Hard life for sons in the nest?Sex-dependent offspring mortality in Great Tits in urban and forest areas

Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development,for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity,or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expression of mutations linked to sex chromosomes.The extent of sex-bias in mortality may also be related to environmental conditions that influence offspring development and survival.Urban areas often provide poorer conditions for nestling development resulting in higher offspring mortality compared to natural areas,which may accelerate sex differences in offspring mortality in cities.To test this hypothesis,we examined the sex ratio of dead offspring in Great Tits(Parus major),using 427 samples of unhatched eggs and dead nestlings collected in two urban and two forest sites between 2013 and 2019.The ratio of males in the whole sample of dead offspring(56.9%)was significantly higher than expected by an 1:1 ratio,and the strongest sex biases were detected in urban areas(57.6%males)and in young nestlings(<14 days old,59.0%males).However,the sex ratios of dead offspring did not differ significantly among study sites and between offspring developmental stages.29.3%of unhatched eggs contained a visible embryo,and the proportion of embryo-containing unhatched eggs did not differ significantly between urban and forest study sites.These results suggest male-biased offspring mortality in Great Tits,and highlight the need of large datasets to detect subtle differences between habitats and developmental stages.

The effect of Common Cuckoo parasitism on the annual productivity of a host population

Avian interspecific brood parasitism is an excellent system for studying coevolutionary processes in nature because brood parasites directly affect host reproductive success.Most research on avian brood parasitism has,therefore,focused primarily on specific host anti-parasite behaviours and parasite counter-adaptations.However,the population-level consequences of brood parasitism for host species are poorly understood.This study investigated the effect of Common Cuckoo(Cuculus canorus)parasitism on the productivity of a local population of the Great Reed Warbler(Acrocephalus arundinaceus)host in south-western Slovakia.A total of 495 females nesting at the studied site successfully fledged 1321 of their own young and 63 young of the Common Cuckoo over the course of 15 years(2008-2022),and the annual rate of successful parasitism ranged from 18% to 44% over this period.As predicted,higher rates of successful cuckoo parasitism significantly reduced the annual productivity of the local Great Reed Warbler population,and its contribution to decreased host reproductive success was at about the same rate as overall nest failure caused by predation and other environmental factors.Such a heavily parasitized population was probably maintained by immigrants from other populations and density-dependent selection,which is also consistent with source-sink dynamics.However,further long-term studies monitoring parasitized populations are required to confirm these findings.

Case Report: Surgical Correction of Transposition of the Great Arteries with Aortopulmonary Window

Introduction:Transposition of the great arteries(TGA)with aortopulmonary window is a rare type of congenital heart disease with limited experience.We reported a neonate aged 25 days receiving the arterial switch operation and assisted with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.Conclusion:TGA with aortopulmonary window can be safely correctly with the arterial switch operation.

A 63-Year-Old Male with D-Transposition of the Great Arteries Who Had an Early Form of the Arterial Switch Operation

We describe a 63-year-old male who appears to have undergone an early form of the arterial switch operation for D-transposition of the great arteries performed in the mid-1960s.We review the clinical and imaging data that support our conclusion.He had a diagnostic cardiac catheterization which demonstrated severe pulmonary hypertension responsive to epoprostenol and oxygen.Our case may represent one example of the experimental surgical work done prior to Dr.Adibe Jatene’s description of thefirst successful arterial switch performed in 1975.

Selective Technology Importation and the Convergence in the Late Qing Dynasty: Evidence from Wired Telegraph

Using the adoption and expansion of wired telegraph in China during the late 19^(th) century,this paper investigates the effect of cost reductions for knowledge exchange on China’s industrial growth before the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression(1931-1945),thus testing Baldwin’s theory of“the Great Convergence”in which developing countries are empowered by information and communication technologies.Based on panel data of 1858-1937,we found that wired telegraph access had a significantly positive effect,as well as a long-term growth effect,on the entry of industrial enterprises.Our mechanism analysis indicates that wired telegraph access accelerated early-stage industrialization in localities by encouraging market integration,human capital accumulation,and auxiliary commercial organizations.Only a few countries firmly asserted their telegraph sovereignty and set up their own workforce educational system during telegraph adoption.This explains why the Great Convergence arising from technology importation only occurred in a small number of countries.Our findings contribute to understanding the source of China’s modern industrial progress,as well as why global inequities remain.

The Great Relocation of the Global Supply Chain:New Opportunity for the Global South

The global supply chain relocation,often referred to as the"Great Relocation"by HSBC and other financial institutions,can now be seen as a strategic risk management process.DuringIn this process,manufacturers shift their industrial capacity from high—risk"regions to new destinations-(primarily in the Global South)-to secure stable revenue streams,and maintain competitiveness.This marks a reversal of the trend that has dominated for the past four decades.

2023年各国谋安全促发展纵横

2023 will be remembered as a critical juncture in the third decade of the 21st century.Significant changes have been witnessed in the international landscape,underpinned by the law of history that great powers rise and inevitably fall.It could be deemed a year of coup d'état for Africa,a year of conflict for Eastern Europe,a year of crisis for the Middle East,and a year of diplomacy for major powers.Countries around the globe are concerned about how the world and times will evolve as they pursue their security and development.As a responsible major country,China has proposed its solutions for enhancing security,development,and civilizations worldwide.It applies an approach that removes barriers and increases connectivity,turns shocks into driving forces,accumulates experience from setbacks,and arouses confidence in today's unsettled world.While promoting world peace and development,China also needs to pay close heed to the changes that are taking place.Only by identifying the crux of its problems and stopping the spread of risks can China ensure a dynamic equilibrium between security and development.

Spatial-temporal distribution and geochemistry of highly evolved Mesozoic granites in Great Xing’an Range,NE China:Discriminant criteria and geological significance

Highly evolved granite is an important sign of the mature continent crust and closely associated with deposits of rare metals.In this work,the authors undertake systematically zircon U-Pb ages and whole rock elemental data for highly evolved granitic intrusions from the Great Xing’an Range(GXR),NE China,to elucidate their discriminant criteria,spatial-temporal distribution,differentiation and geodynamic mecha-nism.Geochemical data of these highly evolved granites suggest that high w(SiO_(2))(>70%)and differentiation index(DI>88)could be quantified indicators,while strong Eu depletion,high TE_(1,3),lowΣREE and low Zr/Hf,Nb/Ta,K/Rb could only be qualitative indicators.Zircon U-Pb ages suggest that the highly evolved gran-ites in the GXR were mainly formed in Late Mesozoic,which can be divided into two major stages:Late Ju-rassic-early Early Cretaceous(162-136 Ma,peak at 138 Ma),and late Early Cretaceous(136-106 Ma,peak at 126 Ma).The highly evolved granites are mainly distributed in the central-southern GXR,and display a weakly trend of getting younger from northwest to southeast,meanwhile indicating the metallogenic potential of rare metals within the central GXR.The spatial-temporal distribution,combined with regional geological data,indicates the highly evolved Mesozoic granites in the GXR were emplaced in an extensional environ-ment,of which the Late Jurassic-early Early Cretaceous extension was related to the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean and roll-back of the Paleo-Pacific Plate,while the late Early Cretaceous extension was mainly related to the roll-back of the Paleo-Pacific Plate.

Exploration and Practice of Ideological and Political Teaching Construction for Biochemistry Course in Agricultural Colleges and Universities

Biochemistry is a fundamental core course in disciplines such as agriculture,forestry,medicine,animal husbandry,veterinary medicine,and food science.By prioritizing"educating people"in the teaching process of this professional course,we can unearth diverse ideological and political elements related to agricultural production practices within the curriculum knowledge system and the forefront of discipline development.Exploring various teaching methods and utilizing diverse teaching tools are effective strategies to achieve ideological and political education that silently influences students in the field of biochemistry.The goal is to nurture students strong ideals and beliefs,fostering a deep connection to the sentiments of"agriculture,rural areas and farmers in a great nation."This approach aims to instill a sense of responsibility towards strengthening agriculture,shaping students into individuals from South China Agricultural University who possess lofty aspirations and the courage to shoulder responsibility in the new era.

From Witch’s Ritual Performance to Writer’s Creation of Text—On Discussing How to“Treat Oneself”and“Cure Others”About Literature’s Function

In the post-modernistic movement to seek for the cultural root,literary anthropologists refocus and explore the original therapeutic function of literature,and make great efforts to restore the essence of disciplines’theory that“literature is human science”to the real context of cultural integration.Based on this,the article intends to treat witch’s great traditional ritual as a starting point,aiming at building up and enriching the ethnography of literary therapy.However,in order to change roles from witches to writers and promote the primitive return of literary therapy,writers make little traditional creation of text focus on interpretation of“treating themselves”and“curing others”about literature’s function.

Evidence of the Great Attractor and Great Repeller from Artificial Neural Network Imputation of Sloan Digital Sky Survey

The Sloane Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has been in the process of creating a 3D digital map of the Universe, since 2000AD. However, it has not been able to map that portion of the sky which is occluded by the dust gas and stars of our own Milkyway Galaxy. This research builds on work from a previous paper that sought to impute this missing galactic information using Inpainting, polar transforms and Linear Regression ANNs. In that paper, the author only attempted to impute the data in the Northern hemisphere using the ANN model, which subsequently confirmed the existence of the Great Attractor and the homogeneity of the Universe. In this paper, the author has imputed the Southern Hemisphere and discovered a region that is mostly devoid of stars. Since this area appears to be the counterpart to the Great Attractor, the author refers to it as the Great Repeller and postulates that it is an area of physical repulsion, inline with the work of GerdPommerenke and others. Finally, the paper investigates large scale structures in the imputed galaxies.

Catch Them Young,Watch Them Grow

“Welcome,welcome!A warm welcome!Welcome to Beijing!”A welcome chorus rang out as Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived at the main gate of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to China in April 2023.The welcome“committee”was made up of students of the Beijing Shijia Hutong Primary School,an 85-year-old school renowned for its innovative teaching methods and international vision.Fan Weichen was one of the students.

Dan Sandoval:Capturing a Lively China

An American photographer who has spent one-third of his life in China hopes his work will inspire others to embrace adventure in the fascinating country.“THIS is the Great Wall.It’s gorgeous.That’s what hikers dream of.Layers upon layers of mountains,the remains of the ancient Great Wall,the cities in the back,the colors,the sky.That’s China in a nutshell.”That was a Beijing-based American photographer Dan Sandoval’s tribute while standing in the Guidegou section of the Great Wall,watching the sunrise with his companion,British adventurer Ash Dykes.

Consumer Culture in The Great Gatsby

F.Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby successfully portrays the“Jazz Age”.In the early 20th century,the United States transitioned from a production-based society to a consumer-based society,leading to an era of unparalleled prosperity.However,in the context of consumer culture,individuals often transition from being masters of their possessions to becoming enslaved by them.As a result,their behaviours and values become increasingly associated with extravagance and consumption.This paper uses Baudrillard’s theory of consumer society and textual analysis to explore the impact of consumer culture on human beings through the symbolization of men and objectification of women in The Great Gatsby.The meanings embedded in the novel are revealed from a different perspective.

Asia-Pacific Security Situation and Strategic Response Under Great Changes

Our world today is going through accelerated transformation unseen in a century.The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gaining steam,the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustment,and China’s development is facing new strategic opportunities.

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Great Joy

Series of Activities for 2024 Chinese New Year Launched by the Ministry of Cultureand Tourism From January 18 to March 11, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism ofthe People's Republic of China organizes the 2024 Chinese New Yearthemedcultural and tourist activities "Celebrate the Chinese New Year withGreat Joy", which includes 25 main activities in 7 major sections, coveringpeople-benefit art performances, public service activities, demonstration ofintangible cultural heritage experience, tourism and leisure consumption,ice & snow research and tourism, cultural exhibitions, international anddomestic interaction and other fields, with supply of high-quality cultural andtourist products, so as to enrich the holiday life of the people and to meet thepeople's requirements for a happy New Year.

Exploring the Path of Party Building Leading League Construction in Colleges and Universities under the Pattern of Great Ideological and Political Education

In accordance with the pattern of"great ideology and politics",the Party and youth League organizations assume the role of vanguard in the organization of colleges and universities.Simultaneously,they serve as a pivotal force in ideological and political education.In order to construct a comprehensive ideological and political framework encompassing the entire educational process,it is of paramount importance to identify an efficacious methodology for Party building leading League construction.This paper employs a comprehensive analysis to elucidate the pivotal role of Party building leading League construction in facilitating ideological and political education.It also illuminates the practical challenges encountered in the implementation of Party building leading League construction initiatives within colleges and universities.The article proposes a specific path for Party building leading League construction in colleges and universities based on three key aspects:cohesion of the consensus of Party building leading League building,establishment of the institutional system of Party building leading League construction,and creation of the model brand of Party building leading League construction.The aim is to promote in-depth development of Party building in colleges and universities and enhance the quality and effect of ideological and political education.

New Quality,Great Potential

Here are some of the achievements China made in 2023:GDP exceeded 126 trillion yuan($17.43 trillion)with a growth of 5.2 percent;12.44 million new urban jobs were created;average surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.2 percent;consumer price index increased by 0.2 percent;new energy vehicle production and sales accounted for more than 60 percent of the global share;grain output reached a record high of 695 billion kg;installed renewable energy capacity surpassed thermal power capacity for the first time in history,and China accounted for over half of newly installed renewable energy capacity worldwide;per-capita disposable income of residents increased by 6.1 percent…

Africa’s Grand Walk to Greatest Tomorrow

The book initiates by portraying Africa,introducing its physical features and endowments,and providing a concise historical perspective that highlights Africa as the initial home of the human species.Subsequently,the book explores another epoch in Africa’s self-consciousness,focusing on the Pan-Africanism in the middle of the 20th century-the time when Africa had been greatly subjected to imperialism and colonialism,which plunged it into great destitution.

The Research on the Logic and Value of“Two Combinations”

Through the comprehensive analysis of the connotation and logic,inheritance and innovation and the value of social governance,and the dialectical relationship of“two combination”,the inheritance of the idea of Marxism,the inheritance of excellent traditional culture and the governance of contemporary society.