Although it is well established that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with fetal overgrowth in singleton pregnancies, little is known about its role in twins. We aimed to explore the relationship between GDM and the longitudinal fetal growth in twin pregnancies. This was a retrospective matched cohort study of GDM and non-GDM twin pregnancies delivered ≥36 weeks without other complications. All the women performed ≥3 ultrasounds after 22 weeks. Linear mixed models (LMMs) were used to explore the relationships between longitudinal fetal growth trajectories and GDM. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) and generalized estimating equation (GEE) were applied to identify the latent growth patterns and investigate their relationships with GDM. In total, 215 GDM and 645 non-GDM twins were included, the majority of the patients did not require medication therapy (n = 202, GDMA1). LMM revealed that, compared with non-GDM, GDM was associated with an average increase in fetal weight of 4.36 g (95% CI [1.25, 7.48]) per week. GBTM and GEE further revealed that GDM increased the odds of fetal weight trajectory to nearly 40% of the total fetal weight trajectory, classified into the high-speed group (aOR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.03, 1.88]), associating with a 49.44 g (95% CI [11.41, 87.48]) increase in birth weight. Subgroup analysis revealed that all these differences were only significant among the GDMA1 pregnancies (p < .05). GDM (GDMA1) is significantly associated with an increase in fetal weight during gestation in twin pregnancies. However, this acceleration is mild, and its significance requires further exploration.

Pro-environmental behavior, including waste sorting and recycling, involves a combination of future-oriented (futureness) and other-oriented (otherness) attributes. Inspired by the perspective of intergenerational choice, this work explores whether eliciting concerns for future others could increase public support for recycling policy and recycling behavior. Study 1 consisted of an online random controlled trial and a laboratory experiment. In Study 1A (N = 400), future other-concern was primed using a static text manipulation, whereas in Study 1B (N = 192), a dynamic virtual manipulation was employed. The results showed that people in the conditions that elicited future other-concern reported greater household recycling intentions and more actual recycling behavior than those in the control conditions. Study 2A (N = 467) and Study 2B (N = 600) generalized this effect on the acceptance of the ‘Certain Time Certain Place’ waste sorting policy in China. Consistent with the intergenerational choice model, envisioning the future of subsequent generations is more impactful in gaining policy approval than merely envisioning a future time. These findings provide a new method for promoting public policy approval and recycling behavior, suggesting that people could become environmentally friendly when they are guided to consider future others.

A recent study published in Oryx proposed that the extinct Javan tiger Panthera tigris sondaica may still survive on the Island of Java, Indonesia, based on mitochondrial DNA analysis of a single hair sample collected from a location where a tiger was reportedly encountered. However, upon reanalysing the genetic data presented in that study, we conclude that there is little support for this claim. The sequences of the putative tiger hair and Javan tiger museum specimens generated are not from tiger cytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA but more likely the nuclear pseudogene copies of mitochondrial DNA. In addition, the number of mismatches between the two Javan tiger sequences is unusually high for homologous sequences that are both from tigers, suggesting potential issues with data reliability. The paper provides insufficient details on quality control measures, making it impossible to rule out the possibility that errors were introduced during the analysis. Consequently, it is inappropriate to use the sequences presented in that study to infer the existence of the Javan tiger.

This study examined the sour grapes/sweet lemons rationalization through 2 conditions: ‘attainable’ (sweet lemons) and ‘unattainable’ (sour grapes), reflecting China’s 2019-nCoV vaccination strategy. The aim was to find ways to change people’s beliefs and preferences regarding vaccines by easing their safety concerns and encouraging more willingness to get vaccinated. An online survey was conducted from January 22 to 27, 2021, with 3,123 residents across 30 provinces and municipalities in the Chinese mainland. The direction of belief and preference changed in line with the sour grapes/sweet lemons rationalization. Using hypothetical and real contrasts, we compared those for whom the vaccine was relatively unattainable (‘sour grapes’ condition) with those who could get the vaccine easily (‘sweet lemons’). Whether the vaccine was attainable was determined in the early stage of the vaccine roll-out by membership in a select group of workers that was supposed to be vaccinated to the greatest extent possible, or, by being in the second stage when the vaccine was available to all. The attainable conditions demonstrated higher evaluation in vaccine safety, higher willingness to be vaccinated, and lower willingness to wait and see. Hence, we propose that the manipulation of vaccine attainability, which formed the basis of the application of sour grapes/sweet lemons rationalization, can be utilized as a means to manipulate the choice architecture to nudge individuals to ease vaccine safety concerns, reducing wait-and-see tendencies, and enhancing vaccination willingness. This approach can expedite universal vaccination and its associated benefits in future scenarios resembling the 2019-nCoV vaccine rollout.

Depression is highly prevalent in haemodialysis patients, and diet might play an important role. Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional study to determine the association between dietary fatty acids (FA) consumption and the prevalence of depression in maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated FFQ between December 2021 and January 2022. The daily intake of dietary FA was categorised into three groups, and the lowest tertile was used as the reference category. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were applied to assess the relationship between dietary FA intake and the prevalence of depression. As a result, after adjustment for potential confounders, a higher intake of total FA [odds ratio (OR)T3 vs. T1 = 1·59, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1·04, 2·46] and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (ORT3 vs. T1 = 1·83, 95 % CI = 1·19, 2·84) was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Significant positive linear trends were also observed (P < 0·05) except for SFA intake. Similarly, the prevalence of depression in MHD patients increased by 20% (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.01–1.43) for each standard deviation increment in SFA intake. RCS analysis indicated an inverse U-shaped correlation between SFA and depression (Pnonlinear > 0·05). Additionally, the sensitivity analysis produced similar results. Furthermore, no statistically significant association was observed in the subgroup analysis with significant interaction. In conclusion, higher total dietary FA and SFA were positively associated with depressive symptoms among MHD patients. These findings inform future research exploring potential mechanism underlying the association between dietary FA and depressive symptoms in MHD patients.

Large-scale outbreaks of the dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi caused substantial mortality of abalone, Haliotis discus hannai in Fujian, China in 2012, resulting in 20 billion in economic losses to abalone industries. However, the mechanism behind the mortality, especially the reaction of abalone to this microalgal toxicity, which possibly differed significantly from the former ‘fish killer’ strain in the South China Sea (SCS). Our study revealed that K. mikimotoi FJ-strain exhibited a four-fold higher haemolytic toxicity than the SCS-strain during the late exponential phase. At the microalgal cell density of 3 × 107 cell L−1, the FJ-strain caused abalone mortality of 67% in 48 h, with decreased granulocyte–hyalinocyts ratio and phagocytic activity by 58.96% and 75.64%, respectively, increased haemocyte viability by 4.8-fold and severe gill damage. The toxic effect only worked for the haemolytic toxicity from active algal cells, which were probably produced under the contact of algal cells and abalone gills. However, under exposure to the SCS-strain, more than 80% of individuals survived under aeration. The results indicated that FJ-strain was a new K. mikimotoi ecotype with stronger toxicity. It evoked severe effects, with complete abalone mortality within 24 h under the cascading effect of non-aeration (dissolved oxygen declined to 2.0 mg L−1), when exposed to K. mikimotoi FJ-strain at the above density. Thus, apart from the microalgal toxicity, DO depletion exacerbated the mortality of abalone in the experiment. The massive abalone mortalities in Fujian were probably caused by the combination of microalgal toxic effects and oxygen depletion, leading to immunological depression and histopathological disruption.

In this study, the length scaling for the boundary layer separation induced by two incident shock waves is experimentally and analytically investigated. The experiments are performed in a Mach 2.73 flow. A double-wedge shock generator with two deflection angles ($\alpha _1$ and $\alpha _2$) is employed to generate two incident shock waves. Two deflection angle combinations with an identical total deflection angle are adopted: ($\alpha _1 = 7^\circ$, $\alpha _2 = 5^\circ$) and ($\alpha _1 = 5^\circ$, $\alpha _2 = 7^\circ$). For each deflection angle combination, the flow features of the dual-incident shock wave–turbulent boundary layer interactions (dual-ISWTBLIs) under five shock wave distance conditions are examined via schlieren photography, wall-pressure measurements and surface oil-flow visualisation. The experimental results show that the separation point moves downstream with increasing shock wave distance ($d$). For the dual-ISWTBLIs exhibiting a coupling separation state, the upstream interaction length ($L_{int}$) of the separation region approximately linearly decreases with increasing $d$, and the decrease rate of $L_{int}$ with $d$ increases with the second deflection angle under the condition of an identical total deflection angle. Based on control volume analysis of mass and momentum conservations, the relation between $L_{int}$ and $d$ is analytically determined to be approximately linear for the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region, and the slope of the linear relation obtained analytically agrees well with that obtained experimentally. Furthermore, a prediction method for $L_{int}$ of the dual-ISWTBLIs with a coupling separation region is proposed, and the relative error of the predicted $L_{int}$ in comparison with the experimental result is $\sim$10 %.

Ketosis is a metabolic disease of dairy cows often characterized by high concentrations of ketone bodies and fatty acids, but low milk protein and milk production. The Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways are central for the regulation of milk protein synthesis. The effect of high levels of fatty acids on these pathways and β-casein synthesis are unknown in dairy cows with clinical ketosis. Mammary gland tissue and blood samples were collected from healthy (n = 15) and clinically-ketotic (n = 15) cows. In addition, bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) were treated with fatty acids, methionine (Met) or prolactin (PRL), respectively. In vivo, the serum concentration of fatty acids was greater (P > 0.05) and the percentage of milk protein (P > 0.05) was lower in cows with clinical ketosis. The JAK2-STAT5 and mTOR signaling pathways were inhibited and the abundance of β-casein was lower in mammary tissue of cows with clinical ketosis (P > 0.05). In vitro, high levels of fatty acids inhibited the JAK2-STAT5 and mTOR signaling pathways (P > 0.05) and further decreased the β-casein synthesis (P > 0.05) in BMEC. Methionine or PRL treatment, as positive regulators, activated the JAK2-STAT5 and mTOR signaling pathways to increase the β-casein synthesis. Importantly, the high concentration of fatty acids attenuated the positive effect of Met or PRL on mTOR, JAK2-STAT5 pathways and the abundance of β-casein (P > 0.05). Overall, these data indicate that the high concentrations of fatty acids that reach the mammary cells during clinical ketosis inhibit mTOR and JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathways, and further suppress β-casein synthesis.

Terrorist attacks can occur anywhere. As the threat of terrorism develops, the China-Eurasia Expo held in Ürümqi, China is attracting fewer potential visitors. A nationwide survey of 2034 residents from 31 provinces and municipalities in China was conducted to examine the relation between the distance to respondents’ city of residence from Ürümqi and their levels of concern for safety and security concerning the Expo. The two were found to be positively related: the closer the respondents lived to Ürümqi, the less concerned they were with the safety and security of the Expo. This is consistent with the “psychological typhoon eye” effect, which states that people living closer to the center of an unfortunate event (whether natural or man-made hazards) are less concerned with the event’s negative consequences. This effect appears to hold for terrorism. There are implications of this finding for international counter-terrorism practice, tourism, and research.

The propagation of a pre-existing center crack in single crystal tungsten under cyclic loading was examined by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at various temperatures. The results indicated that the deformation mechanism and fracture behavior at crack tip were differences for variously oriented cracks. The [001](010) crack propagated as the form of the formation of slip, while the deformation mechanisms of [10−1](101) crack were blunting voids at 300 K. At higher temperature, many more slip systems were activated resulting in the change of mode of crack propagation. Simulated results showed that the effect of temperature on deformation mechanism and fracture behavior of [001](010) crack was more sensitive than that of [10−1](101) crack. Meanwhile, the influence of a 5〈310〉{110} model grain boundary (GB) on crack propagation was also discussed. Detailed analysis showed that the grain boundary resisted the crack growth by changing the deformation mechanisms and the path of crack propagation at crack tip before the crack reached the grain boundary, and had an important influence on the crack growth rate.

For the prevention and control of newly emergent or sudden infectious diseases, we built an on-site, modularized prevention and control system and tested the equipment by using the clustering analysis method. On the basis of this system, we propose a modular equipment allocation method and 4 applications of this method for different types of infectious disease prevention and control. This will help to improve the efficiency and productivity of anti-epidemic emergency forces and will provide strong technical support for implementing more universal and serialized equipment in China. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:375–382)

Three census methods for studying fruiting phenology and fruit production were compared: platform observation, fruit-trap collection and raked-ground survey. The estimation of fresh fruit mass varied greatly with the census method used. Moreover, the fruiting phenology recorded using the fruit-trap collection and raked-ground survey methods showed a delay of one to two months compared with the platform observation method. Any of the three methods can be used for the approximation of annual fruiting phenology, but that of fruit-trap collection is suited to measure the annual fruit production, and that of platform observation offers the best estimation of the quantity of fruit in tree crowns at a given time.

A set of 146 representative adzuki (Vigna angularis var. angularis and var. nipponensis) germplasm from six Asian countries with a tradition of adzuki bean production, together with an outgroup standard rice bean (Vigna umbellata), were analysed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) methodology using 12 informative primer pairs. A total of 313 unambiguous polymorphic bands were created. According to the dendrogram, using cluster analysis based on AFLP banding, 143 of the accessions were distinct and revealed enough genetic diversity for identification and classification of accessions within Vigna angularis. A neighbour-joining tree was generated using the newly developed Innan's nucleotide diversity estimate from the AFLP data. From analysis, seven distinct evolutionary groups, named ‘Chinese cultivated’, ‘Japanese cultivated’, ‘Japanese complex-Korean cultivated’, ‘Chinese wild’, ‘China Taiwan wild’, ‘Nepal- Bhutan cultivated’ and ‘Himalayan wild’, were detected. Nucleotide diversity with geographical distribution of each group is discussed, regarding the evolutionary relationships between wild and cultivated adzuki beans. The preliminary results indicated that cultivated adzuki beans have been domesticated from at least four progenitors with at least three geographical origins.

An investigation of insect parasitoids of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella(Linnaeus), in brassica vegetable crops in the suburbs of Hangzhou was conducted during five periods from 1989 to 1997. Eight species of primary parasitoids were recorded: Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov, Microplitis sp., Oomyzus sokolowskii Kurdjumov, Diadromus collaris(Gravenhorst), Itoplectis naranyae (Ashmead), Exochus sp. and Brachymeria excarinata Gahan. Seven species of hyperparasitoids were also collected. Rates of parasitism of eggs of P. xylostella were usually very low. However, rates of parasitism of larvae and pupae were substantial and showed two peaks each year, around June–July and September–November respectively. Rates of parasitism during peaks were usually 10–60% and reached over 80% on a few occasions. Cotesia plutellae, O. sokolowskii and D. collaris were the major larval, larval-pupal and pupal parasitoids respectively. In the field, C. plutellae was active throughout the year. Oomyzus sokolowskii was active from May to October, entered a quiescent pupal stage in October–November to overwinter and did not emerge until next April–May. Diadromus collariswas recorded from April to July and October. Rates of parasitism of P. xylostellain radish and mustard fields were usually higher than those in cabbage and Chinese cabbage fields in the same locality. Negative correlations of parasitism rates between C. plutellae and O. sokolowskii indicate a competitive relationship for host larvae between these two larval parasitoids.

The ichneumonid Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst) has been recorded in many parts of the world as an important parasitoid of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), a serious pest of brassica vegetable crops worldwide. Some aspects of its biology and its interactions with Oomyzus sokolowskii(Kurdjumov), another major parasitoid of the same pest, were studied in the laboratory. At 25°C, female wasps did not have mature eggs in their ovaries until about 12 h after emergence. Both males and females mated successfully 24–48 h after emergence, and females started to oviposit one to two days after emergence. Unmated females produced male progeny only; mated females produced progeny of both sexes. The development rate of the parasitoid increased linearly with temperature from 15 to 30°C, with an estimated low temperature threshold of 7.4°C and a thermal constant of 225.1 day-degrees for development from egg to adulthood. Rates of survival from larva to adulthood were about 90% between 20 and 28°C and decreased as temperature decreased or increased. No immatures survived to adulthood at 35°C. When provided with honey solution, the females lived on average 8.3, 11.5 and 7.0 days, and parasitized 26, 44 and 46 host pupae at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. Female wasps could be stored at 15°C for up to four weeks without detrimental effects on reproduction. Females of D. collaris attacked host pupae already parasitized by O. sokolowskii, inserting their ovipositor into the hosts at a similar frequency as into unparasitized host pupae, but they did not lay eggs inside the hosts.