Nutrition impacts of non-solid cooking fuel adoption on under-five children in developing countries

This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys(DHS).Results from both fixed effects(FE)and instrumental variable(IV)estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children.Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel,children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting(by 5.9 percentage points)and being underweight(by 1.2 percentage points).Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms,such as improved indoor air quality,induced reduction in children’s respiratory symptoms,benefits on maternal health,and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking.Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys,children above three years old,and those from households of lower socioeconomic status,rural areas,and Southeast Asia.

Research on Developing an Assessment Scale for Tourism Experience Elements of Ancient Shu Road Heritage Trail

Cultural ancient roads,known in Chinese as gudao,serve as heritage trails that carry historical exchanges across various regions in China.Due to their extensive preservation,wide geographical distribution,diverse thematic variations,and considerable tourist appeal,these paths have emerged as representative heritage trails,increasingly transforming into a novel tourism product experience that is highly favored by tourists and recognized by government authorities.However,research on ancient roads for tourism in China currently lacks a systematic theoretical framework,as well as relevant policies,regulations,and standards to guide their practical development.Therefore,there is a pressing need to draw upon international best practices and conduct foundational research to develop an experience element system that aligns with the perceptions,behaviors,and consumption characteristics of Chinese tourists,thereby advancing theoretical exploration in this field.This study focuses on the representative Ancient Shu Road as a case study and employs a mixed-method approach that integrates qualitative and quantitative research.It aims to construct a tourist-centric scale for the experience elements of ancient road tourism while analyzing the interactive relationship between these experience elements and tourist needs.This study addresses a significant gap in the development of indicator systems for domestic studies of ancient road tourism experiences.Ultimately,the study establishes a comprehensive scale that encompasses three core categories—trail resources and environment,facilities and services,and modes of tourism activities—along with eight primary dimensions:core resources,surrounding cultural environment,surrounding natural environment,tourism reception facilities and services,infrastructure and support services,information facilities and information services,and outdoor and recreational activities.This scale consists of thirty-two specific items,providing a robust reference for future research endeavors.Additionally,the study proposes specific development strategies related to key mechanisms,spatial configuration,and facility construction to enhance the overall development of ancient road tourism.

Towards Lessening Learners’Aversive Emotions and Promoting Their Mental Health:Developing and Validating a Measurement of English Speaking Demotivation in the Chinese EFL Context

While a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore demotivation and its impact on mental health in second language(L2)education,scanty research focuses on demotivation in L2 speaking learning.Particularly,little research explores the measures to quantify L2 speaking demotivation.The present two-phase study attempts to develop and validate an English Speaking Demotivation Scale(ESDS).To this end,an independent sample of 207 Chinese tertiary learners of English as a Foreign Language(EFL)participated in the development phase,and another group of 188 Chinese EFL learners was recruited for the validation of the scale.Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA)and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were employed to determine the factor structure of the scale.The EFA results revealed a six-factor solution with Teacher-related Factors in Learning Spoken English(TFLSE),Interest and Valence in Learning Spoken English(IVLSE),Self-efficacy in Learning Spoken English(SELSE),Negative Peer Influence in Learning Spoken English(NPILSE),Undesirable Environment for Learning Spoken English(UELSE),and Negative Influence of Assessment and Learning Materials in speaking class(NIALM).In the validation phase,Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)was performed to validate the internal structure of the scale.The CFA results showed that the model fits the data well.Overall,the ESDS is a robust and trustworthy psychometric tool that could be utilized to examine L2 speaking demotivation.Implications for diminishing EFL learners’demotivation,lessening their aversive emotions and promoting their mental health are also discussed.

Challenges to establishing and maintaining kidney transplantation programs in developing countries:What are the coping strategies?

Kidney transplantation(KT)is the optimal form of renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal diseases.However,this health service is not available to all patients,especially in developing countries.The deceased donor KT programs are mostly absent,and the living donor KT centers are scarce.Single-center studies presenting experiences from developing countries usually report a variety of challenges.This review addresses these challenges and the opposing strategies by reviewing the single-center experiences of developing countries.The financial challenges hamper the infrastructural and material availability,coverage of transplant costs,and qualification of medical personnel.The sociocultural challenges influence organ donation,equity of beneficence,and regular follow-up work.Low interests and motives for transplantation may result from high medicolegal responsibilities in KT practice,intense potential psychosocial burdens,complex qualification protocols,and low productivity or compensation for KT practice.Low medical literacy about KT advantages is prevalent among clinicians,patients,and the public.The inefficient organizational and regulatory oversight is translated into inefficient healthcare systems,absent national KT programs and registries,uncoordinated job descriptions and qualification protocols,uncoordinated on-site investigations with regulatory constraints,and the prevalence of commercial KT practices.These challenges resulted in noticeable differences between KT services in developed and developing countries.The coping strategies can be summarized in two main mechanisms:The first mechanism is maximizing the available resources by increasing the rates of living kidney donation,promoting the expertise of medical personnel,reducing material consumption,and supporting the establishment and maintenance of KT programs.The latter warrants the expansion of the public sector and the elimination of non-ethical KT practices.The second mechanism is recruiting external resources,including financial,experience,and training agreements.

Food Security in Developing Countries: Factors and Mitigation

Since 1976, eradicating hunger has become one of the priority objectives of the United Nations, which is included in the Charter of Human Rights;the right to get adequate food. The qualification of food security in time and space must analyze not only the three components it covers but also the relationships that these three components maintain. Climate change contributes to food insecurity, but it is not the only factor. To address food insecurity in various forms, greater food security must be combined with improved sustainable agricultural practices with minimal strain on the environment. This review of literature insists on the principles of food security, which in particular allows a better understanding of food insecurity in developing countries and favors a greater contribution of agriculture and food systems in general to nutritional progress.

基于POA的读写结合教学实践--以外研版高中英语教材Developing Ideas板块为例

读写结合是实施综合性语言学习的重要途径。产出导向法(POA)强调通过语言输入为语言输出搭建支架,有助于落实读写结合教学,实现语言文化知识的学习理解和迁移应用。本文以外研版高中英语教材Developing Ideas板块为例,阐述基于POA进行高中英语读写结合教学的策略:(1)输出驱动--呈现任务、尝试写作、激发动机。(2)输入促成--以读促写、搭建支架、迁移应用。(3)以评为学--师生合作、典型分析、完善修订。在此过程中,写作任务设计、阅读文本的选择等都有所要求。

Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for Normalization of RT-qPCR Analysis in Developing or Abiotic-Stressed Tissues of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Loquat(Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)is a subtropical evergreen fruit tree that produces fruits with abundant nutrients and medicinal components.Confirming suitable reference genes for a set of loquat samples before qRT-PCR experiments is essential for the accurate quantification of gene expression.In this study,eight candidate reference genes were selected from our previously published RNA-seq data,and primers for each candidate reference gene were designed and evaluated.The Cq values of the candidate reference genes were calculated by RT-qPCR in 31 different loquat samples,including 12 subgroups of developing or abiotic-stressed tissues.Different combinations of stable reference genes were screened according to a comprehensive rank,which was synthesized from the results of four algorithms,including the geNorm,NormFinder,BestKeeper andΔCt methods.The screened reference genes were verified by normalizing EjLGA1 in each subgroup.The obtained suitable combinations of reference genes for accurate normalization were GAPDH,EF1αand ACT for floral development;GAPDH,UBCE and ACT for fruit setting;EF1α,GAPDH and eIF2B for fruit ripening;ACT,EF1αand UBCE for leaves under heat stress;eIF2B,UBCE and EF1αfor leaves under freezing stress;EF1α,TUA and UBCE for leaves under salt stress;ACT,EF1αand eIF2B for immature pulp under freezing stress;ACT,UBCE and eIF2B for immature seeds under freezing stress;EF1α,eIF2B and UBCE for both immature pulp and seeds under freezing stress;UBCE,TUB and TUA for red-fleshed fruits under cold-storage stress;eIF2B,RPS3 and TUB for white-fleshed fruits under coldstorage stress;and eIF2B,UBCE and RPS3 for both red-and white-fleshed fruits under cold-storage stress.This study obtained different combinations of stable reference genes for accurate normalization in twelve subgroups of developing or abiotic-stressed tissues in loquat.To our knowledge,this is the first report to obtain stable reference genes for normalizing gene expression of abiotic-stressed tissues in E.japonica.The use of the three most stable reference genes could increase the reliability of future quantification experiments.

The molecular mechanism of WRINKLED1 transcription factor regulating oil accumulation in developing seeds of castor bean

The transcription factor WRINKLED1(WRI1),a member of AP2 gene family that contain typical AP2 domains,has been considered as a master regulator regulating oil biosynthesis in oilseeds.However,the regulatory mechanism of RcWRI1 in regulating oil accumulation during seed development has not been clearly addressed.Castor bean(Ricinus communis)is one of the most important non-edible oil crops and its seed oils are rich in hydroxy fatty acids,widely applied in industry.In this study,based on castor bean reference genome,three RcWRIs genes(RcWRI1,RcWRI2 and RcWRI3)were identified and the expressed association of RcWRI1 with oil accumulation were determined.Heterologous transformation of RcWRI1 significantly increased oil content in tobacco leaf,confirming that RcWRI1 activate lipid biosynthesis pathway.Using DNA Affinity Purification sequencing(DAP-seq)technology,we confirmed RcWRI1 binding with Transcription Start Site of genes and identified 7961 WRI1-binding candidate genes.Functionally,these identified genes were mainly involved in diverse metabolism pathways(including lipid biosynthesis).Three cis-elements AW-box([CnTnG](n)7[CG])and AW-boxes like([GnAnC](n)6[GC]/[GnAnC](n)7[G])bound with RcWRI1 were identified.Co-expression network analysis of RcWRI1 further found that RcWRI1 might be widely involved in biosynthesis of storage materials during seed development.In particular,yeast one hybrid experiments found that both AP2 domains within RcWRI1 were required in binding targeted genes.These results not only provide new evidence to understand the regulatory mechanism of RcWRI1 in regulation of oil accumulation during castor bean seed development,but also give candidate gene resource for subsequent genetic improvement toward increasing oil content in oilseed crops.

The barriers of joining in vitro fertilization programs among infertile couples in developing countries:A scoping review

Objective:To determine the barriers of joining in-vitro fertilization(IVF)programs among infertile couples in developing countries.Methods:This study assessed infertile couples and the barriers or associated factors resulting in delayed decision-making of joining IVF program by searching databases PubMed,ScienceDirect,EBSCO,ClinicalKey,and Cochrane Library from inception until December 31,2021.Additional search strategies were snowballing literature search and citation tracking.Results:Eleven articles were included in the scoping review.The cost was the greatest barrier of joining IVF program.Limited access and lack of assisted reproductive technology centers,few qualified infertility trained staff,insufficient government support,low priority in government policy,along with sociocultural factors,such as religion and false beliefs or myths were also majorly considered to be associated obstacles.Conclusions:The main barrier associated with IVF program among infertile couples in developing countries is the high cost of the IVF services.

Developing Projects with Low-code Combined with ChatGPT

This paper aims to explore a simpler and more user-friendly way of generating software based on model-driven development.Previous studies have attempted to generate code from domain models,hoping to reduce coding time by increasing modeling time.However,as code tools become more advanced,it is challenging to improve efficiency because models are abstract while implementations are concrete.This paper proposes a novel approach that integrates ChatGPT as a plug-in into the whole R&D process and combines it with our code generation tool to enhance R&D efficiency.We have developed some demos to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.According to our evaluation,our approach can save more than 90%of the work in implementing the code generation tool,leaving only about 10%of the work for code review,code improvement,and unit testing.

Environmental Impact Assessment System and Process in Developing Countries

Environmental impact assessment (EIA), a decision-making process for project appraisal and sustainability adopted globally as an administrative process to identify, predict, evaluate, and monitor projects from their feasibility, preconstruction, construction, and operation stages to mitigate the adverse impacts and enhance the beneficial impacts for the protection of the affected environment, The study objective is to explore global EIA systems and processes and find shortcomings and implications for making the best instrument or tool to protect the natural environment from man-made activities over the project cycle. For this, the relevant literature on the EIA system and process was reviewed and evaluated through the application of quantitative and qualitative approaches, including the assessment of legal instruments and the adoption of EIA methodologies in developing countries. EIA, initiated in the 1970s in the US and Australia, expanded to developing countries and was amended in East and Southeast Asia from the 1970s to the 2000s. The evaluation assessed that the South Asian countries follow UNEP and IAIA guidelines, utilizing national laws and expert consultations, with screening criteria and administrative processes based on established environmental legislation. Ad hoc, checklist, matrix, network, overlay, cost-benefit analysis, and predictive or simulation in EIA practice are used to assess the environmental impacts of development activities. Failure to recommend major projects undermines public trust and prevents mitigation measures from being implemented. Most developing countries have followed EIA to fulfill the legal requirement with shadow-off monitoring and follow-up rather than to upset, reduce, or compensate for the project impacts as per size, location, and severity of the project area. The research and guidelines outlined in the IAIA principles and process have synthesized the best EIA practices worldwide. Public participation, impact coverage, scientific mitigation, transparent evidence-based approaches, monitoring, follow-up, legitimate approaches, and future appraisal opportunities are major concerns to be included in best EIA practice.

Digital Development Rights in Developing Countries:Where the Governance Rules for Cross-Border Data Flows

The digital development rights in developing countries are based on establishing a new international economic order and ensuring equal participation in the digital globalization process to achieve people's well-rounded development in the digital society.The relationship between cross-border data flows and the realization of digital development rights in developing countries is quite complex.Currently,developing countries seek to safeguard their existing digital interests through unilateral regulation to protect data sovereignty and multilateral regulation for cross-border data cooperation.However,developing countries still have to face internal conflicts between national digital development rights and individual and corporate digital development rights during the process of realizing digital development rights.They also encounter external contradictions such as developed countries interfering with developing countries'data sovereignty,developed countries squeezing the policy space of developing countries through dominant rules,and developing countries having conflicts between domestic and international rules.This article argues that balancing openness and security on digital trade platforms is the optimal solution for developing countries to realize their digital development rights.The establishment of WTO digital trade rules should inherently reflect the fundamental demands of developing countries in cross-border data flows.At the same time,given China's dual role as a digital powerhouse and a developing country,it should actively promote the realization of digital development rights in developing countries.

Linking Competitors’ Knowledge and Developing Innovative Products Using Data Mining Techniques

In this article, the relationship between the knowledge of competitors and the development of new products in the field of capital medical equipment has been investigated. In order to identify the criteria for measuring competitors’ knowledge and developing new capital medical equipment products, marketing experts were interviewed and then a researcher-made questionnaire was compiled and distributed among the statistical sample of the research. Also, in order to achieve the goals of the research, a questionnaire among 100 members of the statistical community was selected, distributed and collected. To analyze the gathered data, the structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used in the SMART PLS 2 software to estimate the model and then the K-MEAN approach was used to cluster the capital medical equipment market based on the knowledge of actual and potential competitors. The results have shown that the knowledge of potential and actual competitors has a positive and significant effect on the development of new products in the capital medical equipment market. From the point of view of the knowledge of actual competitors, the market of “MRI”, “Ultrasound” and “SPECT” is grouped in the low knowledge cluster;“Pet MRI”, “CT Scan”, “Mammography”, “Radiography, Fluoroscopy and CRM”, “Pet CT”, “SPECT CT” and “Gamma Camera” markets are clustered in the medium knowledge. Finally, “Angiography” and “CBCT” markets are located in the knowledge cluster. From the perspective of knowledge of potential competitors, the market of “angiography”, “mammography”, “SPECT” and “SPECT CT” in the low knowledge cluster, “CT scan”, “radiography, fluoroscopy and CRM”, “pet CT”, “CBCT” markets in the medium knowledge cluster and “MRI”, “pet MRI”, “ultrasound” and “gamma camera” markets in the high knowledge cluster are located.

中国石化“十四五”主要勘探进展与发展战略

在系统梳理中国石油化工股份有限公司(简称中国石化)“十四五”以来高质量勘探举措、理论技术进展及油气勘探成果的基础上,提出了油气勘探发展战略。“十四五”以来,中国石化坚定资源发展信心,大力推动高质量勘探实践,在塔里木、四川、渤海湾、准噶尔、鄂尔多斯等盆地的深层碳酸盐岩、陆相页岩油、深层页岩气、中西部碎屑岩、成熟探区隐蔽油气藏、深层煤层气等领域取得了主要勘探成果,为石油稳增长、天然气快上产夯实了储量基础。同时,发展完善了超深走滑断控缝洞型油气成藏理论、创新形成了页岩油成储成烃富集理论、深化了海相页岩气“二元富集”与致密碎屑岩油气差异富集机理认识等;攻关形成了复杂地质结构与储层结构条件下的以地震勘探、深层—超深层钻完井、超深层测录试井、水平井压裂技术等为代表的关键技术与工程工艺技术。展望未来,中国石化探区具备石油稳定发展、天然气快速发展的资源基础,勘探工作聚焦保拓矿权、勘探突破、规模增储三大核心责任,以深地工程、页岩油气示范工程、致密碎屑岩效益攻坚、常非统筹为统领,加快推进战略突破发现,落实规模增储阵地,进一步夯实上游可持续发展资源基础。

新疆煤炭资源开发潜力与开发策略

鉴于新疆煤炭资源赋存条件的独特性以及煤炭赋存区生态环境的脆弱性,科学开发新疆煤炭资源成为当务之急。为此,简要论述了新疆煤炭资源地质赋存条件、赋煤区水文地质条件、自然地理与生态环境条件,分析了新疆煤炭资源开发潜力。结果表明:新疆煤炭资源极为丰富,全区预测煤炭资源量2.19万亿t,占全国总预测储量的40%以上;新疆共有24个预测资源量超过100亿t的煤田,其中5个煤田预测资源量超过1 000亿t,8个煤田预测资源量在400亿~1 000亿t,11个煤田预测资源量在100亿~400亿t;潜在煤炭资源量中,1 000 m以下浅储量占比52.8%。新疆煤炭资源以低阶烟煤和中阶烟煤为主要煤阶,其次是中煤阶煤中的高阶烟煤,而低煤阶煤中的褐煤和中煤阶煤中的超高阶烟煤以及高煤阶煤中的无烟煤,分布范围和数量极为有限,所占资源总量的比例很低;综合考虑疆煤外运、疆电外送、西气东输以及本地煤化工产业规划,预计2035年新疆煤炭产能有望超8亿t。在此基础上,构建了生态环境承载力评价指标体系,对新疆规划建设的五大煤矿区生态环境承载力进行了评价,得出:新疆煤炭资源赋存区生态环境承载力整体处于中低水平,五大煤矿区生态环境承载力均值排序为伊犁(0.42)>库拜(0.38)>和丰(0.31)>准东(0.25)>吐哈(0.22),呈现出由西到东递减的趋势。针对新疆煤炭资源开发条件与潜力,提出了优化煤炭资源开发布局、推动开采技术升级、推进智能采矿技术、强化绿色开采理念、拓展煤炭多元化利用渠道等策略。

肉鸡产业高质量发展:问题挑战、趋势研判及政策建议

我国进入高质量发展阶段,肉鸡产业从数量型增长转向质量型增长势所必然。经过改革开放四十余年的发展,我国肉鸡产业综合生产能力大幅提升,种源保障能力取得重大突破,规模化程度不断提高,产业化进程持续推进,为产业实现高质量发展奠定良好基础。文章在回顾总结我国肉鸡产业发展成就的基础上,分析现阶段肉鸡产业发展面临的挑战,并对未来肉鸡产业发展趋势与前景作出判断,建议通过强化产业发展顶层设计、加大科技创新及应用支撑、完善疫病防控体系建设、加强市场信息监测预警以及严格产业质量安全保障等,推动肉鸡产业实现高质量发展,为保障国家粮食安全、推进健康中国建设以及促进畜牧业绿色发展等做出更大贡献。

中国页岩油勘探开发面临的挑战与高效运营机制研究

中国页岩油资源丰富,并在多个盆地取得重大勘探开发突破,已成为石油战略接替新领域,但页岩油勘探开发时间相对较短,顶层的战略规划与政策导向尚未明确,存在勘探突破难、开发成本高和组织运营不畅等问题。为此,调研剖析了中美页岩油经营理念、宏观环境、资源配置、生产运行、科技水平和信息化程度等现状,深入思考中国页岩油勘探开发的痛点、难点和阻点,认为当前中国页岩油勘探开发主要面临理念思路、技术能力、运营管理和绿色发展等4大挑战。围绕中国能源战略,提出了实现中国页岩油高效运营的对策建议:谋划稳中求进的页岩油发展战略,构建市场机制下多主体融合的战略合作共同体,打造多兵种协作的生产运行新模式,建立迭代式创新的科技发展新机制,建立数智化赋能的信息支撑新范式,开创绿色低碳化的产业发展新格局,营造高契合友好的外部运营新环境。

以新质生产力推动区域高质量发展

发展新质生产力是新时代新征程推动高质量发展的内在要求和重要着力点,我国区域之间异质性强,区域发展差异大,要以发展新质生产力为重大契机,深入实施区域协调发展战略、区域重大战略、主体功能区战略、新型城镇化战略,优化重大生产力布局,推动区域创新中心与区域产业体系深度融合发展,加强区域间协同融合,提高战略取向一致性,促进不同区域在发展新质生产力上形成合力,不断将我国区域空间回旋余地大的优势转化为新时代高质量发展的优势,加快形成多极点支撑、多层次联动、网络化发展的区域经济格局,提高我国经济发展韧性和高质量发展的可持续性,为中国式现代化和中华民族伟大复兴提供强有力的支撑。

从ISPO Munich 2023看运动功能纺织品开发

文章通过介绍2023年慕尼黑国际体育用品博览会参展概况,举例分析新原料、新工艺、新技术发展趋势对运动功能纺织品开发的影响,进而总结出产业政策支持、市场需求导向、生活方式引领下的运动功能纺织品开发方向。

空间系外行星探测与研究进展

系外行星学科是近30年来迅速发展起来的一门新兴学科.其主要研究内容和目标包括,通过发展各种探测技术探测太阳系外行星,分析行星轨道、成分、大气性质,评估行星的宜居性,统计行星的分布规律,从理论和观测上揭示行星系统的形成和动力学演化机制.系外行星的研究对于回答宇宙中是否存在其他生命以及人类在宇宙中的地位和意义等问题具有重要意义.随着21世纪空间探测技术的发展,系外行星的研究进入了崭新及快速的发展阶段.本文分析了系外行星研究领域的发展态势,凝练中国在系外行星未来空间探测发展的重点领域,优化学科布局,以推进系外行星研究的快速稳步发展.