Supply and demand of higher vocational education in China: Comprehensive evaluation and geographical representation from the perspective of educational equality.

The imbalanced regional development of higher vocational education, particularly the disparity between the supply and demand of educational resources, has emerged as the primary factor impeding the provision of high-quality higher education in China during the establishment of a universal education system. Based on the 1,482 higher vocational education institutions recognized by the Ministry of Education of China in 2021 as the research objects, the development of higher vocational education in China was explored from the perspective of supply and demand using the entropy weight TOPSIS method and coupling coordination degree model. It was found that China's higher vocational institutions were mainly located in provincial capitals, representing a point distribution pattern. From a comprehensive evaluation of the supply level, areas such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta, and central Henan Province have become the catchment areas for the development of higher vocational education, laying the foundation for regional network cooperation. From the perspective of educational equality, the higher vocational education in China was found to be sufficient to match the supply and demand, and a balance between supply and demand was apparent in provincial capitals. The coupling degree between supply and demand exhibited an "olive-type" spatial structure pattern, indicating that the development of higher vocational education in most cities in China is still in the transformation stage. The results provide a scientific basis for optimizing resources in the provision of higher vocational education.

Urban human settlements' resilience measurement and characteristics and their mechanism model in China.

This study introduces the principle of resilience into the study of human settlements. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation model of urban human settlements' resilience based on the provincial region of China was constructed using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework. The spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of urban human settlements' resilience was explored. The influencing factors were analysed by geographical detectors, and the driving mechanism was constructed. Results show that the following. (1) The resilience level of human settlements in China continued to increase, and the resilience level of each province and city changed significantly. The overall clustering effect showed a tendency to fluctuate and weaken. The distribution of cold spot areas became less and less, and the hot spots were moving from northeast China to southeast China. (2) Significant differences existed in the intensity of the impact of different indicators on the resilience system. The value of the impact factor showed an overall upward trend, and the number of key impact factors increased. (3) Improving the ability of scientific and technological innovation, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the regional economy, increasing the training of talents and making financial inclination in scientific and technological development and industrial pollution control were all important ways for developing and maintaining the resilience of urban human settlements. This study not only introduces a new evaluation of urban human settlements from the perspective of resilience but also explores key impact indices and driving mechanisms, which provides new ideas for studying urban human settlements.

Development of a novel vasculogenic mimicry-associated gene signature for the prognostic assessment of osteosarcoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a form of primary bone malignancy associated with poor prognostic outcomes. Recent work has highlighted vasculogenic mimicry (VM) as a key mechanism that supports aggressive tumor growth. The patterns of VM-associated gene expression in OS and the relationship between these genes and patient outcomes, however, have yet to be defined. METHODS: Here, 48 VM-related genes were systematically assessed to examine correlations between the expression of these genes and OS patient prognosis in the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) cohort. Patients were classified into three OS subtypes. Differentially expressed genes for these three OS subtypes were then compared with hub genes detected in a weighted gene co-expression network analysis, leading to the identification of 163 overlapping genes that were subject to further biological activity analyses. A three-gene signature (CGREF1, CORT, and GALNT14) was ultimately constructed through a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis, and this signature was used to separate patients into low- and high-risk groups. The K-M survival analysis, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and decision curve analysis were adopted to evaluate the prognostic prediction performance of the signature. Furthermore, the expression patterns of three genes derived from the prognostic model were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: VM-associated gene expression patterns were successfully established, and three VM subtypes of OS that were associated with patient prognosis and copy number variants were defined. The developed three-gene signature was constructed, which served as independent prognostic markers and prediction factors for the clinicopathological features of OS. Finally, lastly, the signature may also have a guiding effect on the sensitivity of different chemotherapeutic drugs. CONCLUSION: Overall, these analyses facilitated the development of a prognostic VM-associated gene signature capable of predicting OS patient outcomes. This signature may be of value for both studies of the mechanistic basis for VM and clinical decision-making in the context of OS patient management.

Spatial Differentiation and Influencing Factors in the Ecological Well-Being Performance of Urban Agglomerations in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River: A Hierarchical Perspective.

Improving the ecological well-being performance (EWP) of natural resources and environmental consumption in relation to human well-being, within the ecological boundary, is necessary for sustainable development. This study used the Super-SBM model to measure the urban EWP of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYRUA) in 2020. The spatial differentiation characteristics of EWP in the MRYRUA were identified. The heterogeneity in the direction and size of the influencing factors of EWP at different urban hierarchy (UH) levels was empirically tested by establishing a threshold model. The results are as follows: (1) In 2020, the EWP of the study area showed a trend of high levels in the southwest and low levels in the northeast. The EWP presented a multi-center "core-periphery" distribution, and the characteristic of "central collapse" was evident. The UH level of the middle and lower hierarchy-level cities was inconsistent with its EWP. (2) A non-single linear relationship was found between the influencing factors of the EWP of the MRYRUA and the EWP. The impacts of technological progress, industrial structure, environmental regulation, and population density on the EWP of the MRYRUA all showed threshold characteristics. (3) Heterogeneity and stages were both observed for the influencing factors of EWP under different UH levels. The effect of technological progress on EWP presented the characteristics of bidirectional and two-stage developments, and environmental regulation presented the features of a significant positive three-stage development. Both industrial structure and population density presented two-stage aspects, but the former acted in a negative direction, while the latter served in a positive order. This study provides a theoretical basis for the government to formulate differentiated regional policies and promote the coordinated improvement of EWP among cities at all hierarchy levels in the urban agglomeration. This study is of great significance to the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. Its results can provide a reference for other urban agglomerations, metropolitan areas, and city clusters worldwide to coordinate economic development, ecological protection, and to improve people's well-being.

Does China's National Demonstration Eco-Industrial Park Reduce Carbon Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide-A Study Based on the Upgrading and Transformation Process.

With the increasingly serious environmental problems, coordinating the relationship between the environment and economic development has become a crucial task for developing countries, especially China. This paper studies the role of eco-industrial parks (EIPs) in the emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide in China with the difference-in-difference (DID) approach by focusing on the entire process of EIPs' establishment-upgrading provincial development zones (DZs) to national DZs and then transforming national DZs into EIPs. Besides, we examined the heterogeneous effect of the different transformations from national economic and technological development zones (ETZs) or national high-tech zones (HTZs) to EIPs. In addition, we studied the spatial spillover effects of EIPs and their paths with the spatial difference-in-difference (SDID) method. The results show that neither provincial DZs nor national DZs can significantly reduce sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions. Only when national DZs are transformed into EIPs can they be reduced significantly. However, the different transformations from the HTZs and ETZs to EIPs have different effects on emissions. Moreover, EIPs have technology spillovers and demonstration effects on surrounding areas. Therefore, EIPs can reduce emissions in the surrounding areas. The results indicate that, in order to achieve high-quality development and coordinate the relationship between environment and economic development, we should take positive steps to promote the transformation of DZs into EIPs.

Application of molecular imaging in immune checkpoints therapy: From response assessment to prognosis prediction.

Recently, immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) represented by programmed cell death1 (PD-1) and its major ligands, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), has achieved significant success. Detection of PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a classic method to guide the treatment of ICT patients. However, PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment is highly complex. Thus, PD-L1 IHC is inadequate to fully understand the relevance of PD-L1 levels in the whole body and their dynamics to improve therapeutic outcomes. Intriguingly, numerous studies have revealed that molecular imaging technologies could potentially meet this need. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the preclinical and clinical application of ICT guided by molecular imaging technology, and to explore the future opportunities and practical difficulties of these innovations.

External Exposure to BTEX, Internal Biomarker Response, and Health Risk Assessment of Nonoccupational Populations near a Coking Plant in Southwest China.

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX) have raised increasing concern due to their adverse effects on human health. In this study, a coking factory and four communities nearby were selected as the research area. Atmospheric BTEX samples were collected and determined by a preconcentrator GC-MS method. Four biomarkers in the morning urine samples of 174 participants from the communities were measured by LC-MS. The health risks of BTEX exposure via inhalation were estimated. This study aimed to investigate the influence of external BTEX exposure on the internal biomarker levels and quantitatively evaluate the health risk of populations near the coking industry. The results showed that the average total BTEX concentration in residential area was 7.17 ± 7.24 µg m-3. Trans,trans-muconic acid (T,T-MA) was the urinary biomarker with the greatest average level (127 ± 285 µg g-1 crt). Similar spatial trends can be observed between atmospheric benzene concentration and internal biomarker levels. The mean values of the LCR for male and female residents were 2.15 × 10-5 and 2.05 × 10-5, respectively. The results of the risk assessment indicated that special attention was required for the non-occupational residents around the area.

A Review of the Current State and Future Prospects in Resource Recovery of Chinese Cereal Vinegar Residue.

Vinegar residue (VR) is a typical organic solid waste in Chinese cereal vinegar production. It is characterized by high yield, high moisture and low pH and is rich in lignocellulose and other organic matter. To avoid the environmental pollution caused by VR, it should be properly treated. The industry's existing treatment processes, landfills and incineration, cause secondary pollution and waste of resources. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for environmentally friendly and cost-effective resource recovery technologies for VR. To date, a considerable amount of research has been performed in the area of resource recovery technologies for VR. This review summarizes the reported resource recovery technologies, mainly anaerobic digestion, feed production, fertilizer production, high-value product production and soil/water remediation. The principles, advantages and challenges of these technologies are highlighted. Finally, as a future perspective, a cascade and full utilization model for VR is proposed by considering the inherent drawbacks and economic-environmental feasibility of these technologies.

Spatio-Temporal Differentiation and Driving Mechanism of the "Resource Curse" of the Cultivated Land in Main Agricultural Production Regions: A Case Study of Jianghan Plain, Central China.

Cultivated land resources are an important component of natural resources and significant in stabilizing economic and social order and ensuring national food security. Although the research on resource curse has progressed considerably, only a few studies have explored the existence and influencing factors of the resource curse of non-traditional mineral resources. The current study introduced resource curse theory to the cultivated land resources research and directly investigated the county-level relationship between cultivated land resource abundance and economic development. Meanwhile, the spatiotemporal dynamic pattern and driving factors of the cultivated land curse were evaluated on the cultivated land curse coefficient in China's Jianghan Plain from 2001 to 2017. The results indicated that the curse coefficient of cultivated land resources in Jianghan Plain generally shows a downward trend. That is, the curse phenomenon of the cultivated land resources in large regions did not improve significantly in 2001-2017. The influencing factors of the cultivated land resource curse in different cursed degree areas varied and the spatial interaction of the cursed degree areas differed as well. This study proposed a transmission mechanism of the cultivated land resource curse in Jianghan Plain. Policies from throughout the entire and within the main agricultural producing areas were proposed to adjust the cultivated land resource curse. The results and conclusions of this study will be beneficial in improving future land-use policies in major agricultural areas and reducing lag in economic development caused by the strict protection of cultivated land resources.

[Assessment of Emergency Emission Reduction Effect During the Heavy Air Pollution Episodes in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Its Surrounding Area("2+26" Cities) from October to December 2019].

To evaluate the effect of emergency emission reduction measures during the heavy air pollution episodes in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and its surrounding areas, a scenario simulation method was used. The concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3-8h, air quality index (AQI), characteristics of heavy air pollution, and climate and meteorological factors were analyzed using the observation data available from October to December 2019. The 24 h, 72 h, and 144 h prediction results of NAQPMS model were analyzed. The uncertainties of the assessment and model prediction were discussed. The results showed that the average PM2.5 concentration in Beijing, Tianjin, and its surrounding 26 cities ("2+26" cities) from October to December 2019 was 64 µg ·m-3, indicating a decrease of 10 µg ·m-3 as compared with that during the same period in 2018. There were 4 occurrences of regional heavy air pollution episodes, with the average PM2.5 concentration of 156 µg ·m-3 of affected cities. The value of evaluation on meteorological condition index of PM2.5 pollution (EMI) of "2+26" cities ranged from -15.6%-16.8%. The meteorological conditions of 12 cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang, deteriorated as compared with those during the same period in 2018, and the changes ranged from 3.2%-16.8%. However, the emergency emission reduction measures effectively reduced the occurrence of regional heavy air pollution episodes, the peak concentration of PM2.5 was decreased significantly, and no severe regional pollution episode occurred. The daily PM2.5 concentrations reduced by 2% to 9% in Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Tangshan, and other cities during a typical heavy air pollution period. The quarterly average concentrations of PM2.5 in the "2+26" cities reduced by 1 to 3 µg ·m-3. The regional emergency emission reduction measures have played an active role in protecting the health of the people and improving the quality of ambient air.

[Heavy Pollution Characteristics and Assessment of PM2.5 Predicted Model Results in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and Surrounding Areas During November 23 to December 4, 2018].

This study discusses the concentration characteristics of PM2.5 and PM10, as well as pollution meteorology in large-scale and long-term heavy pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas from November 23 to December 4, 2018, where the primary pollutants are comprised of PM2.5 and PM10. The monitoring results obtained from ground-based and vehicle-mounted lidars, as well as the HYSPLIT-4 backward trajectory combined with meteorological factors analysis are discussed. The accuracy and uncertainty of the air quality forecast model of NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx during heavy air pollution were analyzed retrospectively. The results show that PM2.5 and sand dust in most cities in the south-central region contribute to severe pollution levels. The hourly peak concentrations of PM10 in Zhangjiakou, Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Handan, and Zhengzhou were 1589, 864, 794, 738, and 766 µg·m-3, respectively. The respective hourly peak concentrations of PM2.5 were 239, 319, 387, 321, and 380 µg·m-3. Ground static pressure field, high humidity, inversion, and other static and stable conditions, as well as sand dust transmitted from the northwest, were important pollution meteorological and weather factors. The monitoring data of ground-based lidar and vehicle-mounted lidar combined with the HYSPLIT-4 backward trajectory analysis showed that the air pollutant transmitted from the Southwest and Southeast during the heavy pollution period was primarily PM2.5. The air pollutant transmitted from the Northwest during the two sand dust processes. Moreover, the model of NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx performed well in forecasting the heavy pollution process in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas. However there are slight deviations for some individual cities, related to uncertainty in the meteorological model prediction, atmospheric chemical reaction mechanism, and pollution source list. Furthermore, the reduction in pollution source emissions caused by pollution emergency measures was also one of the main reasons for the overestimation.

[Concentration Characteristics and Assessment of Model-Predicted Results of PM2.5 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in Autumn and Winter].

This paper discusses the concentration characteristics of PM2.5, as well as its relationship with meteorological factors in autumn and winter (from September to the following February), from 2013 to 2018 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. The accuracy and uncertainty of the air quality forecast models NAQPMS(nested air quality prediction modeling system), CMAQ(community multiscale air quality modeling system), and CAMx (comprehensive air quality model with extensions) were analyzed based on the model-predicted and measured PM2.5 concentration in autumn and winter from 2015 to 2018. The accuracy of NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx during typical heavy air pollution was also tested. Moreover, methods to improve the accuracy of the model forecast were discussed. The results showed that the mean concentrations of PM2.5 in the BTH region were 122, 98, 82, 99, and 65 µg·m-3 in the five autumn and winter periods, respectively. When the air quality index (AQI) exceeded 150 during each autumn and winter, it reached 229, 198, 210, 204, and 180 µg·m-3, respectively. There were 64 occurrences of heavy regional PM2.5 air pollution in autumn and winter from 2013 to 2018. The average duration was longest in the 2013 to 2014 period, and shortest in the 2017 to 2018 period. The peak concentration and average concentration of PM2.5 decreased year on year, except for the period from 2016 to 2017. In autumn and winter, PM2.5 concentration had a relatively close relationship with relative humidity, wind and sunshine duration, compared with a weak relationship with temperature and air pressure. Regional heavy air pollution always happened under the condition of low wind speed(less than 2 m·s-1),higher relative humidity(greater than 65%),and southwest and northeast wind direction. In addition, the heavy air pollution of PM2.5 in BTH in autumn and winter can be effectively forecasted by NAQPMS, CMAQ, and CAMx. The predicted and measured PM2.5 concentration showed a close relationship. The models performed well in forecasting Zhangjiakou, Chengde, and Qinhuangdao, but by contrast overestimated in Tangshan, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Beijing, and Tianjin. The uncertainty of emission sources, measured and predicted meteorological data, and the atmospheric chemical reaction mechanism may be the main reasons for the overestimate.

Sex differences in 10-year ischemic cardiovascular disease risk prediction in Chinese patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease has become a serious public health problem in recent years in China. The aim of the study was to examine sex differences in cardiovascular risk factors and 10-year ischemic cardiovascular disease (ICVD) risk in Chinese patients with prediabetes (PreDM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This was a multi-site retrospective case-control study conducted from April-November 2016 using an electronic medical record database, involving 217 PreDM and 900 T2DM patients admitted to endocrinology units in four hospitals in China. CVD risk was estimated using the Chinese 10-year ICVD risk model. The differences in 10-year absolute ICVD risk according to PreDM, T2DM < 1 year, T2DM 1-5 years or T2DM ≥5 years and sex were analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: When compared to PreDM females, males with PreDM had significantly higher 10-year ICVD risk In contrast, the opposite pattern of 10-year ICVD risk was observed in T2DM; males had significantly lower 10-year ICVD risk. Moreover, compared to T2DM females, males with T2DM had a lower proportion s with moderate or greater ICVD risk (p < 0.001). When compared to PreDM males, males with T2DM < 1 year, and with T2DM 1-5 years had no difference in 10-year ICVD risk, but had higher ICVD risk with T2DM ≥5 years (p < 0.05). Compared to PreDM females, females with T2DM in all subgroups had higher ICVD risk (p < 0.05). Among those with T2DM, hypertension rates of awareness, treatment and control were 78.60%, 65.38% and 31.10%, respectively; hyperlipidemia rates of awareness, treatment and control were lower (29.15%, 8.30% and 3.47%, respectively). Females with T2DM had higher prevalence, awareness and treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia than males with T2DM (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a greater need for cardiovascular risk reduction programs for females with T2DM at diagnosis. Given the low numbers for awareness, treatment and control of hypertension and hyperlipidemia in both males and females, significant resources focused on them must be expended, specifically improving regular assessment of blood pressure and blood lipids. Strengthening the management of chronic diseases through adherence to evidence-based guidelines to enhance clinical treatment may reduce 10-year ICVD in patients with T2DM in China.

[A prospective assessment of the diagnostic value of MAIPA test in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance of MAIPA test in diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and in the differential diagnosis of antoimmune thrombocytopenias from nonimmune thrombocytopenias. METHODS: A total of 321 thrombocytopenic patients (118 males, 203 females) from 14 centers were studied. A modified monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigen (MAIPA) method was used to detect the platelet glycoprotein-specific autoantibodies (anti-GP IIb/IIIa, anti-GPIb/IX) to double-blindly evaluate its sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of ITP and to investigate the impact of the antibodies on platelet count. RESULTS: The results showed that for the diagnosis of ITP, anti-GPIIb/IIIa, anti-GPIb/IX and both of them had the sensitivity of 39.75%, 32.64% and 55.23%; the specificity of 97.56%, 93.94% and 92.68%; the positive predictive value of 97.94%, 93.98% and 95.65%; the negative predictive value of 35.71%, 32.35% and 41.53%; and the total efficiency of 54.51%, 48.29% and 64.80%, respectively. The positivity of the autoantibodies in immune thrombocytopenias was incredibly higher than that in nonimmune thrombocytopenias. The platelet counts in the immune thrombocytopenias with autoantibody positivities were significantly lower than those without the autoantibodies. The platelet counts were negatively correlated with the concentration of the autoantibodies. The levels of anti-GPIIb/IIIa or anti-GPIb/IX or both of them dropped or disappeared in patients being responsive to steroid therapy. CONCLUSION: MAIPA assay is proved to be of great value for the diagnosis of ITP and for differential diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenias from nonimmune thrombocytopenias.