Search

We collected 599 policies related to medical treatment combination issued by local governments from October 2010 to December 2022 to study the differences and characteristics of medical treatment combination policies in different regions of China. Descriptive statistics and the structural topic model were used to compare medical treatment combination policies in four major economic regions (West, Central, East, Northeast) of China from three dimensions: the number of policies issued, policy types and policy topics. The study shows that: the structure of Chinese local medical treatment combination policy system was not balanced and was characterized by an emphasis on implementation rules rather than standard specifications; the construction of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment service system and the management model of medical treatment combination are hot topics, while the topics such as supporting measures and disease prevention and treatment have not received widespread attention. The construction of medical treatment combination in each region shows diversified exploration. The local government needs to issue relevant policies according to the regional differences, so as to supplement the shortcomings of the policy and promote the improvement of the policy system of the regional medical treatment combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the sustainable development of agricultural water resources has received much attention. The mismatch between agricultural water distribution patterns, land resources, and socioeconomics threatens food production, especially in vast water-scarce plains. Therefore, monitoring agricultural water spatial equilibrium (AWRSE) is necessary. Based on equilibrium theory and information entropy, in this study, the AWRSE evaluation model is constructed from three aspects: agricultural water resources, land resources, and socioeconomics. In addition, the relationship between social factors with cropping pattern as the primary explanatory variable and AWRSE was examined in conjunction with the extended STIRPAT model and applied to the water-receiving area of the Middle Route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project (MR-SNWDP). The results show that compared with the pre-diversion period, the AWRSE of 75% of the water-receiving cities has been significantly improved by the MR-SNWTP water supply. The MK test z value of the overall regional AWRSE has changed from − 0.328 to − 2.65, and the AWRSE development has shifted from not significantly better to significantly better. The cropping pattern shows a positive response to this development, and this effect can be mitigated in the late stage of water transfer; when the proportion of food crop cultivation increases by 1%, the sub-regional AWRSE value will increase by 0.347%. The evaluation model demonstrates a broad range of inclusiveness and application potential; it provides novel insights for examining agroecological, social, and economic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing technology is widely used to obtain evapotranspiration (ETa), but whether it can distinguish the differences in farmland energy balance components and ETa under different irrigation methods has not been studied. We used Landsat 8 data as the primary dataset to drive the METRIC model and inverted the surface parameters and ETa of the Shiyang River Basin from 2014 to 2018. After improving the METRIC model using Ta obtained by the regression method instead of interpolation to calculate the net radiation flux (Rn), R2 was improved from 0.45 to 0.53, and the RMSE was reduced from 61 W/m2 to 51 W/m2. The ETa estimation results on satellite overpass days performed well, with R2 equal to 0.93 and RMSE equal to 0.48 mm when compared with the Eddy covariance method (EC) observations. Subsequently, the different growth stages and daily average ETa estimates of maize were compared with three observations (water balance, WB; Bowen ratio and energy balance method, BREB; and EC). The daily estimates of ETa correlate well with the observations of BREB (R2BI = 0.82, R2DI = 0.92; RMSEBI = 0.46 mm/day, RMSEDI = 0.32 mm/day) and EC (R2BI = 0.85, R2DI = 0.92; RMSEBI = 0.45 mm/day, RMSEDI = 0.34 mm/day), and the estimation for drip irrigation was found to be better than for border irrigation. The total accuracy of the ETa estimation on the five-year overpass day of maize farmland reached R2 = 0.93 and RMSE = 0.48 mm. With sufficient remote sensing data, the 4-year average ETa of maize was 31 mm lower for DI than for BI, and the mean value of ETa obtained from the three observation methods was 40 mm. The METRIC model can be used to distinguish ETa differences between the two irrigation methods in maize farmlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignant tumor that threatens human life and health. The development of a new NSCLC risk assessment model based on electronic medical records has great potential for reducing the risk of cancer recurrence. In this process, machine learning is a powerful method for automatically extracting risk factors and indicating impact weights for NSCLC deaths. However, when the number of samples reaches a certain value, it is difficult for machine learning to improve the prediction accuracy, and it is also challenging to use the characteristic data of subsequent patients effectively. Therefore, this study aimed to build a postoperative survival risk assessment model for patients with NSCLC that updates the model parameters and improves model accuracy based on new patient data. The model perspective was a combination of particle filtering and parameter estimation. To demonstrate the feasibility and further evaluate the performance of our approach, we performed an empirical analysis experiment. The study showed that our method achieved an overall accuracy of 92% and a recall of 71% for deceased patients. Compared with traditional machine learning models, the accuracy of the model estimated by particle filter parameters has been improved by 2%, and the recall rate for dead patients has been improved by 11%. Additionally, this study outcome shows that this method can better utilize subsequent patients' characteristic data, be more relevant to different patients, and help achieve precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to examine how big data resources affect the recall of prior medical knowledge by healthcare professionals, and how this differs in environments with and without remote consultation platforms. Method: This study investigated two distinct categories of medical institutions, namely 132 medical institutions with platforms, and 176 medical institutions without the platforms. Big data resources are categorized into two levels—medical institutional level and public level—and three types, namely data, technology, and services. The data are analyzed using SmartPLS2. Results: (1) In both scenarios, shared big data resources at the public level have a significant direct impact on the recall of prior medical knowledge. However, there is a significant difference in the direct impact of big data resources at the institutional level in both scenarios. (2) In institutions with platforms, for the three big data resources (the medical big data assets and big data deployment technical capacity at the medical institutional level, and policies of medical big data at the public level) without direct impacts, there exist three indirect pathways. (3) In institutions without platforms, for the two big data resources (the service capability and big data technical capacity at the medical institutional level) without direct impacts, there exist three indirect pathways. Conclusions: The different interactions between big data, technology, and services, as well as between different levels of big data resources, affect the way clinical doctors recall relevant medical knowledge. These interaction patterns vary between institutions with and without platforms. This study provides a reference for governments and institutions to design big data environments for improving clinical capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The allocation of crop spatial pattern has an appreciable impact on achieving sustainable agricultural development. Crop spatial pattern should be adjusted in accordance with the agricultural environment factors and climate change so that we make full use of agricultural resources to produce more food. However, crop suitability has not been adequately considered in crop patterns, ignoring the fact that the fundamental solution to agricultural water scarcity is to promote crop water productivity (CWP). This study aims to reallocate crop spatial patterns while synergistically improving irrigation benefits and water productivity. To achieve this, we developed a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model based on ecological movement processes to simulate crop suitability distribution and thus determine crop spatial patterns. The results show that the adjusted crop pattern could increase the regional water productivity by 1.35 times and the net benefits of unit water by 0.94%, and maintained crop yields. Under future climate scenarios, this approach can still ensure irrigation benefits and food security. Therefore, the MCR model provides effective crop patterns and solutions for sustainable agricultural development when facing a complex agricultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric longwave downward radiation (Ld) is one of the significant components of net radiation (Rn), and it drives several essential ecosystem processes. Ld can be estimated with simple empirical methods using atmospheric emissivity (εa) submodels. In this study, eight global models for εa were evaluated, and the best-performing model was calibrated on a global scale using a parametric instability analysis approach. The climatic data were obtained from a dynamically consistent scale resolution of basic atmospheric quantities and computed parameters known as NCEP/NCAR reanalysis (NNR) data. The performance model was evaluated with monthly average values from the NNR data. The Brutsaert equation demonstrated the best performance, and then it was calibrated. The seasonal global trend of the Brutsaert equation calibrated coefficient ranged between 1.2 and 1.4, and the K-means analysis identified five homogeneous zones (clusters) with similar behavior. Finally, the calibrated Brutsaert equation improved the Rn estimation, with an error reduction, at the worldwide scale, of 64%. Meanwhile, the error reduction for each cluster ranged from 18 to 77%. Hence, Brutsaert's equation coefficient should not be considered a constant value for use in εa estimation, nor in time or location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been controversial whether the matching of learning styles with teaching environment has improved the teaching effects. This paper constructs matching modes by choosing Sternberg's three learning styles (liberal leaning, internal scope and global level) and adopts curriculum comprehensiveness and instructing modes. The research, based on data of off-line teaching collected from 456 college students in China, finds that (a) direct effect: three learning styles have significant effects on eight dimensions of learners' cognitive information processing (CIP); (b) matching effect: the alignment of learners' liberal leaning and instructing modes has a direct impact on the eight dimensions of learners' CIP; the alignment of learners' global level and curriculum characteristics has a direct impact on the 7 dimensions; the alignment of learners' internal scope and instructing modes have no significant direct impact on the 7 dimensions; (c) moderating effect of the mandatory use of IT (MUIT): MUIT may restrain or strengthen effects of some matching modes on some dimensions of CIP. The key conclusion is that whether personalized instructing based on learners' characteristics can improve teaching results requires the selection of appropriate matching modes. Not all matching modes have matching effects, and matching effect is influenced by MUIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to ensure regional food security and increase irrigation water productivity in response to water shortages in arid and semi-arid regions. Previous studies of the optimal allocation of irrigation water did not consider simultaneously optimizing across multiple crops or at different growth stages. This paper describes the development of an irrigation water optimization model that uses a crop water allocation priority (CWAP) model. The CWAP value was determined by quantifying the changes in three indicators: yield, economic benefits, and irrigation water productivity. Maximum yield, maximum economic benefits, and minimum irrigation shortage (at the critical crop and growth stage) were used as the objective functions of a non-linear multi-objective optimization model. The largest irrigation district in the northern arid area of China, Hetao Irrigation District (HID), was chosen to prototype this model. The optimization results, using CWAP, showed that yield, economic benefits, irrigation water productivity, and water productivity could be increased, respectively, by up to 13.38%, 13.40%, 2.30%, and 6.29%, for most crops when compared with optimization results without CWAP. Comparison of the optimized net irrigation quantities with the actual net irrigation quantities showed that optimization reduced water usage by up to 60.77% for wheat, 51.24% for corn, and 63.59% for sunflower. Blue water utilization under optimal irrigation conditions decreased by 1.12% for wheat, 2.91% for corn, and 9.91% for sunflower, compared with those in actual irrigation scenario. This method of optimizing irrigation water allocation in arid areas using CWAP provides decision-makers with accurate water-saving irrigation protocols that will reduce demand for water resources and promote sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optimal preventive maintenance policy and optimization method of operation parameters for a production line consisting of multiple execution units is described herein. According to the characteristics of the production unit, the relationship between the reliability and operating parameters of the execution unit is established, as well as its relationship between the operating parameters and maintenance cost. The minimum maintenance cost and effective operating speed is selected as the objective, and the optimal parameters are derived by heuristic algorithm. Finally, a numerical example and simulation experiments are shown which validated the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is a serious threat to women's health and lives worldwide. The recovery and survival of cervical cancer can be improved by customizing therapy strategies based on individual-specific gene expression patterns. EFNA1 was reported to be dysregulated in many cancers and associated with their overall survivals, but its prognostic value in cervical cancer is still unclear. In this study, we performed analyses on the single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data to study the role of EFNA1 in cervical cancer. EFNA1 was found to be significantly upregulated in cervical cancer tissue, especially the cancer cell subgroup within tumors, which was verified by immunohistochemistry. Through Cox regressions, we found that high EFNA1 expression is an independent risk factor for cervical cancer. Nomogram analysis indicated that EFNA1 could be a predicting factor for the survival probabilities of cervical cancer. Gene ontology and pathway analyses showed that EFNA1 was involved in many tumorigenesis pathways, protein, and virus productions. These findings suggested that EFNA1 could be a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drip irrigation combined with film mulching significantly improved water saving and agricultural efficiency in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the impact of various irrigation technical parameters under plastic film-mulched (PM) drip irrigation on water consumption and maize yield (Zea mays L.) for seed production is still unclear. Field experiments were conducted between 2016 and 2018 in Northwest China to investigate the effects of irrigation technical parameters (dripper discharge and irrigation interval) on biomass, grain yield, water, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency of the PM-maize for seed production. Four dripper discharges (1.38 L h−1, 2.0 L h−1, 2.5 L h−1, 3.0 L h−1) and five irrigation intervals (6 days, 8 days, 10 days, 12 days, 14 days) were selected. The normalized yield was used to analyze the effect of different treatments on the yield to eliminate the differences caused by uncontrollable factors, such as precipitation and temperature between different years. The results indicated a quadratic function among the final aboveground biomass, grain yield of maize for seed production, and irrigation intervals, with the highest value observed at 8 days irrigation interval. Both yield and nitrogen use efficiency measured as partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) decreased rapidly as the irrigation interval exceeded 10 days. When the irrigation interval increased from 10 to 14 days, the relative grain yield decreased between 6.5 and 16.0%, while the PFPN decreased between 1.1 and 99.2 kg kg−1. Crop evapotranspiration (ET) initially decreased and then increased as the irrigation interval increased. The water productivity (WPY-ET) was the highest at the irrigation interval of 8 days. The PFPN increased between 6.6 and 42.8 kg kg−1 at the dripper discharge of 3.0 L h−1 when compared with dripper discharge of 2.5 L h−1. The study showed an optimal dripper discharge–irrigation interval combination for maximizing water-resources utilization and yield increase. When biomass, grain yield, ET, and WPY-ET are considered simultaneously, the most suitable irrigation technical parameters of maize for seed production in Northwest China are the combination of 2.5 L h−1 and 8 days. Furthermore, a combination of 3.0 L h−1 and 8 days is more conducive to reducing fertilizer costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-invasive identification of novel renal fibrosis biomarkers needs to be further studied. We collected urine samples from 77 biopsy-proven CKD patients and 15 healthy controls. The expression of urinary TREM-1 and TREM-2 was measured and the correlation with renal function parameter and pathological indicators was performed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the diagnosis of renal fibrosis was calculated. The protein expression of TREM-1 and TREM-2 in kidney tissues was measured. The TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio was decreased in CKD patients and correlated with serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate and cystatin c. Further, the TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio was significantly decreased in moderate-severe fibrosis patients compared with none-mild renal fibrosis. TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio was correlated with the score of tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) and the score of glomerular sclerosis. The ROC curve showed that the urinary TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio can diagnosemoderate-severe renal fibrosis at a cut-off value of 1.338 with a sensitivity of 86.4% and specificity of 81.8%. In human moderate-severe fibrosis kidney tissue, the protein expression of TREM-1 was lower and the TREM-2 was higher than none-mild fibrosis kidney tissue. Urinary TREM-1/TREM-2 ratio was a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of renal fibrosis in CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P1, P3, P5 are the irrigation intervals at 6, 10, 14 days, respectively. P5D are treatments with an irrigation interval of P5 The original article has been corrected. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, we analysed the interannual variability of sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface wind (SSW), and sea level anomaly (SLA) in the South China Sea (SCS) during 1985–2016 using monthly reanalysis and satellite datasets. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed to evaluate the interannual variability of each variable. The warming rate of SST was 0.18 ± 0.26°C decade−1 in the SCS. The first EOF of SST was characterized by basin-wide warming, with the highest anomalies in the northern deep basin. The first temporal coefficient of SST was negatively correlated with the Niño 3.4 index, with a lag of 6 mo. The mean rising rate of SLA was 7.6 cm decade−1, with the greatest trend in the coastal water of Vietnam, which exhibited a similar spatial pattern with the first EOF of SLA. The temporal coefficient of SLA was negatively correlated with that of SST, with a lag of 5 mo. The trend of SSW was around 0.8 m s−1 decade−1 over the SCS. The first EOF of SSW was characterized by an anticyclonic pattern. The temporal coefficient was correlated with that of SST, with a lead of 2 mo. Wavelet coherence was used to investigate the cross-correlation relationship between SST and other variables. SST and SLA had a strong negative correlation in the 8–16-mo (1–1.5 yr) band. The high positive wavelet coherencies between SST and SSW and Niño 3.4 were mainly in the 32–64 mo (3–5 yr) band in the SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture has been increasingly practised in recent years. Under precision management, farmland is divided into several management zones to implement different strategies and improve irrigation water productivity and revenues. In this research, six soil properties (silt, sand, soil moisture content, available nitrogen, electrical conductivity and elevation) were selected, and fuzzy c-means clustering was used to delineate management zones. The field was divided into three zones. The differences in the mean of the soil properties among the zones were large and within a zone were small. The coefficient of variation of the properties and yield were also smaller than that before classification. The optimization was carried out by using a genetic algorithm based on the Jensen model. Three objective functions were set as maximum yield, maximum irrigation water productivity (IWP) and maximum revenue, and the weights were kept equal to 1/3. The WHCNS (soil water heat carbon nitrogen simulator) model was used to simulate the maize yield under optimized irrigation schedule for the three management zones and to calculate IWP and revenue. Compared with uniform management, IWP and revenue were increased by 0.6 kg m−3 and $61 ha−1, respectively. The optimized irrigation schedule can be used as a reference for the actual irrigation management. It can increase the IWP and revenue under the premise of achieving the target yield. The results show that the method can guide precision agricultural production and management in large-scale farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NS5806 activates the transient outward potassium current I to, and has been claimed to reproduce Brugada Syndrome (BrS) in ventricular wedge preparations. I to modulates excitation-contraction coupling, which is critical in alternans dynamics. We explored NS5806-arrhythmogenic effects in the intact whole heart and its impact on alternans. Methods: Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts (n = 20) underwent optical AP and Ca mapping during pacing at decremental cycle lengths (CL). Spontaneous arrhythmias and pacing-induced alternans was characterized at baseline (BL), after perfusing with NS5806, before and after adding verapamil (VP), and SEA0400 (SEA, n = 5 each), to modulate Ca-current and Na-Ca exchange, the main AP-Ca coupling mechanisms. Results: NS5806 induced BrS-like ECG features in 6 out of 20 hearts. NS5806 prolonged steady-state (3 Hz) action potential duration (APD) by 16.8%, Ca decay constant by 34%, and decreased conduction velocity (CV) by 52.6%. After NS5806 infusion, spontaneous ventricular ectopy (VE) and AP/Ca alternans occurred. Pacing-induced alternans during NS5806 infusion occurred at longer CL and were AP/Ca discordant from its onset. Spatially discordant alternans after NS5806 infusion had non-propagation-driven nodal line distribution. No spontaneous phase-2 reentry occurred. Under NS5806 + VP, alternans became AP/Ca concordant and only induced in two out of five; NS5806 + SEA did not affect alternans but suppressed spontaneous ectopy. Conclusions: NS5806 disrupts AP-Ca coupling and leads to Ca-driven, AP/Ca-discordant alternans and VE. Despite BrS-like ECG features, no spontaneous sustained arrhythmias or phase-2 reentry occurred. NS5806 does not fully reproduce BrS in the intact rabbit heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil spills in oceans have substantial influence on marine ecosystems. This study investigates 21 oil spills in the world. Analyzing Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiomerer (MODIS) data after Penglai oil spills on 4 June 2011, found a bloom with peak value of Chl-a (13.66 mg m−3) spread over an area of 800 km2 during 18–25 June 2011, and a pronounced increase in the monthly Chl-a concentration (6.40 mg m−3) on June 2012 in the Bohai Sea. Out of the 21 oil spills, 14 blooms were observed, while 11 blooms associated with oil spills in the time interval of 3–10 months. In total, about 75% blooms occurred during June–August. Among all 14 blooms, 72% appeared when temperature was warm (20–30 °C), 7% appeared when temperature was low (10–20 °C), and the remaining 21% occurred when temperature was lower than 10 °C. This research concludes that the odds of a phytoplankton bloom after an oil spillage are higher at the time of higher temperature (>20 °C). The short-term impact of the oil spills on ecosystem could mainly depend on the quantity and composition of oil, while the long-term impact of the oil spills on ecosystem could be related to biodegradation of microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Renal fibrosis is a common outcome of all pathological types of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the noninvasive detection of renal fibrosis remains a challenge. Methods. We collected urine samples from 154 biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients and 61 healthy controls. The expression of mTOR was measured and the correlation with renal function parameter and pathological indicators. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the diagnosis of IgAN and renal fibrosis was calculated. Results. The urinary mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression was decreased in IgAN patients. The expression of mTOR was correlated with serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, estimated glomerular filtration rate, 24 h proteinuria, and cystatin C. Further, the urinary mTOR expression was significantly decreased in severe renal fibrosis patients compared with mild or moderate renal fibrosis patients. Urinary mTOR expression was correlated with score of tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) and score of glomerular sclerosis. The ROC curve showed that mTOR can diagnose IgAN at a cut-off value of 0.930 with the sensitivity of 90.2% and specificity of 73.8% and renal fibrosis at a cut-off value of 0.301 with the sensitivity of 71.7% and specificity of 64.8%. Conclusion. Urinary mTOR mRNA expression was a potential biomarker for diagnosis of IgAN and renal fibrosis in IgAN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time series of satellite data on Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) that used ocean color was studied to determine mechanisms of phytoplankton variation in recent decade in the Yellow Sea, China during 2003–2015. The variability patterns on seasonal and inter-annual oscillation periods were confirmed using the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF), and Morlet wavelet transform analyses, respectively. The first EOF mode for Chl-a was dominated by obvious spring and fall blooms in a spatial pattern that was related to the strong mixing of the water masses from the Yellow Sea Cold Warm Mass (YSCWM) and the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) in winter. The second EOF mode for Chl-a showed an opposite spatial pattern between the northern and southern regions. The temporal coefficient showed differences in the timing of blooms. On an inter-annual scale, Chl-a indicated variation at periods of 2–4 years during 2003–2015. Chl-a showed a significantly negative correlation with the sea surface temperature (r = -0.21, p<0.01), with time lags of 4 months (Chl-a ahead). Chl-a was coupled with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, with a positive correlation (r = 0.46, p<0.01) at a lag of 3–5 months (ENSO ahead). The present study demonstrated that the variation in phytoplankton biomass was controlled primarily by water mass seasonally, and it was influenced by ENSO events on an inter-annual scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of tropical cyclones (TCs) on the CO2 partial pressure at the sea surface (pCO2sea) and air‐sea CO2 flux (FCO2) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) was quantified based on satellite data and in situ observations between November 2013 and January 2017. The in situ observations were made at the BoB Ocean Acidification mooring buoy. A weak time‐mean net source of 55.78 ± 11.16 mmol CO2 m−2 year−1 at the BoB Ocean Acidification site was estimated during this period. A wide range in increases of pCO2sea (1.0–14.8 μatm) induced by TCs occurred in postmonsoon (October–December), and large decreases of pCO2sea (−14.0 μatm) occurred in premonsoon (March–May). Large vertical differences in the ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to total alkalinity (TA) in the upper layer (ΔDIC/TA) were responsible for increasing pCO2sea in postmonsoon. Relatively small values of ΔDIC/TA were responsible for decreasing pCO2sea in premonsoon. Five TCs (Hudhud, Five, Kyant, Vardah, and Roanu) were considered. Hudhud significantly enhanced CO2 efflux (18.49 ± 3.70 mmol CO2/m2) in oversaturated areas due to the wind effect during the storm and wind‐pump effects after the storm. Vardah insignificantly changed FCO2 (1.22 ± 0.24 mmol CO2/m2) in undersaturated areas because of the counteraction of these two effects. Roanu significantly enhanced CO2 efflux (19.08 ± 3.82 mmol CO2/m2) in highly oversaturated conditions (ΔpCO2 > 20 μatm) since the wind effect greatly exceeded the wind‐pump effects. These five TCs were estimated to account for 55 ± 23% of the annual‐mean CO2 annual efflux, suggesting that TCs have significant impacts on the carbon cycle in the BoB. Plain Language Summary: We examined the impact by five tropical cyclones on the sea surface pCO2 and air‐sea CO2 exchange using Bay of Bengal Ocean Acidification moored buoy measurements over the Bay of Bengal. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the different effects of tropical cyclones and vertical differences in the ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon to total alkalinity in the upper layer on the sea surface pCO2 and local air‐sea CO2 flux. Key Points: TCs tended to increase the pCO2sea in the postmonsoon and to decrease the pCO2sea in the premonsoon in the Bay of BengalLarge vertical differences in the ratio of DIC to TA in the upper layer were responsible for increasing pCO2sea induced by TCsTCs were estimated to account for 55 ± 23% of the annual‐mean CO2 annual efflux [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the processes of occasional sea surface temperature (SST) fronts and their impacts on chlorophyll-a concentration (chl-a) in the South China Sea (SCS), based on satellite remote sensing and in situ observations in 2009-2013. The SST fronts were detected by an entropy-based edge detection algorithm method from satellite-derived SST images with a 0.011° grid size. Three offshore SST front case studies (S1, S2 and S3) at the peripheries of eddies in the northern SCS were studied. In case S1 in September 2013, two SST fronts were detected with gradient magnitudes (GMs) greater than 0.06°C km-1 in the cyclonic eddy and 0.08°C km-1 in the periphery waters, and the fronts only existed for one and two days, respectively. After three and seven days, the high chl-a was found in the strong SST front waters which were about 51 and 54% higher than the concentration in the surrounding waters. The depth of the maximum chl-a elevated from the subsurface (50 m) to the surface. In case S2 in August 2013, two SST fronts were detected at the periphery of an anti-cyclonic eddy with GM stronger than 0.06°C km-1 and only existed for one day. After two days, the chl-a in the SST front waters was about 40% higher than the levels in the surrounding waters. In case S3 in June 2009, the GM of the eddy-feature SST front was stronger than 0.12°C km-1 and existed for three days, which was generated by tropical cyclone Linfa. The chl-a in the eddy-feature phytoplankton bloom was 6 times higher than in the surrounding waters. The results show that, in general, occasional offshore SST fronts at peripheries of eddies have stronger influence on surface chl-a, comparing to those seasonal coastal and permanent offshore SST fronts, via ‘Wind Pump’ effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: Sympathetic predominance and ventricular repolarization abnormalities represent epilepsy‐associated cardiac alterations and may underlie seizure‐induced ventricular arrhythmias. Myocardial ion channel and electrical remodeling have been described early in epilepsy development and may contribute to ventricular repolarization abnormalities and excitability. Using the pilocarpine‐induced acquired epilepsy model we sought to examine whether altered myocardial ion channel levels and electrophysiological changes also occur in animals with long‐standing epilepsy. Methods: We examined myocardial adrenergic receptor and ion channel protein levels of epileptic and age‐matched sham rats (9–20 months old) using western blotting. Cardiac electrical properties were examined using optical mapping ex vivo and electrophysiology in vivo. We investigated the propensity for ventricular tachycardia (VT) and the effects of β‐adrenergic blockade on ventricular electrical properties and excitability in vivo. Results: In animals with long‐standing epilepsy, we observed decreased myocardial voltage‐gated K+ channels Kv4.2 and Kv4.3, which are known to underlie early ventricular repolarization in rodents. Decreased β1 and increased α1A adrenergic receptor protein levels occurred in the myocardium of chronically epileptic animals consistent with elevated sympathetic tone. These animals exhibited many cardiac electrophysiological abnormalities, represented by longer QRS and corrected QT (QTc) intervals in vivo, slower conduction velocity ex vivo, and stimulation‐induced VT. Administration of a β‐adrenergic antagonist late in epilepsy was beneficial, as the therapy shortened the QTc interval and decreased stimulation‐induced VT. Significance: Our findings demonstrate that myocardial ion channel remodeling and sympathetic predominance, risk factors for increased ventricular excitability and arrhythmias, persist in chronic epilepsy. The beneficial effects of β‐adrenergic antagonist treatment late in the course of epilepsy suggest that attenuating elevated sympathetic tone may represent a therapeutic target for ameliorating epilepsy‐associated cardiac morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution characteristics of the oil-water contact are the basis for the reservoir exploration and development and reserves evaluation. The reservoir with a tilted oil-water contact has a unique formation mechanism, and the understanding of its distribution and formation mechanism will directly affect the evaluations for the reservoir type, well deployment, selection of well pattern and type, determination of test section, and reserves evaluation. Based on the analysis of reservoir characteristics, petrophysical properties and geological structure in 40 reservoirs worldwide with tilted oil-water contacts, the progress of the research on the formation mechanisms of titled oil-water contacts is summarized in terms of the hydrodynamic conditions, reservoir heterogeneity, neotectonic movement and oil-gas exploitation. According to the formation mechanism of tilted oil-water contacts and the needs of exploration research, different aspects of research methods are summarized and classified, such as the calculation of equipotential surfaces for oil and water in the formation, analysis of formation pressure and analysis of reservoir physical properties and so on. Based upon statistical analysis, it is suggested that the degree of the inclination of the oil-water contact be divided based on the dip of oil-water contact (DipTOWC). The tilted oil-water contact is divided into three categories: large dip (DipTOWC≥55 m/km), medium dip (4 m/km≤DipTOWC<55 m/km), and small dip (DipTOWC<4 m/km). The classification and evaluation method can be combined with structure amplitude and reservoir property. The formation mechanism of domestic and international reservoirs with tilted oil-water contacts are summarized in this paper, which have important significance in guiding the exploration and development of the oilfield with tilted oil-water contacts, reserves evaluation, and well deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling crop evapotranspiration (ET) response to different planting scenarios in an irrigation district plays a significant role in optimizing crop planting patterns, resolving agricultural water scarcity and facilitating the sustainable use of water resources. In this study, the SWAT model was improved by transforming the evapotranspiration module. Then, the improved model was applied in Qingyuan Irrigation District of northwest China as a case study. Land use, soil, meteorology, irrigation scheduling and crop coefficient were considered as input data, and the irrigation district was divided into subdivisions based on the DEM and local canal systems. On the basis of model calibration and verification, the improved model showed better simulation efficiency than did the original model. Therefore, the improved model was used to simulate the crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios in the irrigation district. Results indicated that crop evapotranspiration decreased by 2.94% and 6.01% under the scenarios of reducing the planting proportion of spring wheat (scenario 1) and summer maize (scenario 2) by keeping the total cultivated area unchanged. However, the total net output values presented an opposite trend under different scenarios. The values decreased by 3.28% under scenario 1, while it increased by 7.79% under scenario 2, compared with the current situation. This study presents a novel method to estimate crop evapotranspiration response under different planting scenarios using the SWAT model, and makes recommendations for strategic agricultural water management planning for the rational utilization of water resources and development of local economy by studying the impact of planting scenario changes on crop evapotranspiration and output values in the irrigation district of northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing layout of pumping well plays a vital role in curbing the groundwater level decline. A novel optimization model is presented in this study. First, the optimal well number is obtained by taking into account factors of local economy and environment based on nonlinear programming model. Then, the well spatial layout assessment model is attained based on information entropy weight and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). After that, the relative closeness to positive ideal solution of alternative ( ci) on the rationality of well spatial layout in cultivated land is calculated, and a set of alternatives are ranked according to the descending order of ci. Finally, the well optimization layout is obtained by combining the optimal well number with well spatial layout assessment result based on the GIS data of pumping wells. As a case study, this method was applied in Yongchang Irrigation District of Shiyang River Basin, the arid region of northwest China. Results show that under the conditions of sustainable use of water resources, the irrigation district needed 724 wells for irrigation, with a decrease of 31.0% when compared with the existing number of wells. The wells with low flow rate and operating efficiency distributed in high density where groundwater is over-exploitation were recommended to be closed. This well optimization layout method is expected to play a significant role in helping make plans for exploiting groundwater at more sustainable level, curbing the groundwater level decline trend, and improving the local ecological environment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study the circumferential contour of the deformation zone in the strip warm rolling, according the flow stress characteristic of warm deformation, the contact arc of deformation area is divided into three different curvature arc, the roller elastic flattening model of deformation zone is established using the method of quadratic curve fitting. The roller circumferential contour was calculated that iterative solver the roller elastic flattening deformation area and the distribution of rolling force along the rolling direction. Deformation process of warm-rolling was simulated using ANSYS/LS-DYNA finite element, the trend with simulation and calculated in the forward and backward slip zone is accordance, the model is more consistent with deformation process of the strip warm rolling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A massive bloom of green macroalgaeUlva proliferaoccurred in June 2008 in the Yellow Sea, resulting in perhaps the largest “green tide” event in the history of bloom research. The covered area is about 1,200 km2and the impacted area reached 40,000 km2on 31 May. This also occurred in the following two years, 2009 and 2010. We analyzed the satellite data from MODIS and the results showed that sea surface temperature increased 1–3°C inU. proliferabloom locations. The macroalgae in the water may have been the cause of the increase of sea surface temperatures. Rapid increases ofU. proliferabiomass during the blooms may have increased radiation absorption of the water, and thus enhanced the rate of heating at the sea surface. The present study represents a preliminary observation, which is an important step for understanding influences of macroalgae on ocean surface conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean acidification, a consequence of the ocean absorbing about a third of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere, is poised to affect biogeochemical cycles and the seawater chemical system. Traditional research methods, such as field and in situ sampling, are precise and reliable, but are inherently limited in spatial and temporal coverage and resolution. This article summarizes remotely sensed products, including air-sea CO2 fluxes, total alkalinity, suspended calcite (particulate inorganic carbon), particulate organic carbon and calcification rates, which can be used to observe ocean acidification indirectly. Confounding factors and limitations of algorithms are major sources of errors. This article also discusses remote-sensing algorithms and satellite technology developments. Remote sensing, considering its great advantages and successful applications in climate change, will be an important tool in future studies of ocean acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diurnal sea surface temperature (D-SST, which is the daytime SST minus the night-time SST) and its relationship with heavy phytoplankton blooms were observed using satellite and in situ data. Two phytoplankton bloom events covering large areas in the East China Sea (ECS) were analysed to investigate the reactions among D-SST, chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration, suspended sediment (SS), coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), wind speed (WS) and solar radiation (SR). The results showed a positive relationship between D-SST and chl-a concentration in phytoplankton bloom areas. Further analyses of 12 major phytoplankton bloom events (total area >1000 km2) occurring between 2000 and 2005 in the ECS, accompanied by in situ observation data in Daya Bay, confirmed a positive correlation between chl-a concentration and D-SST. These results showed that an increase in D-SST may be found in heavy phytoplankton bloom areas. The present study represents an important step for understanding the influence of phytoplankton on ocean conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical behavior of ciprofloxacin (CFX) and its interaction with the natural calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) is studied by using pulse difference voltammetry on a carbon electrode. CFX shows a well-defined oxidative peak at + 0.88 V. As a result of reaction with ctDNA,the oxidative peak of CFX decreased markedly. According to the electrochemical equation deduced in this paper, the binding constant of 1.36 × 105 (mol/L)−1 and the binding size of 1.94 (base pairs) of CFX with ctDNA were obtained by nonlinear fit analysis of the electrochemical data. The mechanism of the interaction was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur frequently in the South China Sea (SCS), causing enormous economic losses in aquaculture. We analyzed historical HAB records during the period from 1980 to 2003 in SCS. We found that HABs-affected areas have expanded and the frequency of HABs varied during this period. The seasonal and annual variations, as well as causative algal species of HABs are different among the four regions. Areas with frequent HABs include the Pearl River Estuary (China), the Manila Bay (the Philippines), the Masinloc Bay (the Philippines), and the western coast of Sabah (Malaysia). HABs occurred frequently during March–May in the northern region of SCS, May–July in the eastern region, July in the western region, and year-round in the southern region. Among the species that cause HABs, Noctiluca scintillans dominated in the northern region, and Pyrodinium bahamense in the southern and eastern regions. Causative species also varied in different years for the entire SCS. Both P. bahamense and N. scintillans were the dominant species during 1980–2003. Some species not previously recorded formed blooms during 1991–2003, including Phaeocystis globosa, Scrippsiella trochoidea, Heterosigma akashiwo, and Mesodinium rubrum. Variations in HABs are related to various regional conditions, such as a reversed monsoon wind in the entire SCS, river discharges in the northern area, upwelling in Vietnam coastal waters during southwest winds and near Malaysia coastal waters during northeast winds, and eutrophication from coastal aquaculture in the Pearl River estuary, Manila Bay, and Masinloc Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca2+ overload and reactive oxygen species can injure mitochondria during ischemia and reperfusion. We hypothesized that mitochondrial injury occurs during cardiac resuscitation, causing release of cytochrome c to the cytosol and bloodstream while activating apoptotic pathways. Plasma cytochrome c was measured using reverse-phase HPLC and Western immunoblotting in rats subjected to 4 or 8 mm of untreated ventricular fibrillation and 8 mm of closed-chest resuscitation followed by 240 mm of postresuscitation hemodynamic observation. A sham group served as control. Plasma cytochrome c rose progressively to levels 10-fold higher than in sham rats 240 mm after resuscitation (P < 0.01), despite reversal of whole body ischemia (decreases in arterial lactate). Cytochrome c levels were inversely correlated with left ventricular stroke work (r = -0.40, P = 0.02). Western immunoblotting of left ventricular tissue demonstrated increased levels of 17-kDa cleaved caspase-3 fragments in the cytosol. Plasma cytochrome c was then serially measured in 12 resuscitated rats until the rat died or cytochrome c returned to baseline. In three survivors, cytochrome c rose slightly to ⩽ µg/ml and returned to baseline within 96 h. In nine nonsurvivors, cytochrome c rose progressively to significantly higher maximal levels [4.6 (SD 2.0) vs. 1.6 (SD 0.3) µ/ml, P = 0.029] and at faster rates [0.7 (SD 0.5) vs. 0.1 (SD 0.1) µ·ml-1·h-1, P = 0.046] than in survivors. Plasma cytochrome c may represent a novel in vivo marker of mitochondrial injury after resuscitation from cardiac arrest that relates inversely with survival outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China-France Oceanography SATellite (CFOSAT), launched on 29 October 2018, is a joint mission developed by China and France. To evaluate the CFOSAT wind product, L2B swath data with a spatial resolution of 25 × 25 km were compared with in situ measurements between December 2018 and December 2020. The in situ measurements were collected from 217 buoys. All buoy winds were adjusted to 10 m height using a simple logarithmic correction method. The temporal and spatial separations between the CFOSAT and in situ measurements were restricted to less than 30 min and 0.25°. The results indicate that the CFOSAT wind retrievals agree well with the buoy measurements. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) of wind vectors were 1.39 m s−1 and 34.32° and negligible biases were found. In the near shore under rain-free conditions, the RMSEs were enhanced to 1.42 m s−1 and 33.43°. Similarly, the RMSEs were reduced to 1.16 m s−1 and 30.41° offshore after the rain effect was removed. After winds less than 4 m s−1 were removed, the RMSE of wind directions was reduced to 19.69°. The effects of significant wave height, air-sea temperature difference, sea surface temperature, atmospheric pressure and ocean surface current on the wind residuals were assessed. The performance of wind retrievals under the passage of tropical cyclones was evaluated. The evaluation results show that the CFOSAT wind retrievals satisfy the accuracy requirements of scientific research, although some improvements are needed to enhance the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the Argo sea surface salinity (SSSArgo) before and after the passage of 25 tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Bay of Bengal from 2015 to 2019 to evaluate the sea surface salinity (SSS) of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) remote sensing satellite (SSSSMAP). First, SSSArgo data were used to evaluate the accuracy of the 8-day SMAP SSS data, and the correlations and biases between SSSSMAP and SSSArgo were calculated. The results show good correlations between SSSSMAP and SSSArgo before and after TCs (before: SSSSMAP = 1.09SSSArgo−3.08 (R2 = 0.69); after: SSSSMAP = 1.11SSSArgo−3.61 (R2 = 0.65)). A stronger negative bias (−0.23) and larger root-mean-square error (RMSE, 0.95) between the SSSSMAP and SSSArgo were observed before the passage of 25 TCs, which were compared to the bias (−0.13) and RMSE (0.75) after the passage of 25 TCs. Then, two specific TCs were selected from 25 TCs to analyze the impact of TCs on the SSS. The results show the significant SSS increase up to the maximum 5.92 psu after TC Kyant (2016), which was mainly owing to vertical mixing and strong Ekman pumping caused by TC and high-salinity waters in the deep layer that were transported to the sea surface. The SSSSMAP agreed well with SSSArgo in both coastal and offshore waters before and after TC Roanu (2016) and TC Kyant (2016) in the Bay of Bengal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortage and uneven spatial and distribution of agricultural water resources has greatly restricted the sustainable development of regional society and economy. In this study, an improved five-element connection number set pair analysis model, which subdivides the same–different–opposite connection number in the set pair analysis theory to enhance the integrity and effectiveness of the original ternary connection numbers is constructed to evaluate the agricultural water resources carrying capacity (AWRCC) in the Haihe River Basin. Based on this evaluation result, an optimization model (AROL model) is proposed to optimize the effective irrigation area and groundwater exploitation to achieve a "better level" of AWRCC. The evaluation result shows that the current AWRCC of the Haihe River Basin is relatively low. The AWRCC in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning is Level III and the current agricultural water resources are not overloaded but have little carrying potential. The AWRCC of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, and Shandong are rated IV and overloaded, among which Shandong has the lowest comprehensive score and the most serious overload. The optimization result shows that the extraction and conservation of groundwater in most areas of the Haihe River Basin is unbalanced and the effective irrigation area needs to be increased. With different current conditions in different areas, the groundwater exploitation and the effective irrigation area is adjusted correspondingly. Among the areas, the adjustment of groundwater exploitation and the effective irrigation area in Hebei are the most significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to population growth, environmental pollution and climate change, the lack of water resources has become a critical factor which threatens sustainable agricultural development. Reasonable irrigation scheduling strategies can reduce the waste of water and enhance agricultural water-use efficiency. In the present study, the decomposition-coordination theory was adopted to analyze the hierarchical canal system. A novel nonlinear multi-level multi-objective optimization model for complex canal systems was established, taking account of the multiple demands from decision makers and realistic factors of canal operation. An interactive method of the technique for order preference using similarity algorithm and genetic algorithm was proposed to solve the developed model. The developed model was successfully applied for the operational strategy making of a canal system located in the arid area of northwest China. The results indicated that the optimization model could help shorten the operational duration by two days, achieve about 26% reduction of irrigation water consumption, and improve the efficiency of water delivery from 0.566 to 0.687. That will be very favorable for the promotion of the agricultural water productivity, the relief of water shortage crisis and the sustainable development of agriculture. The outcomes can provide a wide range of support for decision making and make irrigation decision-making more scientific and systematic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing regional crop water consumption is considered to be a significant approach for increasing yields and reducing water consumption. This paper proposes a single-objective linear programming model which couples the distributed water consumption model with crop suitability. The impacts of meteorological, topographic, and soil factors were taken into account in both the distributed water consumption model and the crop suitability. The developed model was applied to a real case study in the middle reaches of Heihe River basin, in the northwest of China. In the optimization model, the net benefit which combined the water consumption with crop suitability was regarded as the objective function, while the limits on available water and planting area were set as the constraints. Optimal results regarding crop distribution and water consumption were generated for dry, normal, and wet hydrological years. Two optimization strategies were analyzed, including one with a fixed area of each crop and the other with a fixed total planting area. Economic analyses showed that net income under both optimization strategies increased by 31% and 33%, respectively. Although water consumption increased slightly in both optimization scenarios, the unit water income and unit area income were much higher than in the pre-optimization conditions. The obtained results are valuable for supporting the adjustment of planting patterns and the identification of desired plans for sustainable irrigation water allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]