Developmental Pattern of Diurnal Cortisol Rhythm and Sex-Specific Associations With Psychopathological Symptoms During Pubertal Transition.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the developmental pattern of diurnal cortisol rhythm during pubertal transition and its prospective association with psychopathological symptoms. METHODS: A cohort of 1158 children consisting of 608 boys and 550 girls aged 7 to 9 years (mean [standard deviation] age = 8.04 [0.61] years) were recruited in the Anhui Province of China in 2015 (wave 1). A single awakening sample was collected at baseline, and three additional samples were collected at one weekday in wave 2 to wave 4. Four indices of cortisol activity were evaluated and calculated across the day: awakening cortisol level, cortisol awakening response, the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUC), and the diurnal cortisol slope. In each wave, pubertal development was assessed by testicular size in boys and Tanner scales in girls. Psychopathological symptoms were ascertained in waves 2 to 4. RESULTS: Multilevel mixed models revealed no significant pubertal changes in diurnal cortisol activity in girls. In boys, awakening cortisol (ß = -0.005, p = .004) and total cortisol output (lnAUC, ß = -0.005, p = .040) significantly decreased across pubertal transition. Higher awakening cortisol and total cortisol output (lnAUC) were associated with higher scores on internalizing symptoms in girls (ß = 0.82, p < .001; ß = 0.62, p = .012) and externalizing symptoms in boys (ß = 0.73, p = .001; ß = 0.55, p = .019) during the 3-year follow-up. In contrast, no associations were found between cortisol awakening response and diurnal cortisol slope with psychopathological symptom scores in boys or girls. CONCLUSIONS: Development of diurnal cortisol activity during pubertal transition occurs in a sex-specific manner. Awakening cortisol level and daily total cortisol output may serve as markers for psychopathology during pubertal transition.

[Greenhouse gas emission from reservoir and its influence factors].

Reservoirs are significant sources of emissions of the greenhouse gases. Discussing greenhouse gas emission from the reservoirs and its influence factors are propitious to evaluate emission of the greenhouse gas accurately, reduce gas emission under hydraulic engineering and hydropower development. This paper expatiates the mechanism of the greenhouse gas production, sums three approaches of the greenhouse gas emission, which are emissions from nature emission of the reservoirs, turbines and spillways and downstream of the dam, respectively. Effects of greenhouse gas emission were discussed from character of the reservoirs, climate, pH of the water, vegetation growing in the reservoirs and so on. Finally, it has analyzed the heterogeneity of the greenhouse gas emission as well as the root of the uncertainty and carried on the forecast with emphasis to the next research.

[Assessment on the availability of nitrogen fertilization in improving carbon sequestration potential of China's cropland soil].

With reference to the situation of nitrogen fertilization in 2003 and the recommendations from agricultural experts on fertilization to different crops, two scenarios, namely, 'current situation' and 'fertilization as recommended', were set for estimating the current and potential carbon sequestration of China's cropland soil under nitrogen fertilization. After collecting and analyzing the typical data from the long-term agricultural experiment stations all over China, and based on the recent studies of soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics, we plotted China into four agricultural regions, and estimated the carbon sequestration rate and potential of cropland soil under the two scenarios in each province of China. Meanwhile, with the data concerning fossil fuel consumption for fertilizer production and nitrogen fertilization, the greenhouse gas leakage caused by nitrogen fertilizer production and application was estimated with the help of the parameters given by domestic studies and IPCC. We further proposed that the available carbon sequestration potential of cropland soil could be taken as the criterion of the validity and availability of carbon sequestration measures. The results showed that the application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer could bring about a carbon sequestration potential of 21.9 Tg C x a(-1) in current situation, and 30.2 Tg C x a(-1) with fertilization as recommended. However, under the two scenarios, the greenhouse gas leakage caused by fertilizer production and application would reach 72.9 Tg C x a(-1) and 91.4 Tg C x a(-1), and thus, the actual available carbon sequestration potential would be -51.0 Tg C x a(-1) and -61.1 Tg C x a(-1), respectively. The situation was even worse under the 'fertilization as recommended' scenario, because the increase in the amount of nitrogen fertilization would lead to 10. 1 Tg C x a(-1) or more net greenhouse gas emission. All these results indicated that the application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer could not be taken as a feasible measure for the carbon sequestration of cropland soil in China. Since synthetic fertilizer application is the basic guarantee of China's crop production, it was suggested to increase the efficiency of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, and at the same time, to cut down the synthetic nitrogen fertilizer production and its application on the premise that the crop yield should be ensured.

[Inventory of final energy-carbon consumption and its structure in Beijing].

Final energy-carbon consumption by different sectors and fuel types in Beijing from 1995 to 2005 and energy structure were presented according to IPCC reference approach and statistical data. Specific discussion of energy-carbon consumption category of each industry in 2005 was given. From 1995 to 2005, total and per capita final energy-carbon consumption increased respectively by 71.5% and 38.4%, while final energy-carbon consumption intensity descended by 66.2%. The energy-carbon consumption of Industry was the highest and accounted for about 53.0%-68.0% of total energy-carbon consumption (an average of 14.59 Mt), followed by tertiary industry, which accounted for about 15.0%-30.5% (an average of 5.23 Mt). Moreover, compared with 1995, the energy-carbon consumption of urban residential life had increased 2.02 times in 2005. At present, energy-carbon consumption of Industry is still the predominant part, and the adjustment of industrial structure hasn't yet changed its position. The structure of final energy-carbon consumption in Beijing has become steady since 2002. Although energy structure adjustments were conducted, carbon consumption still increased with the increase of energy use.

[Methane emission from aquatic vegetation zones of Wuliangsu Lake, Inner Mongolia].

To quantify the variations of methane fluxes from different aquatic vegetation zones, two-year measurements were measured at different aquatic vegetation zones and water depths using static chamber technique during two growing season from April to October in 2003 and 2004. Results showed that the average emission flux of CH4 from Potamogeton pectinatus (submerged macrophyte) growing zones was (3.44 +/- 1.60) mg x (m2 x h)(-1), 78.06% lower than that from Phragmites australis (emergent macrophyte). Significant seasonal and diurnal variations of CH4 emission were observed for Phragmites community; however, the variations were minor for P. pectinatus. Sediment temperature at 5 cm and photosynthesis active radiation were important factors influencing seasonal and diurnal variations of CH4 fluxes from Phragmites zone. Annual methane flux from the lake was 1 024.6 t and 1 156.7 t in 2003 and 2004, respectively.