This paper documents the patterns and correlates of retirement in China using a nationally representative survey, the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. After documenting stark differences in retirement ages between urban and rural residents, the paper shows that China's urban residents retire earlier than workers in many Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries and that rural residents continue to work until advanced ages. Differences in access to generous pensions and economic resources explain much of the urban–rural difference in retirement rates. The paper suggests that reducing disincentives created by China's Urban Employee Pension system, improving health status, providing childcare and elder care support may all facilitate longer working lives. Given spouse preferences for joint retirement, creating incentives for women to retire later may facilitate longer working lives for both men and women.

The coffee white stem borer, Xylotrechus quadripes Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is a major destructive pest of Coffea arabica L. (Gentianales: Rubiaceae), widely planted in many Asian countries, including China. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a common method for quantitative analysis of gene transcription levels. To obtain accurate and reliable qRT-PCR results, it is necessary to select suitable reference genes to different experimental conditions for normalizing the target gene expression. However, the stability of the expression of reference genes in X. quadripes has rarely been studied. In this study, the expression stability of nine candidate reference genes were investigated under biotic and abiotic conditions for use in qRT-PCR's normalization. By integrating the results of four algorithms of NormFinder, BestKeeper, geNorm, and RefFinder, the optimal reference gene combinations in different experimental conditions were performed as follows: RPL10a and EIF3D were the optimal reference genes for developmental stage samples, EIF4E, RPL10a, and RPS27a for tissue samples, V-ATP and EF1α for the sex samples, EIF3D and V-ATP for temperature treatment, RPS27a and RPL10a for insecticide stress, and RPL10a, RPS27a, and EF1α for all the samples. This study will help to obtain the stable internal reference genes under biotic and abiotic conditions and lay the foundation for in-depth functional research of target genes or genomics on olfactory molecular mechanisms, temperature adaptability, and insecticide resistance in X. quadripes.

We aim to determine the correlation between parental rearing, personality traits, and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in different quantiles. In particular, we created an intermediary effect model in which parental rearing affects OCD through personality traits. All predictors were measured at the time of the survey, comprising parental rearing (paternal rearing and maternal rearing), demographics (grade and gender), and personality traits (neuroticism, extroversion, and psychoticism). These results suggest that (a) paternal emotional warmth was negatively correlated with OCD at the 0.40–0.80 quantile, while maternal emotional warmth was positively correlated with the OCD at the 0.45–0.69 quantile. (b) The correlation between negative parental rearing and OCD ranged from the 0.67 to 0.95 quantile for paternal punishment, 0.14–0.82 quantile for paternal overprotection, 0.05–0.36 and >0.50 quantile for maternal over-intervention and overprotection, and 0.08–0.88 quantile for maternal rejection. (c) Extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism were not only associated with OCD in a particular quantile but also mediated between parental rearing (namely parental emotional warmth, paternal punishment, paternal overprotection, maternal rejection, maternal over-intervention, and overprotection) and OCD. These findings provide targets for early interventions of OCD to improve the form of family education and personality traits and warrant validation.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the key components for assessing soil quality. Meanwhile, the changes in the stocks SOC may have large potential impact on global climate. It is increasingly important to estimate the SOC stock precisely and to investigate its variability. In this study, Yangjuangou watershed was selected to investigate the SOC distribution under different land uses. We found that SOC concentration decreased with increasing soil depth under all land uses and was significantly different across the vertical soil profile (P < 0.01). However, considering effect of land use on SOC, it is only significant (P < 0.01) in the topsoil (0–5 cm) layer. This indicated that land use has a large effect on the stocks of SOC in the surface soil. The stratification ratio of SOC > 1.2 may mean that soil quality is improving. The order of the SOC density (0–30 cm) under different land uses is forestland > orchard land > grassland > immature forestland > terraced cropland. The SOC stock is found to be as large as 2.67 × 10 t (0–30 cm) in this watershed. Considering time effect of restoration, the slope cropland just abandoned is more efficient for SOC accumulation than trees planted in the semi-arid hilly loess area.

The basal melting and freezing rates under the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, are evaluated, and their spatial distributions mapped. Ice velocity, surface elevation and accumulation rate datasets are employed in the analysis, along with a column-averaged ice density model. Our analysis shows that the total area of basal melting is 34 700 km2, with a total annual melt of 62.5 ± 9.3 Gt and an average melting rate of 1.8 ± 0.3 m a−1. Basal freezing mainly occurs in the northwestern part of the ice shelf, over a total area of 26 100 km2 and with a maximum freezing rate of 2.4 ± 0.4 m a−1. The total marine ice that accretes to the ice-shelf base is estimated to be 16.2 ± 2.4 Gt a−1. Using a redefined grounding line and geometry of the Amery Ice Shelf, we estimate the net melt over the ice-shelf base is about 46.4 ± 6.9 G ta−1, which is higher than previous modeling and oceanographic estimates. Net basal melting accounts for about half of the total ice-shelf mass loss, with the rest being from iceberg discharge. Our basal melting and freezing distribution map provides a scientific basis for quantitative analysis of ice–ocean interaction at the ice-shelf–ocean interface.

We used remote-sensing and in situ measurements of surface accumulation rate, ice surface velocity, thickness and elevation to evaluate the mass budgets of grounded ice-flow regimes that form the Lambert Glacier–Amery Ice Shelf system. Three distinct drainage regimes are considered: the western and eastern margins of the ice shelf, and the southern grounding line at the major outlet glacier confluence, which can be identified with drainage zones 9, 11 and 10 respectively of Giovinetto and Zwally (2000). Our findings show the entire grounded portion of the basin is approximately in balance, with a mass budget of –4.2±9.8 Gt a–1. Drainages 9, 10 and 11 are within balance to the level of our measurement uncertainty, with mass budgets of –2.5±2.8 Gt a–1, –2.6±7.8 Gt a–1 and 0.9±2.3 Gt a–1, respectively. The region upstream of the Australian Lambert Glacier basin (LGB) traverse has a net mass budget of 4.4±6.3 Gt a–1, while the downstream region has –8.9±9.9 Gt a–1. These results indicate that glacier drainages 9, 10 and 11, upstream and downstream of the Australian LGB traverse, are in balance to within our measurement error.

The major inorganic component of the rice husk (RH) is silica (∼20%)[1]. In the past, the utilization of RH mainly concentrated on the ash of the rice husk, such as using rice husk ash (RHA) as filler in plastics, especially in polypropylene (PP). In this work, RH was directly used as filler in PP. Some treatments were applied to the RH. PP composites of different filler loadings were compounded using a laboratory size two-roll mixer at a temperature of 180° C for a period of 5 minutes. The tensile strength of the RH-PP composites increased steadily with increasing filler loading until about 20% loading. The impact strength of the composites decreased with the increasing filler loading. Torques and melt index (MI) of composites with various filler loadings were investigated. The MI of the composite decreased with the increasing filler loading. RH showed more potential than RHA as PP filler.

Abstract. This paper summarizes the state of research in China on snow cover, snow-drift control, and avalanche defences, and also reports the results of observations of avalanching above Batura Glacier, Pakistan, during two expeditions.