whereas the contribution from biomass/biofuel burning in winter was more than twice that in summer. The sources related to vehicular emissions and LPG/NG usages were important. Using conditional probability function analysis, the VOC sources were mainly associated with easterly, northeasterly and southeasterly directions, pointing towards the major expressway and industrial area. Using the propylene-equivalent method, paint and varnish (23%) was the highest source of VOCs in summer and biomass/biofuel burning (36%) in winter. Using the ozone formation potential method, the most important source was biomass/biofuel burning (32% in summer and 47% in winter). The result suggests that the biomass/biofuel burning and paint and varnish play important roles in controlling ozone chemical formation in Nanjing.

Identification and characteristic analysis of the catalase gene from Locusta migratoria.

Catalase (CAT) is a ubiquitous antioxidant enzyme in almost all living organisms exposed to atmosphere, which involved in decomposing harmful hydrogen peroxide, into oxygen and water. In this study, a full-length cDNA (1524bp) encoding the catalase gene (LmCAT) from Locusta migratoria was cloned (accession number KT716445). The open reading frame of the LmCAT gene encoded 507 amino acids and shared 57.8%-97.8% amino acid identities with other insect CATs. The coding region was interrupted by 9 introns, while its promoter region contained 15 putative binding sites for 5 kinds of transcriptional regulation factors. For the stage-specific expression profile, LmCAT was highly expressed in the fourth-instar nymphs. For the tissue-specific expression profile, the LmCAT transcripts were highest in the fat bodies, and relatively abundant in the gastric caecum, Malpighian tubules, ovary and integument. Moreover, the result showed that quercetin could significantly induce the expression level of LmCAT. The expression of LmCAT could be silenced by RNAi, but the moralities were not significantly different between control and RNAi groups. Our results would provide valuable information for further study on the ROS regulation mechanism in insect.

Temporal Variations of O3 and NO x in the Urban Background Atmosphere of Nanjing, East China.

Rapid economic growth has given rise to a significant increase in ozone (O3)-precursor emissions in many regions of China. An improved understanding of O3 formation in response to different precursor emissions is imperative to address the highly nonlinear O3 problem and to provide a solid scientific basis for efficient O3 abatement in these regions. To this end, this study was performed in Nanjing using a set of observational data from June 1, 2013, to May 31, 2014. The results showed that O3 concentrations were positively correlated with wind speed and temperature and were significantly negatively correlated with relative humidity. The highest monthly daytime, nighttime, and daily average O3 concentrations were observed in summer with values of approximately 46, 18 and 30 ppb, respectively. The lowest O3 concentrations were observed in November through January with values as low as 17, 4, and 9 ppb for the daytime, nighttime, and daily concentrations, respectively. The highest daytime average NO and NO2 concentrations were observed in December, whereas the lowest concentrations were observed in July. A unimodal O3 peak was observed with the highest O3 levels in summer followed by spring and then autumn; the lowest levels observed in the winter. The O3 concentration reached maximum levels at 14:00 to 15:00 h (local standard time). It was found that the crossover occurred with approximately several hours difference with the earliest occurring in summer (06:00 h) followed by spring (08:00 h), autumn (09:00 h), and winter (10:30 h). Furthermore, the highest constant rate of O3 accumulation was observed in summer (5.6 ppb/h) followed by autumn (4.8 ppb/h), spring (4.5 ppb/h), and winter (2.7 ppb/h). The oxidant intercept ranged from 28.4 ppb in January to 58.6 ppb in June, although the slope also shows substantial variation from 0.18 in June to 0.67 in August. The weekend effect is stronger in spring and summer than in autumn and winter and is more intense on Sundays than on Saturdays. Thus, the decrease of O3 levels during weekends suggests that it may be NO x -sensitive.

[Identification and Comparison of Constituents of Different Processed Products of Ligubtrum lucidum Fruit by HPLC Fingerprint].

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare the constituents in different processed products of Ligubtrum lucidum fruit by HPLC fingerprint, in order to study the changes of chemical constituents before and after processing. METHODS: HPLC analysis was carried outwith the mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in a gradient elution mode. The number of HPLC fingerprint chromatographic peaks and peak area changes in two processed products and the crude product under 240 nm and 280 nm were compared. Then the obtained fingerprint chromatographic peaks were confirmed according to the the standard references. RESULTS: 40 chromatographic peaks were detected from Ligustrum lucidum fruit, of which 18 chromatographic peaks were confirmed, including eleven iridoids, five phenethyl alcohols, one flavonoid and one aldehyde. 38 chromatographic peaks were detected from both steaming with wine product and the steamed product, of which 15 chromatographic peaks were confirmed, including seven iridoids, five phenethyl alcohols, one flavonoid, one aldehyde and one organic acid. There was a significant difference of fingerprint among crude Ligustrum lucidum fruit and its two processed products, but little difference between steaming with wine product and the steamed product. CONCLUSION: HPLC fingerprint of the steaming with wine product and the steamed product of Ligustrum lucidum fruit are similar while the changes on chemical composition and the content in steaming with wine product and steamed product of Ligustrum lucidum fruit are remarkable.

Concentration, speciation and risk effects of multiple environmentally sensitive trace elements in respirable fine-grained fly ash.

Respirable fine-grained fly ash (RFA) is captured very inefficiently by existing air purification devices of power plant, leading to increasing concerns regarding their migration and subsequent interaction with body due to fine particle size and its complex toxic composition. Trace elements of RFA in three groups with five different sizes between 8-13 µm were analyzed in terms of available concentration, speciation and risk effects. The concentration, pollution level and ecological risk level of elements in RFA were related to particle sizes. Chronic non-carcinogenic effect risk (NER) and carcinogenic effect risk (CER) were negatively correlated with particle size. The individual weight of exposed subjects, corresponding trace elements concentration and ingestion rate in RFA were three significant variables influencing CER. NER and CER had a tenfold exaggerated effect when calculated using total element concentration of RFA. In addition to individual differences and exposure conditions, trace element properties, speciation and available concentration were the dominant factor responsible for ecological and environmental effects of trace elements in RFA, following the order As>Ni, Mn>Cr>Pb>Cu>Zn. Results of this work highlight the effects and differences of trace elements in RFA on ecology and health, and provide a basis for further pollution control and human health warning.

Correction: Assessment of network structure characteristics and factors of corporate flows in Guangdong Province.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293870.].

Assessment of network structure characteristics and factors of corporate flows in Guangdong Province.

With the rapid development of the world city network, the traditional location theory has gradually been disproven, and the advantages of the flow space over the traditional vertical organizational structure are gradually being revealed. Therefore, from corporate branch networks and corporate investment networks, 21 cities in urban agglomerations of Guangdong are taken as case studies for this paper. Furthermore, in this paper, 5 representative types of corporate contact data (catering service, financial service, life service, sports and leisure and accommodation service) are selected, the social network analysis (SNA) method is used to quantitatively analyze the network structure characteristics of urban agglomerations, and a spatial interaction model is constructed to explore the factors influencing. The results indicate that secondary networks have developed in Guangdong. The financial service network is the most complex, followed by the life services, sports and leisure and catering networks. The accommodation service network structure is the simplest. Among all kinds of networks, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have the highest status. The catering and accommodation corporations in Yangjiang in the west have a relatively major external development. Shantou in the east has many branches of various types, while most of the capital exchange in the region is concentrated in Heyuan and Qingyuan in the north. The coefficients of geographical proximity and the urban development level play a significant role in promoting the development of networks. However, administrative capacity limits the attractiveness of origin cities to a certain extent.

Exploring the relationship between exposure to COVID-19 and donations during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of emotions and risk perception.

Objective: Public emergency events like the COVID-19 pandemic are special occasions that need immediate massive funding from public donations. Thus, understanding the determinants of donation behaviors under public emergencies is important for both researchers and practitioners. This study investigated the effect of personal and local exposure to incidences of COVID-19 on donation behaviors. Specifically, we examined the mediating effects of risk perception and emotions on the relationship between exposure to COVID-19 and donation behaviors. Methods: The data were from a survey distributed in China between March 20 and 30th, 2020. Participants' donation choice at the end of the survey was used to measure their donation behaviors. Participants' emotions, risk perception, and personal exposure were assessed in the questionnaire. Local exposure was the 30-day confirmed cases obtained from the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China. A total of 8,720 participants (Mean age = 28.91, 43.6% females) completed the online survey. Results: Based on the results from the mediation analysis, we found that people with stronger positive and negative emotions, higher risk perception, and more personal exposure to COVID-19 were more likely to donate. Furthermore, the effects of both personal and local exposure on donations are mediated by risk perception and negative emotion. Both higher personal and local exposure led to stronger negative emotions and higher risk perception, which in turn led to more donation behaviors. Discussion: This study extends our knowledge of donation behaviors during public emergencies. Our results suggest that policymakers and charity organizations should elicit stronger emotions and risk perception by exposing the severity of the disaster in advertisements to promote donations.

Status and influencing factors of frailty in patients with restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for peripheral arterial disease: A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to investigate the frailty of patients with restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for peripheral arterial disease, explore the influencing factors, and determine its key factors to take targeted care measures and provide a basis for further interventional care. We recruited as many eligible subjects as possible and a total of 106 patients with restenosis after PTA for peripheral arterial disease in our hospital finished this study from January 2016 to August 2021. The Shorter 12-item version of health-related quality of life scale, Chinese Tilburg debility scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale and activities of daily living score scale were used for investigation, and the independent influencing factors of patients' frailty were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The incidence of frailty in restenosis after PTA was 72.6%. Logistic regression analysis found that high levels of C-reactive protein (odds ratios [OR] = 1.080, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.012-1.153), diabetes (OR = 2.531, 95% CI 1.024-6.257) and advanced age (OR = 1.170, 95% CI 1.042-1.314) were risk factors for restenosis patients frailty, and higher scores of shorter 12-item version of health-related quality of life scale (OR = 0.889, 95% CI 0.813-0.973) was a protective factor for frailty in these patients. The incidence of debilitation in patients with restenosis after PTA for peripheral arterial disease is high, and high C-reactive protein levels, diabetes mellitus and advanced age are significantly associated with restenosis patients. Improving the quality of life of restenosis patients can reduce the occurrence of frailty.

Evolution behavior of mineral structure and trace elements in feed coals from six coal-fired power plants in China.

Chemical composition, surface morphology characteristics, and mineralogical characteristics of feed coals from six power plants were studied in this paper, as well as alteration behavior of mineral phase, functional groups, and trace elements during combustion. The apparent morphology of feed coals is different in compactness and order, while sharing a similar lamellar shape. Quartz, kaolinite, calcite, and illite are the main minerals in feed coals. There are obvious differences in the calorific value and temperature range in volatiles stages or coke combustion stages for feed coals. Peak positions for the main functional groups in feed coals are similar. After burning at 800 ℃, most organic functional groups in feed coals were lost in products, but the group of -CH2 on the side chain skeleton of n-alkane and the aromatic hydrocarbon bond (Ar-H) still existed in the ash, and the vibration of Si-O-Si bond and Al-OH bond in inorganic functional groups was strengthened. During combustion, Pb and Cr in feed coals will be accumulated in the mineral residues, unburned carbon, and residual ferromanganese minerals, along with the loss of organic matter and sulfide or the decomposition of carbonate. Pb and Cr are more easily adsorbed by the fine-graded coal combustion products. Occasionally, the abnormal phenomenon occurred in a medium-graded ash but with the maximum adsorption of Pb and Cr, which is mainly caused by the collision and agglomeration of the combustion products, or the adsorption capacity of different mineral components. The effects of diameter, coal species and feed coal on the forms of Pb and Cr in combustion products were also analyzed in this study. The study has some guiding significance for understanding the behavior track and alteration mechanism of Pb and Cr during coal combustion.

Protecting public's wellbeing against COVID-19 infodemic: The role of trust in information sources and rapid dissemination and transparency of information over time.

Objectives: This study examined how trust in the information about COVID-19 from social media and official media as well as how the information was disseminated affect public's wellbeing directly and indirectly through perceived safety over time. Methods: Two online surveys were conducted in China, with the first survey (Time1, N = 22,718) being at the early stage of the pandemic outbreak and the second one (Time 2, N = 2,901) two and a half years later during the zero-COVID policy lockdown period. Key measured variables include trust in official media and social media, perceived rapid dissemination and transparency of COVID-19-related information, perceived safety, and emotional responses toward the pandemic. Data analysis includes descriptive statistical analysis, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlations, and structural equation modeling. Results: Trust in official media, perceived rapid dissemination and transparency of COVID-19-related information, perceived safety, as well as positive emotional response toward COVID-19 increased over time, while trust in social media and depressive response decreased over time. Trust in social media and official media played different roles in affecting public's wellbeing over time. Trust in social media was positively associated with depressive emotions and negatively associated with positive emotion directly and indirectly through decreased perceived safety at Time 1. However, the negative effect of trust in social media on public's wellbeing was largely decreased at Time 2. In contrast, trust in official media was linked to reduced depressive response and increased positive response directly and indirectly through perceived safety at both times. Rapid dissemination and transparency of COVID-19 information contributed to enhanced trust in official media at both times. Conclusion: The findings highlight the important role of fostering public trust in official media through rapid dissemination and transparency of information in mitigating the negative impact of COVID-19 infodemic on public's wellbeing over time.

[Atmospheric Ozone Concentration Prediction in Nanjing Based on LightGBM].

Based on the air quality data and conventional meteorological data of the Nanjing Region from January 2015 to December 2016, to analyze the characteristics of O3 concentration changes in the Nanjing Region, a light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model was established to predict O3 concentration. The model was compared with three machine learning methods that are commonly used in air quality prediction, including support vector machine, recurrent neural network, and random forest methods, to verify its effectiveness and feasibility. Finally, the performance of the prediction model was analyzed under different meteorological conditions. The results showed that the variation in O3 concentration in Nanjing had significant seasonal differences and was affected by a combination of its pre-concentration, meteorological factors, and other air pollutant concentrations. The LightGBM model predicted the ground-level O3 concentration in the Nanjing area more precisely to a large extent (R2=0.92), and the model outperformed other models in prediction accuracy and computational efficiency. In particular, the model showed a significantly higher prediction accuracy and stability than that of other models under a high-temperature condition that was more likely prone to ozone pollution. The LightGBM model was characterized by its high prediction accuracy, good stability, satisfactory generalization ability, and short operation time, which broaden its application prospect in O3 concentration prediction.

Need dissatisfaction and its consequences on support for anti-pandemic behaviors in China: The mediation of attribution and local government satisfaction, and the moderation of social class.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the global economy, resulting in a substantial increase in inequality. There is a need to understand need dissatisfaction in this context, its group differences, and its consequences on support for anti-pandemic behaviors. Methods: Using data from a survey round of the Chinese Social Mentality Survey from 21 April to 26 May 2022, 6,022 participants aged between 18 and 70 years (M = 32.27; SD = 8.74; men = 46.76%) from 29 provinces of Mainland China were included in the study. Results: 1) Need dissatisfaction was negatively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors and was completely mediated by attribution and local government satisfaction. 2) Internal/external attribution acted as a double-edged sword: they were negatively/positively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors, while they became positively/negatively related with support for anti-pandemic behaviors via the mediation of local government satisfaction. 3) People who were unemployed and in the subjectively middle class reported higher need dissatisfaction and less support for anti-pandemic behaviors compared to their counterparts. 4) Social class moderated the relationship between need dissatisfaction and internal attribution: when needs were dissatisfied, participants with higher income and subjective social class tended to attribute more internally. Discussion: This study contributes to the attribution theory and social identity theory in the context of major global public health events and provides practical implications for promoting behavioral compliance in the context of COVID-19. In particular, facilitating a positive interaction between the public and local governments may be helpful to create a shared identity and, ultimately, prevent and control the pandemic together.

A Deep Learning Radiomics Analysis for Survival Prediction in Esophageal Cancer.

The purpose of this study was to explore the deep learning radiomics (DLR) nomogram to predict the overall 3-year survival after chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer. The 154 patients' data were used in this study, which was randomly split into training (116) and validation (38) data. Deep learning and handcrafted features were obtained via the preprocessing diagnostic computed tomography images. The selected features were used to construct radiomics signatures through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, maximizing relevance while minimizing redundancy. The DLR signature, handcrafted features' radiomics (HCR) signature, and clinical factors were incorporated to develop a DLR nomogram. The DLR nomogram was evaluated in terms of discrimination and calibration with comparison to the HCR signature-based radiomics model. The experimental results showed the outperforming discrimination ability of the proposed DLR over the HCR model in terms of Harrel's concordance index, 0.76 and 0.784, for training and validation sets, respectively. Also, the proposed DLR nomogram calibrates and classifies better than the HCR model in terms of AUC, 0.984 (vs. 0.797) and 0.942 (vs. 0.665) for training and validation sets, respectively. Furthermore, the nomogram-predicted Kaplan-Meier survival (KMS) curves differed significantly from the nonsurvival groups in the log-rank test (p value <0.05). The proposed DLR model based on conventional CT images showed the outperforming performance over the HCR signature model in noninvasively individualized prediction of the 3-year survival rate in esophageal cancer patients. The proposed model can potentially provide prognostic information that guides and helps the clinical decisions between observation and treatment.