Northwest China Research Articles

Research on the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Capital Driving Factors of Sustainable Economic Development in Northwest China

Frontier research has focused more on the sustainable economic development (SED) of developing countries, with slightly less attention paid to the SED of underdeveloped regions in developing countries, especially without analyzing their driving factors from the dual perspectives of domestic and international capital. In fact, as an important factor in economic growth, capital is also the core driving force for achieving SED. This paper takes the five provinces (autonomous regions) of northwest China (NC) as a case study based on unbalanced panel data from 26 cities from 2000 to 2020 and employs the dynamic degree and MSAR model to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of SED; the results indicate that the SED of NC exhibits an irregular pattern overall, the differences between provinces at the same time point are relatively small, and the same applies to prefecture-level cities. The spatial agglomeration characteristic of SED in NC is evident, with significant room for improvement. Additionally, this paper evaluates the impact of capital on the SED of NC through the two-way fixed effects model and the mediation effect model and finds that foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows have a “first-rising-then-declining” impact on the SED of NC, while financing constraints (FC) play a promoting role in the SED of NC. Furthermore, FDI inflows subsequently impact the SED of NC by affecting regional FC, with FC acting as a mediating variable in the influence of FDI on the SED of NC. In terms of policy implications, NC should make rational use of FDI, control the pace of easing FC, and precisely promote the SED of NC from a capital-driven perspective. Other underdeveloped areas in developing countries can take this as a reference to promote SED.

Spectrum analysis of inborn errors of metabolism for expanded newborn screening in Xinjiang, China

To determine the disease spectrum and genetic characteristics of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) in Xinjiang province in the northwest of China, 41,690 newborn babies were screening by tandem mass spectrometry from November 2018 to December 2021. Of these, 57 newborn babies were referred for genetic analysis by next-generation sequencing, which was validated by Sanger sequencing. A total of 36 newborn babies and one relative were diagnosed with IEM, and the overall positive predictive value was 29.03%. The overall incidence of IEM in Xinjiang was 1:1,158 (36/41,690). The incidence of amino acidemias, organic acidemias, and fatty acid oxidation disorder were 1:1,668 (25/41,690), 1:4,632 (9/41,690), and 1:20,845 (2/41,690), respectively. Phenylketonuria and methylmalonic acidemia were the two most common inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), accounting for 83% (30/36) of all confirmed cases. Some hotspot mutations were observed for several IEMs, including PAH gene c.158G > A (p.Arg53His) and c.688G > A (p.Val230Ile) for hyperphenylalaninemia. Four mutation types of the MMACHC gene (e.g., c.609G > A (p.Trp203Ter), c.567dupT (p.Ile190fs)) and six mutation types of the MMUT gene (e.g., c.729_730insT (p.Asp244fs)) were found for methylmalonic acidemia. We also found 11 mutations in six genes: PCCB, IVD, GCDH, MCCC1, SLC22A5, and ACADS in this region. This study combined tandem mass spectrometry and next-generation sequencing technology for the screening and diagnosis of IEM. The study provides effective clinical guidance, and the data provide a basis for expanding newborn screening, genetic screening, and IEM gene consultation in Xinjiang, China.

Steel price index forecasts through machine learning for northwest China

Steel price index forecasts through machine learning for northwest China

Field Study on Washing of 4-Methoxy-2-Nitroaniline from Contaminated Site by Dye Intermediates

Dye intermediates are important industrial chemicals; there is a lack of systematic field experiments and relevant validation data regarding the remediation of groundwater contamination by dye intermediates. This study examines the eluting effects of alcohol eluting agents, non-ionic surfactants, and deionized water on 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline (4M2N) in a contaminated aquifer medium from a historically polluted dye intermediate production site in northwest China. The findings indicate that alcohol eluting agents exhibit superior eluting effects compared to non-ionic surfactants. Under optimized conditions, including 60% n-propanol concentration, a liquid-to-solid ratio of 15:1, two eluting cycles, an elution pH of 3, and a 2 h eluting duration, the eluting concentration of 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline reached 75.49 mg/kg, exceeding that of the composite eluting agent by two times more and deionized water by three times further. Analysis revealed that the liquid-to-solid ratio and number of eluting cycles are the primary factors influencing eluting efficiency. Field trials conducted using treated groundwater involved injecting 31,560 m3 of treated groundwater over 152 days, resulting in the extraction of 38,550 m3 and the removal of about 1887 kg of 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline. The concentrations of contaminants in both pumping wells and monitoring wells exhibited a certain degree of increase at various times. Field applications of treated groundwater washing facilitated the release of 4-methoxy-2-nitroaniline from the aquifer medium, which significantly enhances remediation efficiency. This provides theoretical support for data analysis and the promotion of similar remediation efforts.

Study on the Characteristics and Attribution Analysis of Runoff Changes in the Zuli River Basin of Northwest China

The consequence of climatic change and anthropogenic environmental modifications is a notable diminution in runoff across arid and semi-arid regions. For the sustainable management of regional water resources, it is crucial to comprehend the impacts of climatic and anthropogenic factors on runoff patterns. The Zuli River was designated as the study area for this study, and the Mann–Kendall test, double cumulative curve method, slope change ratio of cumulative quantity method, and elasticity coefficient method were employed to identify mutation points and to quantify the relative impacts of climatic variation and human activities on runoff. The results revealed a statistically insignificant downward trend in mean annual precipitation, a significant declining trend in runoff, and an evident increasing trend in potential evapotranspiration and temperature between the years 1957 and 2019. The analysis revealed that the point of sudden change in runoff at Huining station occurred in 1992, whereas the mutation point at Guo Chengyi station was identified in 1985 and that at Jingyuan station in 1995. The contribution of climate change to runoff was found to range from 28.7% to 58.5%, while the contribution of human activities to runoff ranged from 41.5% to 71.3%, based on different methodologies. Therefore, human activities were recognized as the main factor affecting the variations in runoff within the Zuli River Basin, while climate change acts as a secondary contributor. The results of the study hold considerable importance for enhancing the scientific understanding of hydrological processes within the basin and for guiding regional water administration strategies.

Maternal pesticide exposure and risk of birth defects: a population-based cross-sectional study in China

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the association between maternal pesticide exposure during the periconceptional period and birth defects in their offspring.MethodsA survey was conducted among 29,204 women with infants born between 2010 and 2013 in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China. All cases of birth defects were diagnosed using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Given the multistage sampling design, the generalized estimating equation (GEE) binomial regression models with log link and exchangeable correlation structures were used to analyze the association between maternal pesticide exposures and birth defects.ResultsAmong the 29,204 subjects, 562 mothers had children with birth defects, resulting in an incidence rate of 192.44 per 10,000 live births. The incidence of birth defects was higher in the pesticide-exposed group compared to the control group (737.46/10,000 vs. 186.04/10,000). After adjusting for baseline demographic characteristics, fertility status, nutritional factors, and environmental factors in the GEE model, the results indicated that the risk of birth defects and cardiovascular system defects in mothers exposed to pesticides during the periconceptional period was 2.39 times (95% CI: 1.84–3.10) and 3.14 times (95% CI: 1.73–5.71) higher, respectively, compared to the control group.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that maternal exposure to pesticides during the periconceptional period was associated with an increased risk of birth defects, particularly cardiovascular system defects in offspring. Consequently, it would be beneficial to avoid pesticide exposure from three months before pregnancy through the first trimester to lower birth defects in infants.

Vegetation Dynamics and Recovery Potential in Arid and Semi-Arid Northwest China

Vegetation Dynamics and Recovery Potential in Arid and Semi-Arid Northwest China

Quantifying the Impacts of Precipitation, Vegetation, and Soil Properties on Soil Moisture Dynamics in Desert Steppe Herbaceous Communities Under Extreme Drought

The security of water resources in the desert steppe ecosystem faces threats due to large-scale vegetation restoration. Dynamic changes in soil moisture result from the interplay of precipitation replenishment and evapotranspiration depletion, both directly regulated by vegetation and soil. To achieve sustainable vegetation restoration, understanding the quantifiable impacts of precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil, and vegetation on spatiotemporal soil moisture dynamics is crucial. However, these effects remain insufficiently understood. In this study, against the background of an extreme drought from 2020 to 2022, four typical herbaceous plant communities—Agropyron mongolicum, Sophora alopecuroides, Stipa breviflora, and Achnatherum splendens—were selected for investigation in Yanchi County, Ningxia Province, Northwest China. We analyzed dynamic changes in soil moisture at 0–120 cm during depletion, recovery, and stability periods, quantifying the relative contributions of precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil clay/sand ratio (C/S), and biomass to soil moisture dynamics. The results showed that the 0–120 cm soil moisture of the four plant communities in the depletion, recovery, and stability periods decreased from 7.38% to 6.81%, 11.22% to 8.08%, and 11.70% to 5.84%, respectively. In terms of relative importance, precipitation and evapotranspiration accounted for 25% to 50% and 23.6% to 39.6% of the total explanation for the soil moisture in each plant community, respectively. C/S primarily influenced soil moisture in the S. alopecuroides community, demonstrating a significant positive correlation with soil moisture and accounting for 49.1% of the total explanation. Biomass mainly affected soil moisture in the A. mongolicum, S. breviflora, and A. splendens communities and had a significant negative correlation with soil moisture, accounting for 5.7%, 13.1%, and 9.8% of the total interpretation, respectively. The continuous extreme drought caused the soil moisture deficit to extend from the shallow to the deep layers. The effects of C/S and biomass on soil moisture occurred in leguminous and gramineous communities, respectively.

Spatio-Temporal Evolution, Internal Diversity, and Driving Factors of Economy of Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration in Northwestern China Based on Nighttime Light Data

Urban agglomeration (UA) is a highly developed spatial form of urban complex, which is one of the important carriers of regional economic cooperation, international industrial division of labor, and flow of capital and information elements. In China, urban agglomerations (UAs) have become the spatial subject of the national new-type urbanization strategy since the early 21st century and have made irreplaceable contributions to China’s urbanization and economic development. The Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration (GPUA) is an important economic growth pole in northwest China and a key node in China’s open-door pattern. Exploring the spatial and temporal characteristics and driving factors of its economic development will be an important revelation for the promotion of high-quality economic development of the GPUA. This paper characterizes the level of economic development of GPUA with a long series of nighttime light data between 2002 and 2022. The standard deviation ellipse, spatial autocorrelation analysis, the economic difference index, and grey correlation analysis are used to analyze the characteristics of spatio-temporal evolution, internal diversity, and driving factors of economic development of the GPUA. The results show that the economic development level of the GPUA continued to increase from 2002 to 2022. The spatial distribution of the GPUA economy is “northeast-southwest” axial distribution, and the center of gravity of economic development gradually moves westward. The differences in the level of economic development within the GPUA show a typical core–periphery structure, but the degree of difference tends to weaken over time. The internal expansion force and economic promotion force were the dominant factors for the economic development of the GPUA in the early years. However, with the passage of time, scientific and technological support and government support have gradually become the main influencing factors for the economic development of the GPUA nowadays.

Cutting carbon and nitrogen footprints of maize production by optimizing nitrogen management under different irrigation methods

IntroductionAnalyzing the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application and water management on the carbon (C) and N footprints is vital to maize production systems.MethodsThis study conducted field experiments from 2019-2020 involving flood- and drip-irrigated maize production systems in Northwest China to analyze N and C footprints (NF and CF, respectively) based on the life cycle assessment (LCA). The N fertilizer treatments studied included no N fertilizer application (Control), optimized N management (OM), optimized N management incorporated with urease inhibitor (OMI, UI), and farmer practice (FP).Results and discussionThe maize grain yields under flood irrigation afforded by OMI (12.3 t ha-1) and FP treatments (13.4 t ha-1) were significantly higher than that of OM treatment (11.0 t ha-1). But maize grain yields of the OM (12.1 t ha-1), OMI (12.5 t ha-1), and FP treatments (12.5 t ha-1) showed no significant difference under drip irrigation although less N was applied to OM and OMI. The OMI treatment had better environmental effects than the OM treatment under both flood and drip irrigation. Applying N fertilizer with UI increased N use efficiency (NUE) and reduced N losses under flood irrigation. The reactive N (Nr) losses, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, NF, and CF of OMI treatment were 43.9%, 45.3%, 35.7%, and 37.4% lower under flood irrigation (77.6 kg N ha-1, 4499.9 kg CO2 eq ha-1, 6.7 kg N t-1, and 387.7 CO2 eq N t-1) and 43.3%, 37.1%, 43.2%, and 37.1% lower under drip irrigation (57.8 kg N ha-1, 4144.3 kg CO2 eq ha-1, 4.7 kg N t-1, and 332.7 CO2 eq N t-1) compared to the FP treatment. The Nr losses, GHG emissions, NF, and CF of drip irrigation were lower than those of flood irrigation. According to the analysis of driven indicators, the N leaching, electricity for irrigation, and NH3 volatilization were the most important contributors to the NF; the fertilizer, electricity for irrigation, and N2O emissions were the dominant factors controlling the CF. The environmental impact of the OMI treatment was less than that of the OM and FP treatments. Therefore, integrating better N management practices and efficient irrigation methods can significantly reduce environmental impacts while maintaining yields in maize cultivation.

Process and Mechanism of Exhumation in the Southern Altai Mountains, Northwest China

This study presents new fission track data from 40 apatite and 40 zircon samples in the Southern Altai Mountains (SAMs), revealing apatite fission track (AFT) ages of 110 ± 8 Ma to 54 ± 4 Ma and zircon fission track (ZFT) ages of 234 ± 24 Ma to 86 ± 7 Ma. The exhumation rates derived from three thermochronological methods range from 0.01 to 0.1 km/Ma (Age-Elevation method), 0.01 to 0.14 km/Ma (Half-Space thermal model), and 0.027 to 0.075 km/Ma (Age2exhume model). Thermal history modeling using HeFTy software reveals similar thermal histories on both sides of the Kangbutiebao Fault, with a notable cooling event and higher exhumation rates to the northeast. The Late Cretaceous (100–75 Ma) rapid cooling is associated with tectonic reactivation, likely linked to the collapse of the Mongol–Okhotsk Orogen and slab rollback in the southern Tethys Ocean. In the Late Cenozoic (10–0 Ma), cooling and uplift reflect the influence of tectonic stresses from the India–Eurasia collision, which also drove the reactivation of the Kangbutiebao Fault. These findings suggest a complex interplay of tectonic processes driving exhumation in the SAMs from the Late Jurassic to the Early Paleogene.

Diminished water yield coefficient of glacial catchments in Northwest China

Study region19 glacial catchments located in Northwest China. Study focusThe water yield coefficient (denoted as WYc) of glacier catchments in Northwest China has changed over the past six decades, closely linked to shifts in land cover dynamics. However, quantifying the impacts of climate and land cover changes on glacier catchments remains challenging due to the complexity of glacier hydrological processes and the scarcity of long-term glacier runoff data. In this study, the Budyko equation was coupled with a glacier runoff model to enable quantitative analysis of the factors driving changes in water yield (WY). Path analysis was then employed to assess the direct and indirect effects of climate and landscape changes on the WYc. New hydrological insight for the regionThe results indicated that 14 out of 19 catchments experienced a decline in WYc, particularly in those with greater glacier coverage. Glacier retreat and increased vegetation greenness adversely affected WYc by increasing the catchment parameter, with effects of −26.42 % and −25.21 %, respectively. Although overall WY in the catchments has increased—driven primarily by increased precipitation and glacier storage loss, with contribution rates of 100.66 % and 25.05 %, respectively—the diminished WYc is expected to decelerate the rate of WY increase. This trend poses significant challenges for water resource management in arid and water-scarce regions.

Characteristics of Atmospheric Circulation Patterns and the Associated Diurnal Variation Characteristics of Precipitation in Summer over the Complex Terrain in Northern Xinjiang, Northwest China

Statistical characteristics of atmospheric circulation patterns (ACPs) and associated diurnal variation characteristics (DVCs) of precipitation in summer (June–August) from 2015 to 2019 over the complex terrain in northern Xinjiang (NX), northwestern arid region of China, were investigated based on NCEP FNL reanalysis data and Weather Research and Forecasting model simulation data from Nanjing University (WRF-NJU). The results show that six different ACPs (Type 1–6) were identified based on the Simulated ANealing and Diversified RAndomization (SANDRA), exhibiting significant differences in major-influencing synoptic systems and basic meteorological environments. Types 5, 3, and 2 were the most prevalent three patterns, accounting for 21.6%, 19.7%, and 17.7%, respectively. Type 5 mainly occurred in June and July, while Types 3 and 2 mainly occurred in August and July, respectively. From the perspective of DVCs, Type 1 reached its peak at midnight, while Type 5 was most frequent in the afternoon and morning. The overall DVCs of hourly precipitation intensity and frequency demonstrated a unimodal structure, with a peak occurring at around 16 Local Solar Time (LST). Basic meteorological elements in various terrain regions exhibit significant diurnal variation, with marked differences between mountainous and basin areas under different ACPs. In Types 3 and 6, meteorological elements significantly influence precipitation enhancement by promoting the convergence and uplift of low-level wind fields and maintaining high relative humidity (RH). The Altay Mountains region and Western Mountainous regions experience dominant westerly winds under these conditions, while the Junggar Basin and Ili River Valley regions benefit from counterclockwise water vapor transport associated with the Iranian Subtropical High in Type 6, which increases RH. Collectively, these factors facilitate the formation and development of precipitation.

Contamination characteristics of heavy metals and enrichment capacity of native plants in soils around typical coal mining areas in Gansu, China

Exploitation of mineral resources is a vital backbone of a country’s socio-economic development. However, the coal exploration would cause ecological and environmental problems such as pollutions of water, soils and atmosphere. Especially, the pollution of heavy metals of soil has become increasingly severity. Plant enrichment and tolerance to heavy metals are crucial for the phytoremediation of coal gangue mountain. In phytoremediation, phytostabilization which can reduce the metal contamination of soil by uptake and burn-off of heavy metals with highly accumulating plants, is one of the most effective techniques of eco-remediation treatment. In present work, heavy metals contamination of soil and plants in the Yaojie mining which located in arid and semi-arid area of northwest China were investigated through field investigation. To identify the suitable plants for the remediation and ecological reclamation of heavy metal contaminated soil in typical mining area, the contamination characteristics of heavy metals in the above-ground parts of 27 native plants and their surrounding non-rhizosphere soils were analyzed. After eliminated by wet digestion and high-pressure closed digestion, the mass fractions of Zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu) were determined with inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer, and the contents of Hydrargyrum (Hg) and Arsenic (As) were analyzed with atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer. The Nemerow pollution index showed that in the surrounding soil, the pollution index of heavy metal was 6.32, which reached the extreme severe pollution level. Among the 6 heavy metals, the most severe contamination being Hg (Pi = 8.50) and had particularly strong Coefficient of variation (CV = 105.8%), which is more likely to be caused by anthropogenic activities. In the aboveground parts of 27 plants, except for Zn, other metals exceeded the standard level, and the exceedance rates in descending order were As, Hg, Cr, Cd, and Cu. The most severe exceedance of As was found in C. virgata, which was as high as 19.20, and the average exceedance rate of As in all plants was 2.79. Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) was utilized as an indicator of the enrichments of various metals in 27 plants. The maximum value of BCF for As and Hg in C. virgata were 1.52 and 2.50, Cr and Cu in X. sibiricum were 0.72 and 2.32, Cd and Zn in S. glauca were 3.33 and 1.82. As revealed, except Cr, all the BCF of other metals are greater than 1, indicating that the three plants exhibited a strong accumulation capacity of heavy metal and are potential candidate pioneer species for the removal of heavy metals from the contaminated soil in the Yaojie mining area. This study provides a basis for plant selection for ecological restoration of contaminated soils in arid and semi-arid regions.

Key point of desert riparian forest development in the arid area: The response of phreatic water table depth to ecological water supply

Desert riparian forest vegetation maintains the fragile balance of ecosystems in extreme arid areas. Raising the phreatic water table through efficient ecological water supply is the key to the desert riparian forests in extreme arid areas. The main objective of this study is to explore an innovative framework in which the response of phreatic water table depth (PWTD) to ecological water supply flow (EWSF) can be effectively reflected. The framework is based on the computationally efficient integrated surface water - groundwater model (ISGWM), through which surface water processes, groundwater recharge and discharge processes, and PWTD changes under different EWSF can be accurately simulated. A large number of simulations were conducted to reflect the response of PWTD to EWSF, and to explore the suitable EWSF and its intra-annual process considering the efficiency of PWTD reduction. The applicability and advantages of ISGWM were evaluated for the Tarim River Basin (TRB), a typical inland river basin, northwest China. The response of PWTD to EWSF was studied in 55 gate control areas in the mainstream of TRB. The formulas of suitable EWSF of 55 gates with different initial PWTDs were fitted. It is more beneficial to concentrate the ecological water supply in flood season (Jun.-Oct.). Overall, the ISGWM can accurately describe the multi-process of surface water and groundwater interactions. This study can provide scientific support for water resources management and allocation in the TRB and other similar inland river basins.

Evaluation of combined open ditch and subsurface drainage: Experimental data and optimization of specifications in arid Northwest China

Open ditches and subsurface drainage are effective measures for improving saline soils. Installations of subsurface drainage are now complementing surface drainage in Northwest China, but their optimisation has not been attempted. Therefore, the drainage and desalination performance of a combined subsurface drainage-open ditch system was analysed using two years of field experiments. The data were then utilised to calibrate and validate a water and salt transport model. The drainage volume in surface drains were 9-fold those in subsurface pipes. Additionally, 25 sets of orthogonal numerical experiments were designed with the subsurface pipe length, depth, and open ditch depth as variables. The results revealed that these three factors significantly affected the desalination efficiency of salinealkaline farmland (P <0.05). The ditch depth, pipe length, and pipe depth F values were 9.954, 50.286, and 6.557, respectively, and no interactions were observed among these factors. When a single open ditch was used for drainage, the desalination rate initially increased and then decreased as the distance from the open ditch increased. The inflection point varied with the open ditch depth and occurred within a range of 32–43 m when the ditch depth was 180–300 cm. The combination of an open ditch and a subsurface pipe produced a larger desalination area, and its efficiency was 170 % that of a single open ditch. Within the inflection point range, the desalination rate increased with increasing ditch depth. Beyond the inflection point, subsurface drainage played a primary role, and the desalination rate increased as the subsurface drainage depth increased but remained relatively stable along the drainage direction. The optimal installation depth for subsurface pipes was estimated to be 90–110 cm, and the depth of ditches was 180–210 cm in a combined system. The maximum length for full flow in long-distance subsurface drainage was 750–850 m. This study provides references for the optimal application of combined subsurface drainage–open ditch systems in arid Northwest China.

Spatial Distribution, Source Apportionment, and Pollution Assessment of Toxic Metals Around Agricultural Soils Based on APCS-MLR Receptor Modelling: A Case Study of the Northern Slope of Tianshan Mountains

To investigate the contamination status and analyze the sources of soil toxic metal contamination on the northern slopes of the East Tianshan mountain industrial belt in Xinjiang, northwest China, this study measured the contents of six common toxic metals such as Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg and As in 82 surface soil (0–20 cm), and using the ground accumulation index, pollution load index, and improved weighted index assessed the contamination characteristics of the soil and using a semi-variance function and APCS-MLR model the identified the potential sources of contamination. The results indicate that the average concentrations of Pb, Hg, and As are significantly higher than the background values in Xinjiang. The average ranking of toxic metal content is as follows: Zn &gt; Cr &gt; Pb &gt; Cu &gt; Hg &gt; as. A single-factor pollution index analysis shows that As and Pb pollution are severe, while Hg and Cu pollution are moderate. The improved weighted index shows that moderate lead pollution accounts for 6.1% and severe lead pollution accounts for 54.88%; 98.88% of arsenic is severely contaminated. The APCS-MLR model identified three main sources of heavy metals: Cu and Cr as industrial production sources, Pb and Zn as transportation and agricultural activity sources, and As, Cr, Cu, Hg, and Zn as natural and mixed pollution sources. This study provides a solid scientific basis for the prevention and control of toxic metal pollution in agricultural soils, thus ensuring food security and sustainable development in the region.

Nitric oxide fumigation maintains cantaloupe fruit quality by regulating the production of reactive oxygen species

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) is a major crop cultivated in Northwest China. However, with the extension of storage periods, cantaloupes are increasingly prone to post-ripening senescence, quality deterioration, rot, and other phenomena, which in turn seriously limit shelf life. During postharvest storage, the quality of cantaloupes is affected by a large increase in ROS in the fruit. Herein, the effects of exogenous NO fumigation treatment on the quality of Xizhoumi NO.17 cantaloupe were investigated, with a focus on ROS generation and removal. NO fumigation treatment effectively reduced the rate of cantaloupe decay, inhibited fruit water loss and better maintained fruit firmness and relative conductivity. NO treatment induced O2·– and H2O2 production during early storage (within 24 h), whereas their accumulation decreased during later storage. NOX activity and expression of related genes in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group during the early storage but lower during later storage. NO fumigation also induced the antioxidant capacity of enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems in cantaloupe and helped to inhibit the accumulation of ROS. Taken together, NO fumigation triggers H2O2 production via the NOX/SOD system, activating the antioxidant response of cantaloupe to overcome excessive ROS production in the late stage of storage, thus maintaining fruit quality.

Systematic exploration of genetic traits in Qinghai Salar ethnic group through a validated InDel panel for individual identification

BackgroundInsertion/deletion polymorphism (InDel) markers, mainly characterized by diallelic length polymorphisms, have been extensively investigated in forensic applications. The Salar ethnic group is one of the ten officially recognized Muslim minorities in China, with a large population mainly residing in Qinghai Province, China, yet there have been few population genetics studies on the Salar ethnic group, let alone those using InDel markers. AimThe present study aims to explore the genetic traits and enrich the genetic resources of the Qinghai Salar ethnic group through a validated InDel panel developed in-house. Subjects and methodsForensic performance of the novel self-constructed 43-InDel panel, designed for individual identification, was evaluated in the Qinghai Salar ethnic group from China. In addition, based on these 43 InDels, the genetic characteristics of the Qinghai Salar ethnic group were systematically explored by incorporating 27 reference populations from five continents. ResultsThe results indicated that most loci in the 43-InDel panel were genetically polymorphic in the Qinghai Salar ethnic group, and the novel panel could serve as an efficient tool for individual identification of the studied group, with a combined discrimination power of more than 0.9999. Population genetics analyses demonstrated that the Qinghai Salar ethnic group was genetically closer to East Asian populations than to other continental populations, especially the Hui ethnic group in Northwest China and Han Chinese in Beijing. ConclusionIn summary, the in-house developed 43-InDel panel could be an effective tool for individual identification and provide additional genetic information for the Qinghai Salar ethnic group.

Development of machine learning-based models to predict congenital heart disease: A matched case-control study

BackgroundThe current congenital heart disease (CHD) prediction tools lack adequate interpretability and convenience, hindering the development of personalized CHD management strategies. We developed a machine learning-based risk stratification model for CHD prediction. MethodsThis study utilized data from 1,759 participants in a case-control study of CHD conducted across six birth defects surveillance hospitals located in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, spanning from January 2014 to December 2016. The data was partitioned into training and testing datasets with a ratio of 7:3. Predictors were selected from a total of 47 input variables through the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO). Five machine learning algorithms were used to build the CHD risk prediction models. Model performance was assessed based on a range of learning metrics, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), F1 score, and Brier score. Permutation feature importance was employed to elucidate the prediction model. The best-performing model was used to conduct the risk scores. ResultsThe eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) model demonstrated superior performance among CHD prediction models, achieving an AUROC of 0.772 (95 % CI 0.728, 0.817) in the testing dataset and 0.738 (0.699, 0.775) in the external validation dataset. The pivotal predictors (top 3) identified by the model included living in rural areas, the low wealth index, and folic acid supplements (<90 days). The resultant risk score exhibited robust calibration capabilities. Utilizing the risk scores, participants were stratified into low, moderate, and high-risk categories, signifying substantial variations in CHD risk. ConclusionThis study underscores the feasibility and efficacy of employing a machine learning-based approach for CHD prediction. The risk scores exhibited potential in identifying pregnant women at high risk for fetal CHD, offering valuable insights for guiding primary prevention and CHD management.