Significant Regional Differences Research Articles

The Synergistic Evolution of Resilience and Efficiency in the Digital Economy and Its Path Identification: Evidence from China

An effective combination of resilience and efficiency will help to promote the high-quality development of the digital economy. In this paper, we use the entropy method, the Super-SBM model, and the Haken model to measure the digital economy resilience, digital economy efficiency, and their synergistic evolution mechanisms in 31 Chinese provinces and autonomous regions from 2013 to 2020, respectively. The results show that: (1) The resilience of the digital economy is the order parameter leading synergistic development, playing a prominent role in promoting the development of the digital economy from disorder to order. (2) Synergistic evolution has evolved from low-level to high-level, but it is in the primary stage as a whole, and the fluctuation of its development is not obvious, showing a unipolar development pattern. (3) There are significant regional differences in synergistic evolution, showing a polarization pattern, with the “Matthew effect” that the stronger the start the stronger the development. (4) Overall, the resilience and efficiency of the digital economy show a positive synergistic effect, but some provinces show a negative feedback mechanism that inhibits the orderly development of the system, there is a bias effect, and the development levels of the resilience and efficiency of the digital economy are mismatched. (5) The four paths that drive the synergistic evolution of resilience and efficiency in a high digital economy are the “Resilience Dominates Driven Path”, the “Basic Driven Path”, the “Innovation Driven Path”, and the “Balanced Driven Path”, respectively. In short, the synergistic evolution of the resilience and efficiency of the digital economy shows that the future development of the digital economy needs to cultivate endogenous momentum, pay attention to strengthening resilience in the process of continuing to build a diversified industrial system, and continuously improve the operational efficiency of the digital economy, in order to promote its high-quality development.

Regional Differences, Dynamic Evolution and Convergence of Carbon Emissions from Rural Residents’ Living Consumption: Evidence from China

Actively exploring a reduction in carbon emissions from rural residents’ living consumption (RRLC) is necessary to address climate change and achieve high-quality development of the rural economy. Based on the measurement of the carbon emissions from RRLC in China between the years 2000 and 2021, and it uncovers regional differences, dynamic evolution and convergence. The main findings are as follows: (1) Using the Dagum Gini coefficient, it was found that the differences in carbon emissions from RRLC in the nationwide and low-income level group (LLLG), low-middle-income level group (LMLG), upper-middle-income level group (UMLG), and high-income level group (HHLG) are all significantly decreasing, and the intensity of transvariation is the primary source of the overall difference. (2) Using the kernel density estimation, it was found that the level of carbon emissions from RRLC in the nationwide and the four major regions have generally gone upward, as well as a polarisation phenomenon. (3) Using the Markov chain, it was shown that there is an instability in the carbon emissions from RRLC, which can be transferred downward to the ideal state, but there is also a risk of increasing the upward shift of carbon emissions. (4) The nationwide level and the four regions showed typical σ convergence characteristics and absolute β convergence. After considering the influence of socio-economic and natural climatic factors, conditions β convergence trend is shown. And there are significant regional differences in spatial β convergence. The limitation of this study is that the data on carbon emissions from RRLC are only obtained at the macro level, which cannot accurately reflect the micro and individual impact on RRLC. On this basis, the paper puts forward policy recommendations to reduce the spatial imbalance of carbon emissions from RRLC.

Microstructural analysis on the innervation of the anterior, medial, and lateral human hip capsule: Preliminary evidence on its neuromechanical contribution

Capsular repair aims to minimize damage to the hip joint capsular complex (HJCC) and subsequent dislocation risk following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Numerous explanations for its success have been advocated, including neuromuscular feedback loops originating from within the intact HJCC. This research investigates the hypothesis that the HJCC contributes to hip joint stability by analyzing HJCC innervation. Twenty-nine samples from the anterior, medial, and lateral aspects of the midportion HJCC of 29 individuals were investigated stereologically and immunohistochemically to identify encapsulated mechanoreceptors according to a modified Freeman and Wyke classification, totaling 11,745 sections. Consecutive slices were observed to determine the nerve course within the HJCC. Few encapsulated mechanoreceptors were found in the HJCC subregions and overlying tissues across the cohort studied. Of regions studied, no significant regional differences in the density of mechanoreceptors were found. No significant difference in mechanoreceptor density was found between sides (left, 10.2×10-4/mm3, 4.0×10-4 - 19.0×10-4/mm3; right 12.9×10-4/mm3, 5.0×10-4 - 22.0×10-4/mm3; mean, 95% confidence intervals) sexes (female 10.4×10-4/mm3, 4.0×10-4 - 18.0×10-4/mm3; male 11.6×10-4/mm3, 5.0×10-4 - 20.0×10-4/mm3; mean, 95% confidence intervals), nor in correlation with age demographics. Myelinated nerves coursed consistently within the HJCC in various orientations. Sparse mechanoreceptor density suggests that the HJCC contributes to a limited extent to hip joint stabilization. HJCC nerve terminals may potentially contribute to neuromuscular feedback loops with associated muscles to mediate joint stability in tandem with the active and passive components of the joint.

Missing sea level rise in southeastern Greenland during and since the Little Ice Age

Abstract. The Greenland Ice Sheet has been losing mass at an accelerating rate over the past 2 decades. Understanding ice mass and glacier changes during the preceding several hundred years prior to geodetic measurements is more difficult because evidence of past ice extent in many places was later overridden. Salt marshes provide the only continuous records of relative sea level (RSL) from close to the Greenland Ice Sheet that span the period of time during and since the Little Ice Age (LIA) and can be used to reconstruct ice mass gain and loss over recent centuries. Salt marsh sediments collected at the mouth of Dronning Marie Dal, close to the Greenland Ice Sheet margin in southeastern Greenland, record RSL changes over the past ca. 300 years through changing sediment and diatom stratigraphy. These RSL changes record a combination of processes that are dominated by local and regional changes in Greenland Ice Sheet mass balance during this critical period that spans the maximum of the LIA and 20th-century warming. In the early part of the record (1725–1762 CE) the rate of RSL rise is higher than reconstructed from the closest isolation basin at Timmiarmiut, but between 1762 and 1880 CE the RSL rate is within the error range of the rate of RSL change recorded in the isolation basin. RSL begins to slowly fall around 1880 CE, with a total amount of RSL fall of 0.09±0.1 m in the last 140 years. Modelled RSL, which takes into account contributions from post-LIA Greenland Ice Sheet glacio-isostatic adjustment (GIA), ongoing deglacial GIA, the global non-ice sheet glacial melt fingerprint, contributions from thermosteric effects, the Antarctic mass loss sea level fingerprint and terrestrial water storage, overpredicts the amount of RSL fall since the end of the LIA by at least 0.5 m. The GIA signal caused by post-LIA Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss is by far the largest contributor to this modelled RSL, and error in its calculation has a large impact on RSL predictions at Dronning Marie Dal. We cannot reconcile the modelled RSL and the salt marsh observations, even when moving the termination of the LIA to 1700 CE and reducing the post-LIA Greenland mass loss signal by 30 %, and a “budget residual” of +∼3 mm yr−1 since the end of the LIA remains unexplained. This new RSL record backs up other studies that suggest that there are significant regional differences in the timing and magnitude of the response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to the climate shift from the LIA into the 20th century.

Impact of a Regional Grant Program Through the Lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory: A Mixed-Method Evaluation.

Evaluations of educational grant programs have focused on research productivity, with few examining impacts on grantees or effective program characteristics. This evaluation examined the regional grant program sponsored by Group on Educational Affairs to examine if and how grantees' careers were affected by funding, and if these experiences aligned with program goals. In this concurrent, mixed-methods theory-driven evaluation, quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed independently and then integrated to examine complementarity. Quantitative data examined differences among 4 geographic regions and included proposal and grantee characteristics abstracted from administrative records of 52 funded proposals from 2010-2015 grant cycles. Qualitative data from 23 interviews conducted from 2018 to 2019 explored the impact on grantees, with Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) serving as a framework for deductive thematic analysis. To facilitate integration of findings, quantitative data were layered onto each interview to permit exploration of associations between the 2 data types. Although significant regional differences existed in project length and amount of funding, there were few regional differences in grantee experiences. Despite small funding amounts, grants were perceived as career launching pads. The SCCT framework accounted for grantee experiences, including researcher identity formation and subsequent research, but did not capture collaboration phenomena. Integration of the 2 data types identified experience patterns unique to different groups of grantees (e.g., more or less research experience). The diversity among grantees suggests that clarification of program goals and stronger alignment with criteria for funding may be warranted. This evaluation illuminates why small educational grant programs may or may not impact interest and productivity in research. Implications exist for funders, including clarifying program goals and providing support for less experienced grantees. Future research should explore grantee subsets (e.g., underrepresented in medicine) to further identify what fosters or inhibits careers of medical education scholars.

Effects of climatic conditions and vegetation changes on actual evapotranspiration in Mu Us sandy land.

Based on the MOD16A3GF data, spatial regression analysis was conducted to explore the trends of the annual change of AET and the characteristics of its spatial distribution in Mu Us Sandy Land between 2001 and 2020. Combined meteorological data and NDVI data to analyze its effects on AET by trend analysis and correlation coefficient. The results showed that (1) The AET exhibited significant regional differences in Mu Us Sandy Land, with an overall low northwest and high southeast distribution pattern; (2) The AET showed a rapid upward trend from 2001 to 2020, with an average rate of change of 5.68 mm·a-1; (3) The correlation coefficient between AET and precipitation was 0.74, and there was no obvious correlation with temperature; (4) AET was consistent with the NDVI spatial distribution and interannual variation curves. Under the combined influence of precipitation and NDVI, AET increased significantly in Mu Us Sandy Land from 2001 to 2020. Precipitation was the main factor affecting climatic conditions of AET, and NDVI was the dominant factor affecting AET in the same period. This provides a theoretical basis and scientific basis for the conservation and protection of ecological water source in Mu Us Sandy Land.

Assessing Skin Cancer Risk Factors, Sun Safety Behaviors and Melanoma Concern in Atlantic Canada: A Comprehensive Survey Study.

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM) is increasing at an alarming rate in Canada and elsewhere around the world. Significant regional differences in CM incidence have been identified in Atlantic provinces. The goal of this study is to compare ultraviolet exposure, sun protective behaviours, level of worry and baseline CM knowledge in provinces with a high versus low incidence of CM as well, as between various demographic groups. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Atlantic provinces between July 2020 and August 2022. All participants aged ≥ 16 years with a completed survey were eligible. Survey responses were summarized using frequency counts, percentages, and means. Two-sided Z-tests for equality of proportions and logistic regression models were used to compare the survey results between geographic and demographic groups. In total, 7861 participants were included (28.0% men; mean age 61.3 years; response rate 28%). Our results (gender- and age-adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval) show that high-incidence provinces for CM (Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia) had significantly more sunburns (OR 2.00, 1.72-2.31), total sun exposure (OR 2.05, 1.68-2.50), recreational sun exposure (OR 1.95, 1.61-2.35) and tans (OR 1.77, 1.53-2.05) than individuals in low-incidence provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador). However, individuals in high-incidence provinces displayed more protective behaviors: there were less tanning bed users (OR 0.82, 0.71-0.95), they checked their skin more frequently for new moles (OR 1.26, 1.06-1.51) and practiced more sun protection overall. Additional analyses are presented based on education, income, sexual orientation and gender. These findings suggest that future efforts aimed at reducing the CM burden in Atlantic Canada should be tailored for target geographic and/or demographic groups. the study participants are not representative of the population in Atlantic Canada due to recruitment strategies.

Determinants of prosecuting cases about driving while intoxicated in China: an empirical case law analysis

ABSTRACT This research examines the factors on whether cases of driving while intoxicated are prosecuted in China by using 21,729 prosecution documents promulgated between 1 May 2017 and 31 December 2021. The results indicate significant regional differences in Prosecutors’ discretion when handling DWI cases. Prosecutors focused heavily on the blood alcohol content, neglecting qualitative factors such as periods of drunk driving and vehicle type. Empirical analysis suggests that aggravating circumstances were given great importance, whereas mitigating circumstances were disregarded. The results show that Chinese prosecutors tended to handle DWI cases severely and were reluctant to use their discretion. Two reform recommendations are given: (1) unifying enforcement standards through judicial interpretation of documents; (2) adjusting litigation procedures to ensure the reasonable exercise of prosecutorial discretion.

Rural residential land expansion and its impacts on cultivated land in China between 1990 and 2020

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have largely promoted the transformation of urban and rural space. In recent years, rural residential land expansion (RRLE) has also become a significant problem for the progress of China’s rapid urbanization. The phenomenon of RRLE and its impact on cultivated land needs to be taken seriously. From a process perspective, this study aimed to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of RRLE under conditions of rapid urbanization and reveal its impacts on cultivated land. We analyzed the spatial pattern of cultivated land occupied by rural residential land and discuss the distribution characteristics under different factors. Our results show that: (1) the changing trend in RRLE between 1990 and 2020 ran counter to that of rural population. The problem of “decreasing population vs. increasing rural residential land” in rural China is significant. The spatial distribution of RRLE was dense in the east of the country and sparse in the west. Landscape metrics indicated that rural settlements still show irregular development; (2) the impacts of RRLE on the cultivated land system were significant. In general, these impacts were greater than those of urban expansion, and showed significant regional differences; (3) the cultivated land occupied by rural residential land was distributed mainly in city suburbs and areas of low elevation and slope, and were closely related to the direction of traffic flow. Based on these findings, some suggestions for optimizing the interrelations between population and rural residential land are proposed.

Validation and application of pressure-driven RANS approach for wind parameter predictions in mountainous terrain

Computational Wind Engineering has undergone numerous developments over the past few decades and has been applied to solve a variety of wind engineering issues, but it cannot substitute wind tunnel testing and field measurements for accurately replicating wind characteristics in naturally hilly terrain. This paper is aimed at detecting the validity of the approach on numerical simulations by estimating wind flow behaviour at a bridge site in a Y-shaped valley and comparing the results from wind tunnel testing. Further, the terrain-induced effects on wind flow are investigated and the spatial distributions of wind parameters along the bridge structures are characterized. It is concluded that three Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models, namely k-ε, k-ω and SST, make significant differences in the leeward regions and wind velocity, speed-up, and pitch angle profiles, with the k-model producing superior predictions within 20% error when compared to experimental results. The simulation results show that non-homogeneity of wind characteristics occurs frequently along bridge structures. One is significant rotations of the wind velocity profile up the height of both bridge towers, and then a practical equation for predicting wind deflection is proposed. The other is spanwise nonuniformities in mean wind speeds and pitch angles along the main girder, which necessitates the use of a modified terrain coefficient when securely predicting wind speed. The discussion of a few national bridge design codes reveals that most of them fall short of characterizing the wind load at the bridge site in mountainous areas.

Uncovering the key mechanisms of differentiated carbon neutrality policy on cross-regional transfer of high-carbon industries in China

The carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy have become China's national strategy. Given the significant regional differences in China, the Chinese government has proposed “one policy for one province” guiding principle for carbon emission reduction. This study takes Tianjin as a representative of “a province-level city with high degree of industrialization and prominent emerging industries”, and Gansu Province a representative of “a province with a low degree of industrialization but the potential for green energy”. Using the integrated modeling frameworkthis study conducts a comparative analysis of the hidden flows generated by inter-provincial inward and outward transfers and extracts a feasible model for carbon neutrality transformation. The study also focuses on carbon emission, GDP changes, carbon hidden flow change in trade and carbon emission reduction path. By comparing the results, this study identifies the mechanism of the industrial spillover effect and carbon emission spillover effect between the two regions. Then it concludes the “cross-regional transfer mode of high-carbon industries” of industrial carbon neutral transformation: more carbon emission allowances are allocated to developing regions represented by Gansu Province, implement regionally differentiated carbon emission reduction constraint policies, and achieve industrial spatial transfer through more inter-provincial transfer. The paper found that in implementing a regionally differentiated carbon emission reduction constraint policy (DE scenario), the transfer of high-carbon industries can achieve the “superposition effect” through inter-provincial transfer. Accordingly, three carbon policy mechanisms for cross-regional transfer of high-carbon industries are summarized.

ETHNO-GEOGRAPHIC MACRO-REGIONATION OF UKRAINE AS THE INFORMATION BASIS FOR REGIONAL ETHNIC POLICY

A comprehensive analysis of macro-regional ethno-geographical differences in Ukraine was made, which are most evident in the different proportions of the number of ethnic Ukrainians and representatives of ethno-national minorities in the regions of the country, as well as in the peculiarities of the population structure by native language. The main factors in the formation of ethnogeographic regions are historical and geographical prerequisites, subjective aspects of the formation of the state territory of Ukraine, population migration, and the peculiarities of state policy in Soviet times. Determination of common and distinctive features of the ethno-national and ethno-linguistic structure of the population between the regions of Ukraine using a number of indicators (the value of the quantitative superiority of Ukrainians over the largest ethnic minority by region; the ratio of the share of Ukrainians and the population with a native Ukrainian language; the ratio of the share of Ukrainians with a native Russian language and the share of Russians with in the native Ukrainian language) made it possible to distinguish 12 ethnogeographic regions: 1) Transcarpathian; 2) Halych; 3) Volyn; 4) Chernivtsi; 5) Podillya-Polyssya; 6) Central-Right Bank; 7) Central-Left Bank; 8) Dnipro-Kharkiv; 9) Donetsk; 10) Odessa; 11) Central-Black Sea; 12) Crimean.
 Since the proposed scheme of ethnogeographic zoning reflects not only the most significant regional differences in the ethno-national composition of the population and its linguistic structure, but also reveals of the political development and socio-economic development of the territory of Ukraine, significant differences in the levels of urbanization and the demographic situation of the regions, it can to be the basis of integral socio-geographical macro-regionalization of Ukraine and an important reference point in the implementation of regional ethnopolitics aimed at balancing the interests of the state, ethno-national communities and groups. The strategic task of regional ethnopolitics is the resolution of ethnopolitical contradictions and the prevention of ethnopolitical conflicts in ethnogeographical macro-regions. The solution of ethnopolitical problems related to the use of the state and the languages of ethno-national minorities in various spheres of society's life is of leading importance in the implementation of state ethnopolitics. These problems are the most urgent for Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi and Odesa ethnographic regions. The relatively high degree of russification of ethnic Ukrainians in the regional centers of the Central-Left Bank, Dnipro-Kharkiv, Central-Black Sea and Odesa ethnogeographic regions deepens contrasts in the linguistic structure of the population of rural areas and large cities, which creates functional barriers in their relations and does not contribute to linguistic cultural consolidation of Ukrainian society.
 Key words: ethnogeographic zoning, ethnic composition of the population, structure of the population by native language, regional ethnopolitics, assimilation.

Analysis of Long‐Term Trends in the Vertical Distribution and Transport Paths of Atmospheric Aerosols in Typical Regions of China Using 15 Years of CALIOP Data

AbstractLong‐range transport and vertical distribution of aerosols are important factors for assessing the uncertainty in aerosol radiative forcing. This paper reveals the vertical distribution and trends of aerosol optical properties in China using 15 years of Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data. The Hybrid Single‐Particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model was used to analyze the transport and trends of aerosols in the layer with the highest occurrence frequencies of dust, polluted dust, polluted continental and elevated smoke aerosols. The results indicated that (a) there were significant regional and seasonal differences in the vertical distribution of aerosols. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) trend in a given region depends on the changes in the aerosol type with the highest frequency and the layer corresponding to the largest AOD in the vertical profile. The frequency of polluted dust aerosols was the highest in Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei (BTH) and Central China. The considerable decrease in the 0–2 km AOD led to a significant trend of the column AOD. (b) The changes of AOD and main aerosol types in a region are also affected by the changes of aerosol sources and long‐range transport pathways. In the BTH, dust aerosols originated from the Mongolian Plateau, accounting for 57.88% of the total trajectories. The Pearl River Delta was dominated by elevated smoke aerosols, with trajectories mainly originating from the Myanmar and Vietnam, accounting for 27.38% and 29.59%, respectively. The trend of 15‐year backward trajectories of dust aerosols on the Tibetan Plateau indicated that the trajectory from India is increasing.

Confounding factors and biases involved in regional differences in the detection rate of thyroid cancer in the second-round Thyroid Ultrasound Examination: the Fukushima Health Management Survey.

In response to concerns about health due to radiation exposure, the Fukushima Prefecture launched the Thyroid Ultrasound Examination program for residents aged 0-18years at the time of the earthquake. Herein, we considered the confounding factors involved in the regional differences in the development of thyroid cancer. In this study, the 242 065 individuals who participated in both first- and second-round surveys were classified into four groups by address according to their air radiation dose. The number of participants diagnosed as malignant or suspicious for malignancy by cytological examination were 17, 38, 10 and 4 with detection rates of 53.8, 27.8, 21.7 and 14.5 per 100 000 participants in Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Sex (P = 0.0400), age at the time of the primary examination (P < 0.0001) and interval between the first- and second-round surveys (P < 0.0001) were significantly different among the four regions, and these were suspected to be confounding factors affecting regional differences in malignant nodule detection rates. In addition, significant regional differences were observed in the participation rate in the confirmatory examination (P = 0.0037) and the fine needle aspiration cytology implementation rate (P = 0.0037), which could be potential biases. No significant regional differences in the detection of malignant nodules were found in the multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for the survey interval alone or for sex, age and survey interval. The confounding factors and biases identified in this study that may have important impacts on thyroid cancer detection rate should be fully considered in future studies.

Clinical outcomes and cost of open, laparoscopic, and percutaneous ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Open (OA), laparoscopic (LA), and percutaneous (PA) ablation are all ablation approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) utilized in the United States today. However, it remains unclear today which approach is (A) most effective, (B) cost-efficient, and (C) nationally practiced. In-hospital mortality and cost were collected from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database for patients undergoing liver ablation from 2011 to 2018. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, disposition, and perioperative composite complications. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for differences in patient and hospital baseline characteristics. One thousand and one hundred and twenty-five LA, 1221 OA, and 1068 PA liver ablations were analyzed. After IPTW, in-hospital mortality risk was significantly lower in PA versus OA cohorts (0.57% vs. 2.90%, p < 0.001) and reduced among PA patients, yet not significantly different from the LA cohort (0.57% vs. 1.64%, p = 0.056). The median length of hospital stay was significantly lower in the PA and LA group compared to OA (2 days vs. 6 days, p < 0.001). The median hospitalization costs were significantly lower for PA ($44,884 vs. $90,187, p < 0.001) and LA ($61,445 vs. $90,187, p < 0.001) compared to OA. Moreover, we found significant regional differences regarding the use of each ablation approach, with the Midwest having the lowest rates of PA and LA. Among patients hospitalized after ablation for HCC, PA leads to the lowest hospital cost. Both PA and LA result in lower peri-operative morbidity and mortality relative to OA. Despite these reported advantages, there are significant regional differences with respect to ablation availability suggesting the need to promote the standardization of best practices.

Deconstructing innovation in the wood furniture industry in Kenya

Innovation is often considered to be a critical component of enterprise competitive advantage. Continuous innovation is necessary to allow firms to better meet consumer needs, stay ahead of the competition, capitalize on strategic market opportunities, and align organizational strengths with market opportunities. In this research, innovation was deconstructed into product, process, and business systems innovations. A model was then developed and used to examine the relationships between innovation constructs and demographic and management attributes of wood furniture firms in Kenya. Results show significant differences in product innovation between micro- and medium-size furniture firms, and between small- and medium-size firms. There were also significant regional differences in all innovation types. Overall, the most significant predictors of innovation were company location and rewards for implementing innovation. Other statistically significant innovation predictors were Internet use and research and development expenditures.

Measuring the Development Capability of the Innovation Ecosystem from a Quadruple Helix Perspective—An Empirical Analysis Based on Panel Data for Chinese High-Tech Industries

With the rapid development of high-tech industries, the research perspective of industrial innovation has gradually evolved from the innovation system to innovation ecosystem. Whether the innovation ecosystem of China’s high-tech industry can achieve the benign evolution and development of the system under the new global pattern has become a real issue. Based on the perspective of the four-helix innovation model, in this study we construct an index system of the industrial innovation ecosystem development and designs a framework system of the industrial innovation ecosystem development capability, including the coordinated development capability, evolutionary development capability, and sustainable development capability at three levels. We construct measurement models of different capability dimensions and multi-dimensionally analyses of the regional development differences and change trends of each capability dimension of the system. The results show that the coordinated development capability of China’s high-tech industrial innovation ecosystem is poor, which inhibits the comprehensive capability of the system’s development to a certain extent. Although the evolutionary and sustainable development capabilities fluctuate greatly and have significant regional differences, they are measured at a better level and thereby contribute to the development of the system.

Global biogeographic distribution of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils.

Bathyarchaeota, known as key participants of global elements cycling, is highly abundant and diverse in the sedimentary environments. Bathyarchaeota has been the research spotlight on sedimentary microbiology; however, its distribution in arable soils is far from understanding. Paddy soil is a habitat similar to freshwater sediments, while the distribution and composition of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils have largely been overlooked. In this study, we collected 342 in situ paddy soil sequencing data worldwide to illuminate the distribution patterns of Bathyarchaeota and explore their potential ecological functions in paddy soils. The results showed that Bathyarchaeota is the dominant archaeal lineage, and Bathy-6 is the most predominant subgroup in paddy soils. Based on random forest analysis and construction of a multivariate regression tree, the mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature are identified as the factors significantly influencing the abundance and composition of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils. Bathy-6 was abundant in temperate environments, while other subgroups were more abundant in sites with higher rainfall. There are highly frequent associations between Bathyarchaeota and methanogens and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. The interactions between Bathyarchaeota and microorganisms involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism imply a potential syntrophy between these microorganisms, suggesting that members of Bathyarchaeota could be important participants of geochemical cycle in paddy soils. These results shed light on the ecological lifestyle of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils, and provide some baseline for further understanding Bathyarchaeota in arable soils.IMPORTANCEBathyarchaeota, the dominant archaeal lineage in sedimentary environments, has been the spotlight of microbial research due to its vital role in carbon cycling. Although Bathyarchaeota has been also detected in paddy soils worldwide, its distribution in this environment has not yet been investigated. In this study, we conducted a global scale meta-analysis and found that Bathyarchaeota is also the dominant archaeal lineage in paddy soils with significant regional abundance differences. Bathy-6 is the most predominant subgroup in paddy soils, which differs from sediments. Furthermore, Bathyarchaeota are highly associated with methanogens and ammonia-oxidizing archaea, suggesting that they may be involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycle in paddy soil. These interactions provide insight into the ecological functions of Bathyarchaeota in paddy soils, which will be the foundation of future studies regarding the geochemical cycle in arable soils and global climate change.

Lung cancer incidences after liver transplantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Liver transplantation has made significant progress in recent decades. Lung cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers after liver transplantation. However, the risk of lung cancer among liver transplant patients compared with the general population is unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the risk of developing lung cancer after liver transplantation. All eligible studies published in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from database inception to April 2022 were included. Standardized incidence ratio was used to describe the increased risk of lung cancer in liver transplant recipients as compared with the general population. The random-effects model was used for the calculations. A funnel plot and Egger test were performed to assess the potential publication bias. Our meta-analysis included 15 studies, which involved 76,897 liver transplantation patients. Studies included in this review showed significant heterogeneity (I2 = 65.3%; p < 0.001), which required a random-effects model for effect pooling. The results indicated a significant higher risk of developing lung cancer in liver transplant patients than the general population with a pooled SIR of 2.06 (95% CI: 1.73, 2.46, p < 0.001). When stratified by region, no significant regional difference was observed. It showed a similarly doubled risk of lung cancer in Europe and North America, but an insignificantly increased risk in Asian populations. The sensitivity analysis by removal and substitution of each literature did not change the results. Our meta-analysis suggests that liver transplant patients are twice as likely as the general population to develop lung cancer. Further research on risk factors for the development of lung cancer after liver transplantation should be conducted and appropriate surveillance protocols should be developed to reduce the risk of its occurrence.

Ekosystémová služba regulácie klímy vo vybraných regiónoch Slovenska = Climate regulation ecosystem services in selected Slovak regions

The practical application of ecosystem service assessment tools is essential to meet the ever-increasing demands on human well-being that require a sustainable approach to landscape management. The aim of the contribution is to evaluate regional differentiations in the values of climate regulation as one of the regulatory ecosystem services in relation to natural potential in 4 regions of the Slovak Republic (Krupina district, Michalovce district, Piešťany district and Brezno district) using a modified matrix approach. The results in these regions indicated that the spatial localization of individual ecosystems in the country, in combination with a higher altitude and a larger area of forests and protected areas, can represent significant factors influencing the territory's potential to provide benefits resulting from climate regulation ecosystem services. Mountain areas generally have a higher capacity to provide climate regulation, which is mainly due to rich forest vegetation, as is the case in the Brezno model region. A comparison of the regions showed the most significant regional differences between the pairs of regions, namely Brezno, Krupina on the one hand (regions with rural character at an altitude mostly above 300 meters above sea level), and Michalovce, Piešťany on the other (regions with a warm climate at an altitude mostly up to 300 meters).