Summary Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) has been used widely to infer intrinsic water‐use efficiency (iWUE) of C3 plants, a key parameter linking carbon and water fluxes. Despite the essential role of mesophyll conductance (gm) in photosynthesis and Δ, its effect on Δ‐based predictions of iWUE has generally been neglected. Here, we derive a mathematical expression of iWUE as a function of Δ that includes gm (iWUEmes) and exploits the gm‐stomatal conductance (gsc) relationship across drought‐stress levels and plant functional groups (deciduous or semideciduous woody, evergreen woody and herbaceous species) in a global database. iWUEmes was further validated with an independent dataset of online‐Δ and CO2 and H2O gas exchange measurements with seven species. Drought stress reduced gsc and gm by nearly one‐half across all plant functional groups, but had no significant effect on the gsc : gm ratio, with a well supported value of 0.79 ± 0.07 (95% CI, n = 198). gm was negatively correlated to iWUE. Incorporating the gsc : gm ratio greatly improved estimates of iWUE, compared with calculations that assumed infinite gm. The inclusion of the gsc : gm ratio, fixed at 0.79 when gm was unknown, proved desirable to eliminate significant errors in estimating iWUE from Δ across various C3 vegetation types.

Evaluating leaf day respiration rate (RL), which is believed differ from that in the dark (RDk), is essential for predicting global carbon cycles under climate change. Several studies have suggested that atmospheric CO2 impacts RL. However, the magnitude of such an impact and associated mechanisms remain uncertain. To explore the CO2 effect on RL, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants were grown under ambient (410 ppm) and elevated (820 ppm) CO2 mole fraction ([CO2]). RL was estimated from combined gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements using the Kok method, the Kok-Phi method, and a revised Kok method (Kok-Cc method). We found that elevated growth [CO2] led to an 8.4% reduction in RL and a 16.2% reduction in RDk in both species, in parallel to decreased leaf N and chlorophyll contents at elevated growth [CO2]. We also looked at short-term CO2 effects during gas exchange experiments. Increased RL or RL/RDk at elevated measurement [CO2] were found using the Kok and Kok-Phi methods, but not with the Kok-Cc method. This discrepancy was attributed to the unaccounted changes in Cc in the former methods. We found that the Kok and Kok-Phi methods underestimate RL and overestimate the inhibition of respiration under low irradiance conditions of the Kok curve, and the inhibition of RL was only 6%, representing 26% of the apparent Kok effect. We found no significant long-term CO2 effect on RL/RDk, originating from concurrent reduction in RL and RDk at elevated growth [CO2], and likely mediated by acclimation of nitrogen metabolism.

This study aims to review China's national policies related to non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and control at the primary health care (PHC) level since China's 2009 health system reform. Policy documents from official websites of China's State Council and 20 affiliated ministries were screened, where 151 out of 1,799 were included. Thematic content analysis was performed, and fourteen 'major policy initiatives' were identified, including the basic health insurance schemes and essential public health services. Several areas showed to have strong policy support, including service delivery, health financing, and leadership/governance. Compared with WHO recommendations, several gaps remain, including lack of emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration, underuse of non-health-professionals, and lack of quality-oriented PHC services evaluations. Over the past decade, China continues to demonstrate its policy commitment to strengthen the PHC system for NCD prevention and control. We recommend future policies to facilitate multi-sectoral collaboration, enhance community engagement, and improve performance evaluation mechanisms.

Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: Numerous studies demonstrate that audit opinions provide strong signals to investors/debt holders warning of firms' default probability. When foreign investors were allowed to enter the Chinese stock market, the role of audit opinions grew in importance. In this study, we examine the relationships between audit opinions and default probability within the Chinese stock market, and explore whether there was any significant shift in this relationship following the entry of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFIIs). Research Findings/Insights: We find that audit opinions began providing signals of potential default risk only after QFIIs entered the market; suggesting that in the post-December 2002 period, auditors' decisions in China became more conservative, and that institutional investors began to play a monitoring role. Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study provides support for institutional theory through the provision of empirical evidence showing that audit opinions, as signals of potential default risk, may actually be less efficient in immature markets than in more mature markets. Furthermore, the role of audit opinions in providing such signals to outside investors can clearly be affected by the introduction of new monitoring mechanisms. The results imply that market maturity could prompt firms to provide more accurate information. Practitioner/Policy Implications: The strengthening of security laws could increase confidence among investors in China, thereby providing evidence to market participants showing that the more accurate information and greater efficiency of audit opinions, arising as a direct result of the entry of QFIIs, could lead to expansion of the Chinese investment environment.

Theories and empirical evidence suggest accumulation of atmospheric CO 2 , mostly caused by anthropocentric emissions, drives increases in plant photosynthesis, growth and terrestrial carbon sinks, leading to a general hypothesis of 'CO 2 fertilization' (Canadell