Share Rose, Get Fun: The Influence of Donation on Happiness.

There is little literature on the impact of donation on individual wellbeing in China. This study examines individual donations in China to answer the question of whether helping others makes us happier and to provide policy implications for in Chinese context. Based on the 2012 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) data and using ordered logit and OLS as benchmark models, this study finds that donation can significantly increase individual happiness. After using propensity score matching (PSM) to eliminate the possible impact of self-selection, the above conclusion remains robust. After a sub-sample discussion, it is found that this effect is more pronounced under completely voluntary donation behavior, and is not affected by economic factors, indicating that the happiness effect of donation does not vary significantly depending on the individual's economic status. This study contributes to the literature on donation behavior by examining the impact of donation behavior on donors' subjective happiness in China, and further identifies subjective happiness differences, as between voluntary and involuntary donations, thereby providing theoretical and empirical support for the formulation of policies for the development of donation institutions in China.

Does the Internet Use Improve the Mental Health of Chinese Older Adults?

Purpose: The Internet has become an important part of daily life. However, older adults in China remain digital refugees amid the rapid development of digital information technology. This study attempts to scientifically answer how Internet use affects the subjective welfare of older adults. Method: Using data from the 2014 and 2016 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), a combination of ordinary least squares, ordered logit regression models, and propensity score matching (PSM) models were used to analyze the effects of Internet use on the mental health of Chinese older adults. Results: Our findings suggest that Internet use affects the mental health of older adults and increases the incidence of their depressive symptoms. These findings are robust to changing the key indicators, research method, and sample. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that the negative effects on mental health are more evident for specific groups of older adults, such as those who are women, younger and middle-aged, high-income, non-rural Hukou, less educated, and living with others. Conclusions: Cultivating the ability of older adults to use the Internet and maintain a rational attitude while doing so can prevent its negative impact on their life satisfaction. Moreover, it can improve their attitudes toward using the technology and reduce their anxiety.

Internet Use, Life Satisfaction, and Subjective Well-Being Among the Elderly: Evidence From 2017 China General Social Survey.

Purpose: The research objectives of this study are to test the scientific propositions of whether Internet use promotes life satisfaction among the elderly, whether there is variability in the effect of Internet use on the well-being of the elderly, and through what channels Internet use affects the elderly's life satisfaction. Method: Using data from the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this paper employed linear regression, ordered logit model, and the propensity score matching (PSM) approach to investigate the association of Internet use with life satisfaction among the elderly in China. Results: The results show that Internet use was significantly and negatively associated with the life satisfaction of the Chinese elderly. Further analysis on group heterogeneity demonstrates that the negative association was more prominent among the participants who were males, at a lower age, had lower income and education, non-agricultural registered, and relatively healthy. Finally, the mediating effect indicates that Internet use may affect life satisfaction among the elderly through the channel of reducing their perceptions of social justice. Conclusions: In order to avoid the negative effects of using the Internet, the following policy suggestions are put forward: Improve the elderly's attitudes toward Internet use; pay attention to the sense of fairness of the elderly to improve life satisfaction; guide the elderly to reduce the time of using the Internet.

Response of the microbial community to seasonal groundwater level fluctuations in petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater.

The effects of seasonal groundwater level fluctuations on the contamination characteristics of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soils, groundwater, and the microbial community were investigated at a typical petrochemical site in northern China. The measurements of groundwater and soil at different depths showed that significant TPH residue was present in the soil in this study area, especially in the vicinity of the pollution source, where TPH concentrations were up to 2600 mg kg(-1). The TPH concentration in the groundwater fluctuated seasonally, and the maximum variation was 0.8 mg L(-1). The highest TPH concentrations were detected in the silty clay layer and lied in the groundwater level fluctuation zones. The groundwater could reach previously contaminated areas in the soil, leading to higher groundwater TPH concentrations as TPH leaches into the groundwater. The coincident variation of the electron acceptors and TPH concentration with groundwater-table fluctuations affected the microbial communities in groundwater. The microbial community structure was significantly different between the wet and dry seasons. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results showed that in the wet season, TPH, NO3(-), Fe(2+), TMn, S(2-), and HCO3(-) were the major factors correlating the microbial community. A significant increase in abundance of operational taxonomic unit J1 (97% similar to Dechloromonas aromatica sp.) was also observed in wet season conditions, indicating an intense denitrifying activity in the wet season environment. In the dry season, due to weak groundwater level fluctuations and low temperature of groundwater, the microbial activity was weak. But iron and sulfate-reducing were also detected in dry season at this site. As a whole, groundwater-table fluctuations would affect the distribution, transport, and biodegradation of the contaminants. These results may be valuable for the control and remediation of soil and groundwater pollution at this site and in other petrochemical-contaminated areas. Furthermore, they are probably helpful for reducing health risks to the general public from contaminated groundwater.

Natural attenuation of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene in shallow aquifer at the Luhuagang's landfill site, Kaifeng, China.

The natural attenuation of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) in shallow aquifer was investigated at the Luhuagang's landfill site (LLS), where the subsoil and shallow aquifer have been contaminated by certain chemicals owning to a lack of protective structures and leachate collection systems. Batch natural attenuation experiments and molecular biology experiments were conducted to study the natural attenuation characteristics of 1,2,4-TCB, the relative contributions of the primary natural attenuation processes and the functional microorganisms degrading 1,2,4-TCB, respectively. The results indicated that the relationship between degradation rate and 1,2,4-TCB concentrations was in line with first-order decay kinetics, and the natural attenuation rate of 1,2,4-TCB in the three media followed the order silt>fine sand>medium sand, which was related to the size of the media and the microbial population. The relative contribution of adsorption to natural attenuation was 97.7%, 98.2%, and 95.7% in unsterilized silt, fine sand and medium sand, respectively, and that of biodegradation was 2.3%, 1.8%, and 4.3%, respectively. These properties are related to the characteristics of the pollutants and the specific conditions at the contaminated sites, such as the characteristics of the aquifer media and microbial communities. The functional microorganisms degrading 1,2,4-TCB at the site were proved to be primarily Pseudomonas sp. This study indicates the feasibility of bioremediation (bioaugmentation and biostimulation) by indigenous microorganisms to treat 1,2,4-TCB contamination at the site.

Expression of c-fos in rat brain as a prelude marker of central nervous system injury in response to methylmercury-stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the prelude marker of central nervous system injury in response to methyl mercury chloride (MMC) stimulation and the signal transduction molecular mechanism of injury in rat brain induced by MMC. METHODS: The expression of c-fos mRNA in brain and the expression of c-FOS protein in cortex, hippocampus and ependyma were observed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemical methods. The control group was injected with physiological saline of 0.9%, while the concentrations for the exposure groups were 0.05 and 0.5, 5 mg/kg MMC respectively, and the sampling times points were 20, 60, 240, 1440 min. RESULTS: The expression of c-FOS protein in cortex and hippocampus increased significantly, the accumulation of mercury in the brain induced by 0.05 mg/Kg MMC for 20 min had no significant difference compared with the control group. The mean value was 0.0044 mg/Kg, while the protein c-FOS expression had significant difference compared with the control group (P < 0.01). More sensitive expression occurred in hippocampus and cortex, but not in ependyma. Conclusion The expression of c-FOS protein in cortex and hippocampus can predict the neurotoxicity of MMC in the early time, and immediately early gene (IEG) c-fos participates in the process of brain injury induced by MMC.

Effects of mercury contaminated rice from typical chemical plant area in China on nitric oxide changes and c-fos expression of rats brain.

China is one of countries with the highest mercury production in the world. The Guizhou Province in Southwestern China is currently one of the world's most important mercury production areas. In order to study the neurotoxicity of rice from Qingzhen Chemical Plant area and probe into the signal transduction molecular mechanism of injury in rat brain stimulation by mercury contaminated rice. The rats were exposed to mercury contaminated rice for 20 d. Both of the measurements of NO and NOS were processed according to the protocol of the kit. The effect of Hg contaminated rice on the expression of c-fos mRNA in rat brain and the expression of c-FOS protein in cortex, hippocampus were observed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemical methods. The results showed the neural transmitter NO and NOS in brain were significantly change between exposure groups and control group; the mercury polluted rice induced significantly the expression of c-fos mRNA; the c-FOS positive cells in hippocampus and cortex of exposure groups were significant different from control group (p < 0.01). It could be concluded that nitric oxide was involved in mercury contaminated rice induced immediate early gene c-fos expressions in the rat brain. Through food chain, local ecosystem and health of local people iave been deteriorated seriously by mercury. This serious situation will last a long period. In order to alleviate mercury pollution, more work needs to do.

Effect of methylmercury on some neurotransmitters and oxidative damage of rats.

In order to study the molecular mechanism of injury in rat organs induced by methylmercury, and the relationship between neurotransmitter and oxidative damage in the toxicity process of rat injury by methylmercury was studied. The control group was physiological saline of 0.9%, the concentration of exposure groups were 5 mg/( kg x d) and 10 mg/( kg x d) respectively. The content of AChE, ACh, NOS, NO, MDA, SOD, GSH-Px and GSH in different organs of rats were determined with conventional methods. The results showed that after exposure to methylmercury for 7 d, the mercury content in brain of exposure groups increased clearly and had significant difference compared with the control group (P < 0.01). In rat's brain, serum, liver and kidney, the content of ACh and AChE were all decreased; the content of NOS and NO were all increased; the content of MDA was increased compared with the control group, the exposure groups had significant difference (P < 0.01); the content of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px was decreased compared with the control group, the exposure groups had significant difference (P < 0.01). It could be concluded that methylmercury did effect the change of neurotransmitter and free radical. They participated in the toxicity process of injury by methylmercury. The damage of neurotransmitter maybe cause the chaos of free radical and the chaos of free radical may also do more damage to neurotransmitter vice versa.

[Hydrolysis and mechanism of wastewater contained protein using immobilized protein enzyme].

Protein-enzyme was immobilized on big-hole resin, activated charcoal and silica particles by a absorption method. This study focuses on effect of enzyme immobilization, thermal stability and hydrolysis efficiency of wastewater. The result of batch test show that the ratio of immobilized enzyme on activated charcoal, big-hole resin and silica particles was 61.95%, 37.85% and 20.31% respectively. The highest of thermal ability of activated charcoal, big-hole resin and silica particles was 18.68 mg/min, 21.48 mg/min and 3.6 mg/min respectively at pH 5.5. The total amino-acids of big-hole resin and activated charcoal immobilized enzyme after hydrolysis was respectively increased to 21.26 times and 14.6 times. The kind of amino-acid was increased from 14 to 16 kinds. The continuous-flow test result indicate that concentration of substrate in influent had significant effect on the hydrolysis rate of immobilized enzyme reactor. The reactor was able to gain hydrolysis rate of 80% for protein and 36.1% (VFA/COD%) for organic materials in the wastewater with a moderate concentration of protein (500 mg/L). The ethanol and acetic of volatile hydrolysis-mixture composition were 50.3% and 33.3% respectively.

[Extreme thermophilic (70 degrees C), combining two-phase anaerobic/activated sludge/bio-activated charcoal for treating food wastewater].

This study was conducted to investigate the performance of combining two-phase anaerobic(TPA)/activated sludge(AS)/bio-activated charcoal(BAC), seeded with mesophilic sludge, for treating food wastewater at extreme temperature (70 degrees C) to allow treated water to be reused for closed heat water circuits. The system had a total hydraulic retention time of 42h. Reactor performance was characterized by COD, VFA, pH, amino-acid. An overall COD treatment efficiency of 99.62%, VFA and amino-acide of 100% and pH between 6.6 - 7.5 were observed for the system. COD removal of acidification phase, methane phase, activated sludge and BAC was 49.7%, 33.7%, 14.5%, and 1.1%, respectively. VFA removal of methane phase, activated sludge and BAC was 56%, 21.2% and 21.8%, respectively. Amino-acid removal of methane phase, activated sludge and BAC was 34.8%, 62% and 3%, respectively. COD concentration of effluent in the system was lower than 50 mg/L. An additional experiments show that activated sludge and bio-activated charcoal at 70 degrees C may allow COD concentration of influent up to 3500 mg/L and COD removal was up to 95.8% at high organic loading 4.5 kg/(m3 x d) with aerobic condition.