Controlling Non-Grain Production Based on Cultivated Land Multifunction Assessment.

The control of non-grain production (NGP) has become a great challenge for cultivated land protection in China in recent years. A control method for NGP that can coordinate the conflicts between cultivated land protection and farmers' interest is urgently needed. Taking Tongxiang City as an example, this research proposed a solution for the control and management of NGP based on cultivated land multifunctional assessment. The GIS and AHP approach were used to assess production function via a comprehensive evaluation index. The InVEST and FMSPA models were applied to assess ecological function while, the Maxent model was applied to assess recreational function, then multifunctional comprehensive zoning was conducted through natural breakpoint method and spatial overlay analysis. Five development-oriented function zones were considered, including the core area of grain production plus areas for ecological agriculture, leisure agriculture, compound agriculture, and general farmland. Differentiated control measures for NGPs in each functional subarea are proposed considering the current NGP distribution of Tongxiang city. This research can provide a reference for subsequent improvement of land management policies and can aid the achievement of sustainable agricultural development and rural revitalization.

Spleen Stiffness Performance in the Noninvasive Assessment of Gastroesophageal Varices after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the performance of spleen stiffness (SS) by using two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) for assessing the severity of gastroesophageal varices (GEVs) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). METHODS: 102 eligible patients were categorized as in the post-TIPS short-term (n = 69) and long-term (n = 38) follow-up groups. The performance of SS by using 2D-SWE for evaluating the severity of GEVs was compared with liver stiffness (LS), spleen stiffness-to-liver stiffness ratio (SS/LS), liver stiffness spleen-diameter-to-platelet-ratio score (LSPS), portal hypertension (PH) risk score, platelet count-to-spleen diameter ratio (PSR), and varices risk score by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and DeLong test. RESULTS: In the post-TIPS short-term follow-up group, area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of SS were 0.585 for mild (cutoff value = 30.3 kPa), 0.655 for moderate (cutoff value = 30.6 kPa), and 0.739 for severe (cutoff value = 31.9 kPa) GEVs, which were higher than other parameters for severe GEVs. AUCs of SS were lower than other parameters for mild and moderate GEVs, but no difference was found (p > 0.05). In the post-TIPS long-term follow-up group, AUCs of SS were 0.778 for mild (cutoff value = 28.9 kPa), 0.82 for moderate (cutoff value = 29.9 kPa), and 0.824 for severe (cutoff value = 37.7 kPa) GEVs, which were higher than other parameters except for severe GEVs. AUC of SS was lower than other parameters for severe GEVs, but no significant difference was found (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: SS is an effective noninvasive tool to predict GEV severity during the post-TIPS follow-up.

Indirect effects of carbon taxes on water conservation: A water footprint analysis for China.

Water scarcity is a severe problem for regional environmental protection and socioeconomic development, and water footprints are effective tools for evaluating the magnitude of the water scarcity. However, water is closely intertwined with energy. Carbon taxes are an essential policy tool for managing energy use, and could therefore indirectly change the water footprint. Previous research on water footprints has revealed the historical characteristics of water footprints, but has not predicted how these characteristics would change under a carbon tax. Identifying the indirect impacts of carbon taxes on water footprints could therefore offer important information to support more effective energy and water policies. In the present study, we explored the impacts of carbon taxes on water footprints. We established a computable general equilibrium model to predict the effects of carbon taxes on the socioeconomic system, and adopted an input-output model to account for changes in the water footprint. We then used China as a case study. We found that a carbon tax could reduce the total water footprint, even though the water footprint for primary industries increased. In addition, the tax could decrease the virtual water content, and the reduction of virtual water content is the greatest for the secondary industries.

Research and development of mAb drugs in China: a look from policy perspectives.

Background: Monoclonal antibody (mAb) drugs are increasingly important for the pharmaceutical industry across the globe. In China, mAb drug developments face many challenges. Multiple policies have been implemented recently to reinforce support in various areas. This study aims to investigate the latest landscape of mAb drugs in China from policy perspectives encompassing R&D, clinical trials, marketing approval, and talent pools.Methods: Information about mAb drugs approved in the United States, the European Union, Japan, and China by 2017 and mAb-related policies in China were retrieved from government websites and third-party statistical databases for descriptive, statistical, and comparative analysis.Results and discussion: In China, 21 mAb drugs (10 locally-developed and 11 imported) have so far been approved. For the 11 imported mAb drugs in China, the median drug lag in the marketing approval was estimated at 87.1 months, compared with the U.S. (0 months), the EU (8.9 months), and Japan (43.4 months). However, as far as the dramatically changing innovation supporting system in China is concerned, emergence of new biopharmaceutical companies, transformation of the current drug companies and their shift to antibody therapy, and the pooling of high-level talent contribute to mAb development in China. The number of clinical trials and marketing applications and approvals involving mAb drugs is also growing. Favorable policies will continue to play a role in the sustainable development of mAb drugs in China.Conclusion: The research showed that the reform of multiple policies and incentives for attracting/retaining high-level talent has evidently been effective in addressing the drug lag of mAb drugs in China. In future development, China should actively monitor the global R&D outcomes and industrial development trends of mAb drugs and make the policy environment more attractive to enable more mAb drugs to be marketed in China as soon as possible.

[Assessment of pulpotomy in cariously exposed permanent teeth].

PURPOSE: To observe the clinical effect of pulpotomy for cariously exposed permanent teeth with closed apices and provide guidance for clinical application. METHODS: Sixty-two cariously exposed permanent teeth with closed apices and vital pulps were included. Preoperative pulpal and periapical diagnosis was established. The teeth were divided into two groups, the experimental group was treated with pulpotomy(32 cases), and the control group was treated with one-visit root canal therapy (one-visit RCT) (30 cases). Clinical and radiographic evaluation was completed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0 software package. RESULTS: After 1 year, the success rate of pulpotomy was 93.75%, and the success rate of root canal therapy was 93.10%. There was no significant difference between pulpotomy and root canal therapy(P=0.665). CONCLUSIONS: The advantages of pulpotomy are less invasive and less tooth destruction. It is a successful treatment option for cariously exposed pulps in mature permanent teeth.

Development and application of a novel method for regional assessment of groundwater contamination risk in the Songhua River Basin.

The main objective of this study is to quantify the groundwater contamination risk of Songhua River Basin by applying a novel approach of integrating public datasets, web services and numerical modelling techniques. To our knowledge, this study is the first to establish groundwater risk maps for the entire Songhua River Basin, one of the largest and most contamination-endangered river basins in China. Index-based groundwater risk maps were created with GIS tools at a spatial resolution of 30arc sec by combining the results of groundwater vulnerability and hazard assessment. Groundwater vulnerability was evaluated using the DRASTIC index method based on public datasets at the highest available resolution in combination with numerical groundwater modelling. As a novel approach to overcome data scarcity at large scales, a web mapping service based data query was applied to obtain an inventory for potential hazardous sites within the basin. The groundwater risk assessment demonstrated that <1% of Songhua River Basin is at high or very high contamination risk. These areas were mainly located in the vast plain areas with hotspots particularly in the Changchun metropolitan area. Moreover, groundwater levels and pollution point sources were found to play a significantly larger impact in assessing these areas than originally assumed by the index scheme. Moderate contamination risk was assigned to 27% of the aquifers, predominantly associated with less densely populated agricultural areas. However, the majority of aquifer area in the sparsely populated mountain ranges displayed low groundwater contamination risk. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that this novel method is valid for regional assessments of groundwater contamination risk. Despite limitations in resolution and input data consistency, the obtained groundwater contamination risk maps will be beneficial for regional and local decision-making processes with regard to groundwater protection measures, particularly if other data availability is limited.

Comparative Assessment of DFT Performances in Ru- and Rh-Promoted σ-Bond Activations.

In this work, the performances of 19 density functional theory (DFT) methods are calibrated comparatively on Ru- and Rh-promoted σ-bond (C-H, O-H, and H-H) activations. DFT calibration reference is generated from explicitly correlated coupled cluster CCSD(T)-F12 calculations, and the 4s4p core-valence correlation effect of the two 4d platinum group transition metals is also included. Generally, the errors of DFT methods for calculating energetics of Ru-/Rh-mediated reactions appear to correlate more with the magnitude of energetics itself than other factors such as metal identity. For activation energy calculations, the best performing functionals for both Ru and Rh systems are MN12SX < CAM-B3LYP < M06-L < MN12L < M06 < ωB97X < B3LYP < LC-ωPBE (in the order of increasing mean unsigned deviations, MUDs, of less than 2 kcal/mol). For reaction energy calculations, best functionals with MUDs less than 2 kcal/mol are PBE0 < CAM-B3LYP ≈ N12SX. The effect of the DFT empirical dispersion correction on the performance of the DFT methods is beneficial for most density functionals tested in this work, reducing their MUDs to different extents. After including empirical dispersion correction, ωB97XD, B3LYP-D3, and CAM-B3LYP-D3 (PBE0-D3, B3LYP-D3, and ωB97XD) are the three best performing DFs for activation energy (reaction energy) calculations, from which B3LYP-D3 and ωB97XD can notably be recommended uniformly for both the reaction energy and reaction barrier calculations. The good performance of B3LYP-D3 in quantitative description of the energetic trends further adds value to B3LYP-D3 and singles this functional out as a reasonable choice in the Ru/Rh-promoted σ-bond activation processes.