Shanxi Province Of China Research Articles

Sustainable Development Challenges in Shanxi's Coal Industry: A case study of Datong Coal Mine Group

The purpose of this study is to investigate the sustainable development challenges faced by coal resource-based areas, focusing specifically on Shanxi Province in China. The study aims to understand the long-term impacts of extensive coal mining on the ecological environment, safety incidents, and the local economic system. It seeks to draw lessons from case studies of coal enterprises to identify innovative measures for companies in transition and development, with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainable practices that address livelihood issues and contribute to the modernization process. The research employs a qualitative case study methodology, using Datong Coal Mine Group in Shanxi Province as a representative example. This approach enables an in-depth analysis of the specific challenges related to coal mining in the region. The findings highlight the significant ecological and safety challenges posed by widespread coal mining practices in Shanxi Province, including environmental degradation, ground subsidence, and recurring safety incidents. The study suggests a need for innovative measures to transition towards more sustainable and diversified economic activities. The research provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and communities in similar resource-dependent regions to adapt to the demands of modernization and sustainability.

Low-carbon development path based on carbon emission accounting and carbon emission performance evaluation: a case study of Chinese coal production enterprises.

Carbon emission accounting is the basic premise of effective carbon emission reduction and management. This study aimed to establish the carbon emission model and performance evaluation framework of coal mine production enterprises and clarify the low-carbon development path of enterprises. In this study, we took a typical coal production enterprise (K enterprise) in the Shanxi province of China as the research object. We also estimated the carbon emissions of the enterprise mainly according to the Chinese Carbon Emission Accounting Standard (GB/T 32151.11-2018). The triangular model was used to construct the carbon performance evaluation framework. On this basis, we suggested the enterprise's low-carbon development path. The results showed that (1) the carbon emission of K enterprise in 2021 was 36,875.38 tCO2eq; the carbon emission intensity of each ton of coal produced was 0.089 tCO2eq. The critical carbon emissions were electricity consumption and methane fugitive emissions during production. (2) The evaluation indicators for carbon emission performance revealed an imbalance in K enterprise's economic, energy, and environmental development in 2021. The work on energy saving and consumption reduction was relatively weak. (3) Countermeasures for low-carbon development, including a carbon emission ledger, were proposed based on carbon emission accounting and performance evaluation results. This study can help typical underground coal production enterprises in Shanxi province obtain more accurate carbon emission data, providing practical guidance and reference for the same underground coal production enterprises to improve the carbon emission control effect.

Analysis of two glass eye (Jatim) beads unearthed from the Northern Wei tomb complex in Dongxin, Datong

This study analyzed two glass eye beads discovered in an ancient tomb complex at Dongxin Furniture Square in Datong, Shanxi Province in China. The tomb complex was dated to the Northern Wei Dynasty (398–494 AD), when Datong was known as Pingcheng. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) as well as a 3D microscope system with ultra-depth of field to conduct non-destructive tests on the beads. We examined the beads’ manufacturing techniques, including matrices, eye patterns, and bead holes. The composition analysis revealed that both beads belonged to the mix of v-Na-Ca and m-Na-Al glass system, which is a key indicator of local production in Java. The bases were colored using Co2+, whereas the white, red, and yellow colors of the eye patterns were achieved using SnO2, Cu2O, or Cu0, and PbSnO3, respectively. These findings indicated that both objects were Jatim beads originating in the Kingdom of Java in Southeast Asia. This study provides valuable insights into ancient trade routes between different regions and offers reliable scientific evidence of the glass trade and technical exchanges in ancient times.

The Role of Climate Change Perceptions in Sustainable Agricultural Development: Evidence from Conservation Tillage Technology Adoption in Northern China

Encouraging the use of conservation tillage technology is a highly effective approach to safeguarding soil health, improving the environment, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. With the mounting concerns surrounding climate change, developing conservation tillage methods that facilitate sustainable agricultural growth has become an imperative both in China and around the world. While it is widely recognized that adapting to climate change is crucial in agriculture, there is limited research on evaluating the risks, discovering resilience, measuring farmers’ perceptions on climate change, and exploring how tillage technology can be adjusted in the context of small-scale farming in China to foster sustainable development. Using research data from smallholder farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of China, this paper aims to explore the impact of climate change perceptions on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technologies based on an ordered Probit model. We found that farmers tend to refrain from embracing conservation tillage technology due to the presence of unclear and conflicting perceptions regarding climate change. Focus on short-term profitability and inadequate preparation hinder them from prioritizing adaptation. We recognized several measures that could help farmers adapt and thrive within the agricultural sector. Furthermore, we have validated the need for self-system moderation in promoting farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technology. By utilizing such tools and resources, farmers can comprehend the gravity of climate change’s impact on agricultural productivity and, more importantly, channel their efforts towards fortifying resilience to extreme weather conditions and long-term climate risks, thus fortifying agricultural sustainability.

A survey of methane point source emissions from coal mines in Shanxi province of China using AHSI on board Gaofen-5B

Abstract. Satellite-based detection of methane (CH4) point sources is crucial in identifying and mitigating anthropogenic emissions of CH4, a potent greenhouse gas. Previous studies have indicated the presence of CH4 point source emissions from coal mines in Shanxi, China, which is an important source region with large CH4 emissions, but a comprehensive survey has remained elusive. This study aims to conduct a survey of CH4 point sources over Shanxi's coal mines based on observations of the Advanced Hyperspectral Imager (AHSI) on board the Gaofen-5B satellite (GF-5B/AHSI) between 2021 and 2023. The spectral shift in centre wavelength and change in full width at half-maximum (FWHM) from the nominal design values are estimated for all spectral channels, which are used as inputs for retrieving the enhancement of the column-averaged dry-air mole fraction of CH4 (ΔXCH4) using a matched-filter-based algorithm. Our results show that the spectral calibration on GF-5B/AHSI reduced estimation biases of the emission flux rate by up to 5.0 %. We applied the flood-fill algorithm to automatically extract emission plumes from ΔXCH4 maps. We adopted the integrated mass enhancement (IME) model to estimate the emission flux rate values from each CH4 point source. Consequently, we detected CH4 point sources in 32 coal mines with 93 plume events in Shanxi province. The estimated emission flux rate ranges from 761.78 ± 185.00 to 12 729.12 ± 4658.13 kg h−1. Our results show that wind speed is the dominant source of uncertainty contributing about 84.84 % to the total uncertainty in emission flux rate estimation. Interestingly, we found a number of false positive detections due to solar panels that are widely spread in Shanxi. This study also evaluates the accuracy of wind fields in ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis by comparing them with a ground-based meteorological station. We found a large discrepancy, especially in wind direction, suggesting that incorporating local meteorological measurements into the study CH4 point source are important to achieve high accuracy. The study demonstrates that GF-5B/AHSI possesses capabilities for monitoring large CH4 point sources over complex surface characteristics in Shanxi.

The relationship between elevation-dependent warming and long-term trend of surface air temperature lapse rate

The intensity and direction of elevation-dependent warming (EDW) could vary in different parts of the mountain, while less attention is paid to the local EDW effect. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) and the T'ai-hang & Lvliang Mountains in Shanxi Province of China (TLMsx) were taken as cases to examine the relationship between EDW and the long-term trend of surface air temperature (SAT) lapse rate (SATLR). For the observed data, the intensity of regional EDW (IEDW) was estimated with linear regression model, while the SATLR was estimated with geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. The long-term trend of SATLR was estimated applying the modified Theil-Sen method, and the regional average SATLR trend (kSATLR¯) was calculated and analyzed. Both observed data and simulation experiment revealed that there was not significant difference between IEDW and −kSATLR¯, with a little difference caused by the noise in the SAT trends. As the SATLR trend measured the difference in the surface air warming rate within 1-km vertical distance, i.e. the intensity of EDW in a small spatial scale, in the context of climate warming, it could be used to estimate the intensity of local EDW. The SATLR trend thus provided a new perspective to study the EDW effect in the future, and facilitated the quantitative analysis on the mechanisms of EDW.

Perceived Organizational Support, Inter-Temporal Choice, and Farmer Conservation Tillage Adoption

To solve the problem of the insufficient driving force and low adoption rate of conservation tillage adoption and to enhance the effect of industrial organization in influencing technology diffusion, this paper explored the relationship and the mechanism of perceived organizational support and inter-temporal choice in the adoption of conservation tillage by using micro-research data from 725 melon farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces in China and by applying the experimental economics method to obtain the inter-temporal choices of the farmers. This paper also analyzed farmers’ risk preferences’ moderating effect on the relationship between inter-temporal choice and conservation tillage. Additionally, it examined the impact of perceived organizational support on the differentiation of different conservation tillage technologies. The study found that perceived organizational support significantly contributes to adopting zero tillage and minimum tillage, and water-saving irrigation. Perceived organizational support was not conducive to farmers’ adoption of furrow and ridge tillage. The impact of perceived organizational support on technology adoption is heterogeneous, depending on the differences in the size of the family’s cultivated land. The inter-temporal choice of farmers significantly impedes the adoption of conservation tillage. The increase in risk preference helps alleviate the hindering effect of inter-temporal choice on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage. Perceived organizational support can promote the adoption of conservation tillage by reducing farmers’ inter-temporal choices. Inter-temporal choice is an essential mechanism by which perceived organizational support affects the adoption of conservation tillage. Compared with the existing studies, this paper incorporates the technology-attribute-induced inter-temporal choice of farmers into the impact analysis framework and considers the relationship between perceived organizational support, inter-temporal choice, and the adoption of conservation tillage and the mechanism of its action. The findings of the study provide a theoretical basis for the enrichment of incentive mechanisms for the adoption of conservation tillage, which is of great significance for the improvement of the tool for the integration of small farmers in developing countries into the industrial activities of the new agricultural business central bodies and for promoting the diffusion of conservation tillage in agriculture.

Optimization of Emergency Epidemic Prevention Material Reserve and Supply System of Shanxi Province in China: Based on Anylogic Simulation

Due to the randomness and uncertainty of epidemic occurrence, there are insufficient emergency supplies and low efficiency of transportation equipment in Shanxi Province. In order to meet the needs of materials in Shanxi Province, it is urgently necessary to establish a reserve and supply system with perfect facilities and equipment. According to the geographical location of 11 prefecture-level cities in Shanxi Province and the actual situation of transportation equipment, this paper simulates the location of warehouse construction in each city. Through simulation modeling, the emergency epidemic prevention materials reserve and supply system of prefecture-level cities in Shanxi Province was simulated under the epidemic situation. The research idea of "simulation-analysis-optimization-summary" was defined, and the AnyLogic software was used to simulate and analyze the emergency epidemic prevention materials reserve and supply system of the whole Shanxi Province. Through the simulation of different scenarios, the optimization direction of transportation equipment is obtained. Based on the optimization effect of each plan of transportation equipment loading on the emergency epidemic prevention materials reserve and supply system in Shanxi Province, the best optimization plan was obtained. The results show that the efficiency of transportation equipment allocation is improved and the loading capacity of transportation equipment is reasonable and effective. After optimization, the order backlog of each prefecture-level city storage warehouse is reduced, and the order processing time is reduced. The optimization ideas proposed in this paper provide the optimization direction for the emergency epidemic prevention materials reserve and supply system in Shanxi Province, and also have certain guiding significance for how to deal with major public health emergencies.

Predominance of the Blastocystis subtype ST5 among free-living sympatric rodents within pig farms in China suggests a novel transmission route from farms

Blastocystis is a parasitic protist that can infect humans and various domestic and wild animals. However, there is limited research on the prevalence of this parasite among rodents, particularly those living in pig farm settings. Therefore, to investigate the occurrence, molecular characterization, and zoonotic potential of Blastocystis among rodents within pig farm environments, we conducted an investigation of 227 rodents and shrews from 34 pig farms located in Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces of China using nested PCR of the SSU rRNA gene of Blastocystis. The potential transmission and public health implications were also assessed from a One Health perspective. Blastocystis was detected in 86 (37.9%) fecal samples. The highest infection rate was observed among Ruttus norvegicus (73.7%, 42/58), followed by Ruttus tanezumi (30.1%, 41/136), and Mus musculus (12.0%, 3/25). However, it was not detected among individuals with Apodemus agrarius (n = 1) and Crocidura shantungensis (n = 7). Five known zoonotic Blastocystis subtypes (ST1–ST5) were identified, with ST4 (51.2%, 44/86) and ST5 (40.7%, 35/86) being the predominant ones, followed by ST1 (3.5%, 3/86), ST3 (3.5%, 3/86), and ST2 (1.2%, 1/86). ST4 was prevalent among R. norvegicus (83.3%, 35/42), while ST5 dominated R. tanezumi (70.7%, 29/41). Furthermore, ST5 exhibited the widest distribution at pig farm level, accounting for 65.0% (13/20) of Blastocystis-positive pig farms. This investigation presents the first documented Blastocystis infection in R. tanezumi and M. musculus, highlighting the predominant presence of the zoonotic ST5 subtype in rodents for the first time. The results demonstrate that sympatric rodents can serve as natural reservoirs for Blastocystis and play a role in its transmission. These findings provide information on the dynamics of rodent transmission and emphasize the potential public health threat posed by zoonotic Blastocystis subtypes spillover from pig farms.

Effective policy research of county and township health sector integration in China: Empirical evidence from the difference-in-differences model

Medical service fragmentation is a common problem worldwide, and many countries have adopted integration to solve the difficulty. Contrary to developed countries, developing countries such as China must consider how to implement integration under a relatively weak medical foundation. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the "Compact Union of County and Township Health Sectors" policy on the medical service capacity of a typical integration model represented by Shanxi Province in China and determine the path the policy followed. By using Shanxi's county-level medical integration as a quasi-natural experiment, this study establishes a difference-in-differences model to investigate the effect of the policy using official data. A series of tests are conducted to verify the robustness of the result. Finally, the policy pathway is tested. The results show that the third-level surgeries and outpatient service utilization of leading hospitals and township institutions increased. Still, inpatient service utilization and fourth-level surgeries did not show a significant change in either type of institution. Moreover, the enhancement of leading hospitals' service capacity comes mainly through improving asset efficiency and personal income, while the improvement of township institutions' capacity comes primarily through increased personal income. Compact integration of county-level medical institutions can stimulate and improve service capacity by improving asset efficiency and personal income, even with a weak medical foundation. However, to achieve continuous service capacity improvement, the professional level of county-level institutions must be strengthened with a superior hospital's assistance, and personnel's enthusiasm for active innovation must be cultivated.

Enteric-coated Mycophenolate Sodium therApy versus cyclophosphamide for induction of Remission in Microscopic PolyAngiitis (EMSAR-MPA trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionSeveral studies have demonstrated that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may be an excellent alternative to cyclophosphamide (CYC) or rituximab for the induction of remission in non-life-threatening anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies associated vasculitis...

Effects of Organic Substitution on the Yield and Quality of Apples and Residual Nitrate-N Leaching in Soil

The substitution of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer with organic fertilizer (organic substitution, OS) is increasingly applied in crop production, due to its environmentally friendly characteristics, low price, and high crop and soil improvement efficacies. Here, we studied the effects of chemical N fertilizer with organic fertilizer treatment at different proportions (no organic substitution (NOS), 20% (OS-20), 40% (OS-40), 60% (OS-60), 100% (OS-100), and 200% (OS-200, double the organic fertilizer application amount of OS-100) on the yield and quality of apples in the Shanxi Province of China. The results revealed that, compared to the NOS, the total apple yields of OS treatments, especially the OS-60 and OS-100 treatments, decreased. However, all OS treatments, except OS-200, increased the yield of large-sized fruits (transverse diameter ≥ 85 mm) and the mean mass of apple fruits, and significantly decreased yield of small-sized fruits (transverse diameter < 75 mm). All OS treatments, especially OS-40, promoted the total sugar and vitamin C (Vc) contents and fruit hardness of apples, and OS-40, OS-60, and OS-200 resulted in significantly decreased titratable acid contents in apples. The influence of organic substitutions on soil quality was further investigated in a two-year field experiment. The results showed that the influence of organic substitution on soil chemical properties differed between the two years. Notably, 40% OS increased the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and the C/N ratio in the upper 20 cm of the soil in both years. Additionally, OS treatments reduced the residual nitrate (NO3−)-N (RN) content in deep soil layers, suggesting that OS has the potential to alleviate N leaching. Moreover, redundancy analysis (RDA) of the soil, fruit yield, and fruit quality parameters revealed that the SOC content in the 0–20 cm soil layer and the RN content in the 0–100 cm soil layer had the greatest impact on the fruit quality and yield variables, respectively. This study showed that the proper substitution (40%) of chemical N fertilizer with organic fertilizer could improve the yield of large-sized fruits, the mean mass and fruit quality of apples, and soil chemical properties. Our study will provide a basis for rational organic substitution in apple orchards.

Characterization of a novel recombinant NADC30‑like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in Shanxi Province, China.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most important pathogens affecting the swine industry. In this report, a novel PRRSV strain SXht2012 was isolated from Shanxi province in China. To identify genetic characteristics of SXht2012, we conducted phylogenetic and homology analyses after sequencing its complete genome. The results revealed that SXht2012 belonged to NADC30-like strain and shared 91.3% nucleotide (nt) identity with strain NADC30. Notably, sequence alignment showed that a distinctive feature in the NSP2 region, where a 131-amino acid (aa) deletion was found in the hypervariable region (HVR). Additionally, variations were also detected in the GP5 protein, specifically in the decoy peptide, T cell peptide, and a potential glycosylation site (aa 32). Furthermore, we also found that SXht2012 was likely a recombination virus originating from NADC30-like and JXA1-like strains, and three recombination breakpoints were identified in the genome at nt positions 1516, 5280 and 6851, which correspond to the NSP2, NSP3, and NSP7 regions. Overall, these findings have significant implications for understanding the genetic variation and evolutionary dynamics of PRRSV strains.

Wild sympatric rodents inhabiting pig farm environments may facilitate the spillover of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from pig farms.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic pathogen prevalent in mammalian and avian hosts across the globe. Wild small mammals, being abundant worldwide, serve as important sources of zoonotic disease transmission to humans. Here, 227 fecal samples were collected from five rodent and shrew species on 34 pig farms in China to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of E. bieneusi. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi was 17.18% (39/227), with a distribution of 23.53% (32/136) in Rattus tanezumi, 8.62% (5/58) in Rattus norvegicus, and 8.00% (2/25) in Mus musculus. Eight E. bieneusi genotypes were identified, comprising four known genotypes: D (n=8), EbpC (n=8), PigEBITS7 (n=9), and EbpA (n=2), and four novel genotypes: CHPR1 (n=7), CHPR2 (n=1), CHPR3 (n=2), and CHPR4 (n=2). This study is the first to report E. bieneusi in rodents from pig farms in Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi Provinces in China. The host range of genotype EbpC was expanded with its first detection in M. musculus and R. tanezumi. All identified E. bieneusi genotypes belong to group 1, raising concerns about these sympatric rodents being reservoirs of zoonotic transmission. Moreover, the widespread distribution of genotype EbpC suggests potential cross-species transmission between sympatric rodents and domestic pigs. Our findings highlight the potential role of sympatric rodents in facilitating the spillover of E. bieneusi from pig farms, which could pose a potential public health threat.

Identification of potential forest thinning locations to mitigate water deficits in drylands

AbstractAppropriate forest thinning measures can mitigate the conflicting relationship between past excessive afforestation and current increasing regional water deficiency in dryland ecosystems. However, since blind intervention in forest landscapes may incur additional economic costs and cause the loss of ecosystem services, forest thinning in drylands mostly exists in scientific discussions and is seldom implemented in reality. In this study, we propose an advanced technical route to predict the spatial arrangement of potential forest thinning locations under different policy scenarios. Taking Shanxi Province in China as a case study, we simulated eight policy scenarios for different stakeholders to assess the benefits and costs after forest thinning in the future. The results show that a water deficit of 533 million m3 exists in Shanxi Province that could potentially be mitigated by means of forest thinning. Under different policy scenarios, the thinned area ranged from 1142.91 to 1195.47 km2, which would result in an additional soil loss of 1.77–3.02 million m3/year and a loss of carbon sequestration of 3.15–3.24 million t/year. Considering both soil conservation and food security scenarios can help minimize the direct costs and loss of forest carbon sequestration capacity and maintain a sustainable landscape pattern. The method can be used as a decision support tool to identify the potential locations of forest thinning and resulting consequences under water scarcity conditions in drylands and to support stakeholders in making scientific adaptive forest landscape optimization decisions.

Calculation and Comparison of Adsorption Curves of Three ISO-Variables A CSE Study of Lean Coal from China

A series of isothermal adsorption experimental data of MZQ coal sample in Shanxi province of China has been transformed to fit a temperature pressure-adsorption equation with high accuracy. Besides isothermal adsorption curve, isobaric adsorption curve and isosteric adsorption curve have been created and presented. The Clausius-Clapeyron equations have been used to illustrate that gas isosteric adsorption is an exothermic process. The calculation procedure of unit isosteric adsorption enthalpy has been present. The increase of adsorption amount causes the unit isosteric adsorption enthalpy exponentially decreased, so the unit isosteric desorption enthalpy exponentially decreased.

Climate change impacts assessment and developing adaptation strategies for rainfed foxtail millet in northern Shanxi, China

Climate change is considered to be a serious threat to crop production around the globe. In the northern Shanxi Province of China (SXN), foxtail millet (or millet) is the main crop and generally grows under rainfed conditions. Existing literature has confirmed the millet yield reductions due to climate change in the past. However, little is known about the impacts of future climate change on millet production in the SXN. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the future climate change impacts under two emission scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) and the potentials of shifting sowing date combined with supplemental irrigation as an adaptation strategy to climate change for millet production in the SXN using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Two supplemental irrigation strategies were tested: one presowing irrigation only (PSI), and two supplementary irrigations (PSGI) adopting one presowing irrigation and one irrigation during the growing season. We found that the air temperature, solar radiation and precipitation during the millet growing season in the future (2021–2060) are higher than those in the baseline (1981–2020). The rainfed millet yield will decrease by 8.6 % (SSP245) and 16.5 % (SSP585) in the future without an adaptation strategy, compared to the baseline yield (2.43 t ha−1) in 1981–2020 under the conventional sowing date. The reduction in rainfed millet yield caused by climate change cannot be reversed by shifting sowing date, but can be slightly mitigated by a suitable advancement of the sowing date. Adopting supplemental irrigation in the future can achieve higher millet yield than the baseline yield, especially PSGI. Compared to PSI, PSGI consumes more irrigation water but has higher irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE). There is a synergy between shifting sowing date and supplemental irrigation in coping with climate change, and a later sowing date than the conventional one (30 April) is recommended under supplemental irrigation in the future. In 2021–2060, the best adaptation strategy to climate change for maximizing grain yield, IWUE and economic benefit in the millet production of the SXN is that supplementary irrigation is applied before sowing and on 20 July–30 July combined with the sowing dates of 10 May–20 May.

Molecular Diagnosis of Hemophilia A and Pathogenesis of Novel F8 Variants in Shanxi, China.

The aim of this study was to perform a molecular diagnosis of hemophilia A (HA) among patients in the Shanxi Province of China. Fifty-two HA patients were tested, including IVS22 (31 samples), IVS1 (3 samples), missense (11 samples), nonsense (3 samples), and 4 cases of frameshift (2 cases of deletion, 1 case of insertion, 1 case of single-base duplication). With the exception of the single-base G duplication variant (p.Ile1213Asnfs*28), this was the hotspot variant reported by research groups at an early stage. The remaining variants were found, for the first time, in the region. The missense variants p.Cys172Ser, p.Tyr404Ser, p.Asp1903Gly, and p.Ser2284Asn, the deletion variant p.Leu2249fs*9, and the insertion variant p.Pro2319fs*97 were novel variants. The application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) molecular diagnosis enriched the variant spectrum of HA, which is greatly significant for individualized genetic counseling, clinical diagnosis, and treatment. NGS and a variety of bioinformatics prediction methods can further analyze the impact of genetic variation on protein structure or function and lay the foundation to reveal the molecular pathogenic mechanism of novel variants.

Soil Microbial Community, Soil Quality, and Productivity along a Chronosequence of Larix principis-rupprechtii Forests.

Elucidating the correlation between soil microbial communities and forest productivity is the focus of research in the field of forest ecology. Nonetheless, the relationship between stand age, soil quality, soil microorganisms, and their combined influence on productivity is still unclear. In this study, five development stages (14, 25, 31, 39, and >80 years) of larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii) forests were investigated in Inner Mongolia and Shanxi provinces of China. We evaluated soil quality using the Integrated Soil Quality Index (SQI) and analyzed changes in bacterial and fungal communities using high-throughput sequencing. Regression models were also established to examine the impacts of stand age, microbial diversity, and SQI on productivity. The findings revealed an ascending trend in soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available potassium (AK), and SQI in 14, 25, 31, and 39-year-old stands. The abundance of oligotrophic bacteria Acidobacteria exhibited a gradual decline with increasing forest age, whereas copiotroph bacteria Proteobacteria displayed a progressive increase. Stands older than 80 years exhibited a higher abundance of both the saprophytic fungus Ascomycota and mycorrhizal fungus Basidiomycota. Forest age had a significant impact on microbial diversity, particularly in terms of bacterial diversity, impacting both α and β diversity. The soil bacterial community structure was influenced by AK, SOM, TN, TP, and pH. Conversely, the fungal community structure was regulated by crucial factors including SOM, TN, TP, TK, AK, and pH. Fungal diversity demonstrated a significant and positive correlation with the basal area increment (BAI) of larch. Furthermore, microbial diversity accounted for 23.6% of the variation in BAI. In summary, the findings implied a robust association between microbial composition, diversity, and soil chemical properties throughout the chronosequence of larch forests. These factors collectively played a crucial role in influencing the productivity of larch forest.

Preparation of Coal Gangue-Based Porous Ceramics and Its Application on Pb2+ Cycling Adsorption

The presence of lead in wastewater poses a significant threat to human health. To address this issue, coal gangue-based porous ceramics (CGPC) were developed to remove Pb2+ in wastewater. Coal gangue (CG) waste from Lvliang City, Shanxi province in China was used as raw material, and porosity was introduced through the addition of a pore-forming agent and an extrusion molding process. Properties of CGPC were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to explore its adsorption mechanism. The researchers examined the impact of pH, dosage of adsorbent, initial concentration, duration of adsorption, and temperature on the adsorption efficiency of CGPC. The CGPC of best performance had a porosity of 32.91% and compressive strength of 20.5 MPa prepared at 800 °C under nitrogen atmosphere with 10 wt% Na2CO3 pore-forming agent and 8 wt% CaO-MnO2 combined fluxing agent. The removal rate of Pb2+ in simulated lead-containing wastewater with a concentration of 200 mg/L reached 99.63%, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 32.15 mg/g. The adsorption process of Pb2+ by CGPC involves chemical adsorption and ion exchange. After being regenerated for seven cycles with 1 mol/L NaOH as the desorption agent, the removal rate of Pb2+ by CGPC still had 72%.