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Incomplete milking (IM) is one way of mitigating the negative energy balance (NEB) that is characteristic for early lactation and may increase the risk for disease. Our objectives were to test the effects of IM in early lactation on energy balance (EB), metabolic status, udder health, and subsequent performance. To facilitate the practical application, an automated system was used to remove the milking clusters once a predefined amount of milk is withdrawn. Forty-six Holstein cows were equally allocated to either the treatment (TRT, starting on 8 d in milk) or the control group (CON; conventional cluster removal at milk flow rate <0.3 kg/min). Milk removal in the TRT group was limited to the individual cow's milk yield 1 d before IM started and held constant for 14 d. Thereafter, all cows were conventionally milked and records related to EB, performance, and udder health were continued up to 15 wk of lactation. During the 14 d of IM, on average 11.1% less milk was obtained from the TRT cows than from the CON cows. Thereafter, milk yield increased in the TRT group, eliminating the group difference throughout the remaining observation period until wk 15 of lactation. The TRT cows tended to have less dry matter intake and also water intake than the CON cows. The extent of the NEB and the circulating concentrations of fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, insulin-like growth factor-1, and leptin mostly did not differ between the groups. The IM did not affect body condition. Udder health was maintained over the entire observation period in all cows. Our results demonstrate the applicability of the automated cluster removal for limiting milk withdrawal to a defined amount in early lactation. However, it remains to be determined whether the absent effect on energy metabolism was due to the relatively stable energy status of the cows or to the relatively mild IM setting used herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variety of different malfunctions and breakdowns can significantly impact the performance of a company. Gaining an understanding of the impact of individual components and associated failure mechanisms have on a system is crucial for its overall performance. In order to define the best mix of maintenance strategies for system components, this paper presents a systematic approach, how failure modes and maintenance parameters can be analyzed in order to derive the appropriate strategy and measures for efficient production. Not only the reliability of the components is examined, but also their influence on safety, downtime and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite multiple trials comparing rate with rhythm control, there is no consensus on the optimal management of first-detected atrial fibrillation (AF).Objective: We analyzed current patterns of care for first-detected AF in the nationwide Get With The Guidelines® - Atrial Fibrillation registry.Methods: Patients hospitalized with first-detected AF from 2013 to 2019 were included, and a descriptive analysis was performed comparing planned rate with rhythm control. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors for choosing rhythm over rate control.Results: Of the 86,759 patients with AF, 17.8% (15,473) had first-detected AF; 11,685 patients were included from 126 sites. Overall, 51.3% (5999) of patients were treated with rate control and 48.7% (5686) with rhythm control at admission. Patients with planned rhythm control had a shorter length of stay and were more likely to be discharged home than a facility. A higher percentage of patients with planned rhythm control were discharged on anticoagulation than those with planned rate control (75.6% vs 70.9%) despite a higher underlying stroke risk in the rate control group (higher median CHA2DS2-VASc score 4; Q1-Q3 2-5 for rate control vs 3; Q1-Q3 2-4 for rhyhtm control; P < .001). While Hispanic ethnicity, Medicaid insurance, age >70 years, and liver disease decreased the likelihood of rhythm control, factors such as heart failure, stroke, or prior bleeding diathesis had no association with the chosen treatment strategy.Conclusion: Less than half of the patients with first-detected AF receive rhythm control at admission. Given recent trial results, further studies should assess the long-term impact of rhythm control on patients' symptoms and quality of life, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue removal is a common practice in vegetable monoculture systems, because vegetable crop residues are often regarded as agricultural wastes that contain diseased plants or diseased plant portions. However, continuous removal of crop residues may result in reductions in soil quality and crop productivity. Here, a three-year field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of various in-situ residue retention strategies on overall soil quality (evaluated by the soil quality index encompassing various soil bio-physico-chemical properties) and crop yields in a long-term monoculture system. The treatments evaluated were (i) crop residue removal, (ii) in-situ residue retention, (iii) in-situ residue retention combined with calcium cyanamide and (iv) in-situ residue retention combined with microbial consortium. In general, in-situ residue retention enhanced soil quality index mainly through reducing soil bulk density and enhancing soil cation exchange capacity, organic carbon and nutrient availability. On the basis of in-situ residue retention, calcium cyanamide addition further increased soil quality index by 54.0 % through suppressing the potential cucumber pathogens (e.g. Olpidium bornovanus), while microbial consortium addition raised soil quality index by 91.1 % through enhancing residue decomposition rate and increasing beneficial bacterium Nitrospirota and fungus Mortierellomycota. In addition, in-situ residue retention combined with microbial consortium significantly (P < 0.05) increased cucumber yields by 20.0∼51.2 %. Taken together, this study demonstrates that successive in-situ residue retention combined with calcium cyanamide or microbial consortium can enhance overall soil quality and crop productivity, thereby providing an effective approach for the resource utilization of agricultural residues and sustainable soil management. • Continuous removal of crop residues decreased soil quality and crop productivity. • In-situ residue retention (IRR) enhanced soil quality index (SQI) under field conditions. • Calcium cyanamide addition inhibited the potential cucumber fungal pathogens. • Microbial consortium addition enhanced residue decomposition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of formation and application of a fuzzy situational network for the solution of problems of an assessment of risk of failure of the production equipment of the industrial enterprise at statement on production of a new product is offered. The method takes into account the main groups of management actions in small and medium-scale production of a wide range of products. The condition of the equipment is represented in the form of a fuzzy situational network with a three-level structure. The following levels are distinguished: situational, network and factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is becoming the main subject of energy consumption with the accelerating transformation of energy structure. The renewable power supply systems sourced by wind and solar energies have attracted wide attention as they are of great significance to regions that are rich in renewable energy. In this study, the stable power system consisting of solar, wind and liquid carbon dioxide energy storage is proposed for the sake of meeting user electricity load. Thermodynamic and economic performance of the proposed systems with different application scenarios is analyzed and some interesting findings are summarized. The round trip efficiency and energy density of the liquid carbon dioxide energy storage system are 58.34 % and 23.41 kWh/m3, respectively. The start hour of dispatch can cause obvious influence on the energy storage capacity and there is an optimal dispatch start time to achieve the minimum energy storage capacity. The overall energy efficiency of energy storage-aided power system including solar and wind powers is much higher than that of the single sourced system. The energy efficiency of the solar-wind-LCES system is 94.61 % while it is only 80.31 % and 76.29 % for the wind-LCES and solar-LCES systems, respectively. The introduction of the liquid carbon dioxide energy storage into the renewable power supply system can greatly reduce the electricity purchasing investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper unpacks the compound labor regime (CLR) of Chinese construction projects in Africa to investigate the spatial politics of management strategy and workers' agency. It contends that such a unique form of "living at work", as illustrated by African mining compounds and Chinese workers' dorms, represents a fluid assemblage of processes and relationships at transnational, national, and local scales. An empirical case study on one Chinese infrastructure construction project in Ethiopia highlights how Chinese CLR in Africa is co-produced by the established industrial practices in China, the regulatory contexts of the host African country, and the situated strategies of expatriate and local workers. Specifically, the seemingly integrated CLR is internally fragmented due to the use of subcontractors and outsourced labor – two prevalent practices in China's construction sector – as well as the employment of both expatriate and local workers. This fragmentation is inscribed in the spatial configuration of the compound and reflected by the varied managerial mentalities and strategies, which lead to two sub-regimes of management-labor relations: negotiated despotism upon expatriate workers and cautious precarity upon local recruits. Expatriate workers are subject to socio-spatial immobility, overtime work, delayed payment, and substandard logistics; but they can negotiate conditions of work based on their socio-technical positions. Local workers, despite the lack of job security and work-related benefits, enjoy some institutional protection and intra-group solidarity. The multiple forms of strength and weakness experienced by workers underline the importance to nuance the complexity and contradictions of Chinese investment in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Incorporating EST/ESS into urban zoning plans contributes to sustainability. • Quantified landscape functional zones by delineating ecosystem service bundles. • Spatial analysis shows the trade-offs and synergistic relationships of ES pairs. • SEM analyzes the patterns between socio-ecological factors and EST/ESS. Understanding the complex impact of socio-ecological factors on ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies (EST/ESS) is critical in delivering multiple benefits to various stakeholders. However, the impact mechanism is poorly understood. To portray more clearly the actual changes in EST/ESS resulting from the configuration of socio-ecological factors in urban development, this study proposes a methodological framework to quantify EST/ESS for Beijing's zones and identify the mechanism by which EST/ESS interacts with socio-ecological factors. First, we quantified four key ecosystem services (ESs) that showed declining trends between 2000 and 2020. We then identified three landscape functional zones based on ES bundles and quantified EST/ESS intensity. Consistent with our prediction, there were significant differences of EST/ESS in ES pairs between zones, demonstrating the necessity of zoning management. We further applied structural equation modeling to analyze the mechanism of how socio-ecological factors influence EST/ESS. The pathways and intensities varied across regions, where vegetation cover and landscape configurations played mediating roles, whereas natural, physical, and biological factors, socioeconomic, and climatic factors, influenced EST/ESS mainly through indirect effects. Finally, based on the mechanism explored, we proposed strategies for zoning planning. These findings have practical implications for sustainable management in Beijing and other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Define a more general mixed traffic flow with both connected automated vehicles (CAVs) and connected vehicles (CVs). • Study analytical approach for stability analysis of the new mixed traffic flow. • Propose a CV management strategy to achieve stable mixed traffic flow operations. • Conduct an empirical study to validate the effectiveness of the proposed CV management strategy. Recently, the market has witnessed the emergence of intelligent vehicles equipped with diverse functionalities. Among these are connected automated vehicles (CAVs) boasting a comprehensive platooning capability, and connected vehicles (CVs), which essentially refer to human-driven vehicles (HVs) equipped with connectivity features. As a result, CAVs, CVs, and regular human-driven vehicles (RVs) will form a mixed CAV-CV-RV flow to affect stability of existing traffic flow, which is an important characteristic of traffic flow operations. This paper investigates stability of this new mixed CAV-CV-RV flow, explores effect of CVs on stability, and proposes CV management strategy aimed at achieving a stable traffic flow. We firstly establish definition of the novel mixed flow comprising CAVs, CVs, and RVs. Subsequently, we present a general analytical approach for evaluating stability of this mixed flow. Then we undertake an empirical study that incorporates car-following models, validated using real experiments involving the aforementioned vehicle types. Based on findings from our stability analysis, we proceed to propose a CV management strategy designed to guarantee stable conditions within this mixed traffic flow. Results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed general analytical method in assessing influences of various system factors on stability of this new mixed flow. Subsequent to an application of the analytical method, empirical study uncovers a noteworthy finding that CVs prove to be more effective than CAVs in ensuring stable conditions within the mixed flow. Then we can manage market proportion of CVs in order to achieve stable mixed flow, according to varying CAV penetration rates. Specifically, some interesting lessons are learned based on the empirical study: (i) to guarantee stable operations of mixed traffic flow, about one third of CVs are needed to be among HVs, before CAVs running on road (CV-RV mixed flow); (ii) management strategy for stable flow requires an increase of minimum CV proportion among HVs from 33% to 55%, as CAV penetration rates increase up to 50%; (iii) when CAV penetration rates are greater than 50%, the required minimum CV proportion for ensuring traffic flow stability decreases with the increase of CAV penetration rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We assess the structural properties of spruce mixed stands in Bialowieża Forests. • Lower competitive interactions between spruce and conspecifics in unmanaged parts. • Strong negative effects of neighbourhood density on spruce dbh in managed stands. • Clear size equality of spruce in managed stands. • Lower spruce dbh due to intense intraspecific competition with conspecifics. Abstract A deep understanding of vertical and horizontal structure of old-growth Norway spruce mixed forests is critical for anticipating management outcomes and developing appropriate strategies for sustaining these complex forests. In most cases, the forest structure is assessed at stand level; however, the outcomes and impacts of natural disturbances (e.g., competition-induced mortality) and human interventions on development of spruce mixed forests occur across a landscape. We compared spatial interactions and size inequality on 148 plots randomly distributed across spruce-dominated stands in the national park (NP), protected stands (PS), and managed stands (MS) of the Bialowieża Forest (BF) in north-eastern Poland. Spatial pattern analyses and Gini coefficient (GC) were used to describe the conditions of spruce mixed stands with different management strategies. Scale-dependent density of conspecifics and heterospecifics around spruce individuals, inhibition between the dbh of spruce and neighbouring trees, negative correlation between neighbourhood density and spruce dbh, and size inequality of spruce were the structural properties negatively influenced by human activities in spruce mixed stands and highlight the lasting effect of management on these structural conditions. In contrast, there was no evidence of significant difference between some structural properties, including spruce mean dbh and mean GC values of NP, PS, and MS. The vertical and horizontal structure observed across three parts of the BF reveal the importance of having variation in spatial distribution and size irregularity across PS and MS to approximate these attributes in NP. In addition, the lower dbh of spruce individuals having a conspecific neighbour compared to nearby heterospecifics due to intense intraspecific competition documented in this and other comparisons between pure and mixed spruce forests argues for an increased emphasis on mixture of spruce and other species if the sustainability of spruce is considered as a management objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mud-blister worms are widely distributed in the ocean all over the world. It is well known that they inhabit the shell of shellfish, leading to the collapse of many shellfish farms. Although there are many reports of mud-blister worm incidents, many articles are not published in English, or the species of mud-blister worms have been identified wrongly, or the species names have been synchronized (merged) due to the high morphologically and genetically similar. Therefore, there is a need for a rigorous scientific review on the updated distribution, economic impact and potential treatments of mud-blister worm infestations. The development of shellfish aquaculture has led to the international transfer of shellfish form farms to farms for aquaculture purposes, in which has led to the widespread of mud-blister worms around the world's oceans. Although many treatments have been proposed, most are impractical due to the complexity of logistic, large scale or harmful to the host and environment. However, there are several approaches, including avoidance strategy, management strategy and genetic breeding strategy are potential solutions to mitigate the effects of mud-blister worm infestations in shellfish farms. This information will contribute to the development of aquaculture and fishery management plans to be implemented in shellfish aquaculture. • Shellfish aquaculture caused widespread of mud-blister worms. • Most currently available treatments are impractical. • Avoidance, management and genetic breeding strategy are potential solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Balancing the sustainable development goals of nature conservation and recreational service provision is a big challenge for national park management today. We estimate tourist preferences on different attributes associated with reduction of tourism effects and development of tourism facilities in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. The results indicate that integrated the wildlife conservation program, moderating control of tourist numbers, undertaking to provide good lodging services, and initiating a public transport system are effective development factors. Characteristics that affect the differentiation of preferences vis-a-vis the visitor influx control in the national park are: 1) tourists' awareness of the impacts of overcrowding, 2) nationality, and 3) monthly income. These results could be used to tailor a unique policy and management strategy in the near future that corresponds to the current issues and the needs of tourists. Highlights • The choice experiment associated with integrated sustainable management in a national park in Thailand, which estimated the marginal willingness to pay (WTP) of both domestic and foreign tourists. • The heterogeneous preferences existed between the two segmented groups, increasing the preferences and WTP for sustainable development. The highest preference program of national park combines the increase of wildlife conservation, well maintained lodging service, the operation of the public transport system, and moderate reduction of tourist influx during the peak season. • The park managers could consider a balanced management between recreation resource services and natural conservation based on our park's management strategy, generating a unique policy design in the near future that corresponds to the current issues and the needs of tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of fish pond farming involves diverse practises aimed at increasing fish productivity, such as polyculture stocks, supplementary artificial feeding, adding nutrients, or drying ponds during winter or summer. Since aquatic vegetation has a positive influence on fish richness and biomass, aquatic plants could also have a positive effect on the fish productivity; however, its role has received little attention. Here, we conducted a study in which the productivity of carp was recorded in two ponds, one vegetated and the other with scarce coverage of aquatic plants. During winter, the ponds are dried, and are filled up with water in the spring. Then two-year-old carps are introduced to allow their growth until autumn when the ponds are drained and the fish harvested. The water used to fill the ponds contains no zooplankton organisms, so crustacean populations appear in the water column through the growth of hatchlings from resting stages deposited in the pond sediment during previous seasons. In order to explain patterns in fish productivity, crustaceans, which constitute an important element in the fish diet, were investigated. Particularly, the dynamics of the crustacean species were estimated during the spring and summer and, since cladoceran species are one of the main preferred preys of carp, body and clutch sizes of Daphnia were measured. Moreover, the density of cladoceran resting eggs in the sediment was estimated after the dry pond was filled, and just before the next pond filling. We found differences between vegetated and non-vegetated ponds. In the pond with aquatic vegetation (1) fish productivity was higher, (2) Daphnia species started to grow significantly earlier, had higher relative abundances, and delayed the population decline, (3) large sized European Daphnia galeata dominated over small sized American Daphnia parvula and Daphnia ambigua , and (4) the cladoceran resting egg bank was less eroded during winter when the ponds were dried. The results of this study indicate that macrophytes are likely to operate as a protection mechanism, not only for individual Daphnia , which keeps higher population densities and larger body sizes despite fish predation, but also protects the resting egg bank. This, in turn, was positively related to carp biomass. Accordingly, we consider that increasing macrophyte coverage should be considered in the management strategies for carp pond farming since littoral plant vegetation may act as a refuge for cladocerans as well as a productive ecotone improving the productivity of fish ponds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the differential factors and issues that arise as regards the application of General Morphological Analysis (GMA) to private sector companies, as opposed to public institutions (its main target so far). In order to identify the specific nature of the challenge posed for application of GMA in private companies, we conducted a survey among a number of managers in 27 companies which we believed had potential for application of GMA. Our aim was to provide insights into the way in which potential candidates for GMA view and approach their own complex problems (and the way in which they define a “complex problem”), as well as into their preferred problem-solving approaches and methodologies. Our findings suggested that there are a number of common issues to private-sector companies, as well as sector-specific issues, which should be taken into account when considering the application of GMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Nurse education plays a critical role in the achievement of conflict management skills in nursing students. However, a wider perspective on this concept has not been explored. This paper is a report of a review appraising and synthesizing existing empirical studies describing conflict management styles among nursing students. Design An integrative review method guided this review. Data Sources Five (5) bibliographic databases (CINAHL, Medline, Psych Info, Embase and SCOPUS) were searched to locate relevant articles. Review Methods An electronic database search was performed in December 2016 to locate studies published from 2007 onwards. The search words included: ‘conflict’, ‘management resolution’, ‘management style’, ‘management strategy’, ‘nursing’, ‘student’. Thirteen (13) articles met the inclusion criteria. Results Nursing students preferred ‘constructive/positive conflict management styles’ when handling conflicts. However, more studies are needed to identify factors that may affect their choice of styles. Further, this review emphasizes the need for empirical studies to identify appropriate interventions that would effectively enhance nursing students' skills in managing conflicts using rigorous methods. Conclusions Nursing faculty play a critical role in teaching, training, and modeling constructive conflict resolution styles in nursing students. Simulation scenarios, reflective exercises, and role playing may be useful to facilitate such learning in choosing constructive conflict management styles. Structured training programme on conflict management will assist nursing students develop positive conflict management styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an approach to determine the optimal capacity of battery energy storage system (BESS) for peak shaving of the electric power load in Naresuan University (NU), Phitsanulok, Thailand. The topology of the system consists of main grid, loads and the proposed BESS. Experimental data are daily load profiles, which were recorded for every 15 minutes over the last year. The consumed electricity energy can well correlate with the temperature as well as the schedules of NU activities for both annual and daily scales. Peak shaving is proposed to reduce the electricity cost contributed from the high load peak during the daytime. Realistic parameters for both AC/DC converter and battery are taken into account. An optimal BESS capacity for saving the electricity cost by peak shaving is calculated by first considering the date when the highest energy demand is recorded. Our results show that the optimal BESS can shave the peak load efficiently. Oversized BESS can further decrease the load peak but the reduced cost per battery capacity is not optimal. In addition, we present and discuss two different management strategies, i.e., time-based and differentiated power criteria, for operating the BESS in this system. BESS with different storage capacity is included into the system and the equivalent electricity cost is estimated. Both time-based and differentiated power criteria can reduce the cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although urban habitats contribute to the conservation of species diversity, urbanization has significantly reduced biodiversity by causing environmental changes such as habitat loss and fragmentation. Therefore, research on urban biodiversity studies has become increasingly important. Historical heritage sites are recognized as important habitats in remnant green spaces in urban areas. We aimed to evaluate the role of historical sites in conserving biodiversity in urban areas. As the land in these historical sites is not modified, they have the potential to conserve biodiversity through continued maintenance activities such as mowing and tree cutting. In Japan, Tamagawa-josui, a waterway that runs from west to east through the Tokyo megacity (35° 40′ N, 139° 25′ E), has been recognized as a civil engineering heritage landmark that preserves water utilization technology from the early modern period (1600s, Edo-era). The present study examined the relationships between plant diversity and green space in a historic site of a megacity (i.e., Tamagawa-josui) and determined the factors that influence plant diversity. Specifically, we examined the relationships between plant species indices (species richness and species compositions) and environmental factors (management, environmental conditions, and landscape factors). The present study analyzed spatial changes in the plant species composition in Tamagawa-josui. We demonstrated that tree canopy openness was positively correlated with plant species richness, and the increased disturbance associated with developing historical sites as urban parks was negatively correlated with native plant species richness. In addition, there was significant species turnover in the plant community from upstream to downstream in Tamagawa-josui, which could largely be explained by spatial factors. We demonstrated that historical sites can provide potential habitats for the conservation of the plant species diversity, which is based on the effectiveness of the management of their vegetation. • Historical heritage sites are important habitats with remnant green spaces in a world megacity. • In Japan, Tamagawa-josui has been recognized as a civil engineering heritage landmark. • The mowing of herb vegetation and tree logging, contribute to the conservation of native plants. • Significant species turnover in the plant community from upstream to downstream in Tamagawa-josui. • We demonstrated that historic sites can provide potential habitats for conserving plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, an experimental study on a lab-scale adsorption refrigerator, based on activated carbon/ethanol working pair is reported. An extensive testing campaign has been carried out at the CNR ITAE laboratory, with multiple aims. First, the performance has been evaluated in terms of both COP and Specific Cooling Power (SCP), under different boundary conditions, including both air conditioning and refrigeration applications. Attractive SCPs, up to 180 W/kg and 70 W/kg for air conditioning and refrigeration, respectively, were measured. Under the same conditions, COP between 0.17 and 0.08 were obtained. In addition, different management strategies, namely, heat recovery between adsorbers and re-allocation of phase durations, were evaluated to identify their influence on the system. Both strategies confirmed the possibility of increasing COP and SCP up to 40% and 25%, respectively. Moreover, a design analysis based on the experimental results has been carried out, to suggest possible improvements of the system. The obtained results demonstrated the possibility of employing a non-toxic refrigerant like ethanol reaching performance comparable with other harmful refrigerants like ammonia and methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drawbacks of independent management are increasingly prominent since the ocean carbon sink trading market is fragmented, leading to controversies such as "different prices for the same carbon". In addition, ocean carbon sinks have positive externality characteristics, which can easily induce free-rider behavior in regional independent management. It is necessary to bridge the gap between regional carbon markets as soon as possible and realize collaborative management of ocean carbon sinks in various regions. In order to explore the regional management strategy for ocean carbon sink trading, this paper constructs a game model of ocean carbon sink market trading among ocean carbon sink producers, demand enterprises, trading platforms and local governments, analyzes the output, trading volume, trading price and total profit of ocean carbon sink management in neighboring regions under independent and collaborative management. The conclusions show that regional collaborative management is more conducive to promoting ocean carbon sink market transactions. Compared with the independent management, the overall profit, carbon sink trading price, the carbon sink output, the trading volume, the trading platform commission, subsidies given to producers and platform of collaborative management are higher. The contributions are as follows. First, this paper incorporates the trading platform and government into the cooperative game model, which makes the game model more consistent with the actual situation at the early stage of ocean carbon sink market trading. Second, this paper compares the cost-benefit of independent and collaborative management models to provide a theoretical reference for regional collaborative management of ocean carbon sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The material composition of RAP in different road sections has significant variation. • A systematic procedure for designing the HIRAM material composition was proposed. • The warm mix asphalt technology can be used to optimize the HIR construction parameters. • The management strategy for controlling the HIR construction quality in the field was proposed. The material composition of hot in-place recycling asphalt mixture (HIRAM) fluctuates violently during construction in the field, effecting the hot in-place recycling (HIR) construction quality. In addition, construction cost optimization and carbon emission control are also crucial factors to consider in today's pavement projects. To maximize the benefits of HIR maintenance technology, a systematic procedure for designing the HIRAM material composition and a strategy for optimizing the construction parameters are proposed by considering the RAP variability, construction costs, and carbon emissions. The management strategy for controlling the construction quality of HIR in the field is also proposed, and the feasibility of the strategy for designing HIRAM material composition and optimizing the construction parameters is verified in engineering practice. The results show that there is a significant difference in RAP material composition at different road sections, and the procedure developed in this study can precisely design the HIRAM material composition based on the principle of similarity of RAP aggregate gradation via Fréchet similarity and K-means cluster analysis, and the accuracy of HIRAM gradation design can be improved to 26.5 %. The HIR construction parameters can be optimized by applying the warm mix asphalt technology based on the multi-objective optimization model. At the same time, the benefits are evaluated, showing that the total construction cost and CO 2 emissions of the project can be reduced by 6.67 % and 16.81 %, respectively. Those working in the field of asphalt pavement maintenance may be interested in this strategy, as this study was done intentionally for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing pesticide use in agriculture is a major challenge to improve sustainability of cropping systems. It is critical to identify effective integrated farming strategies able to decrease substantially pesticide use. This study is based on a unique French national network of 1012 arable commercial farms involved in a pesticide reduction program. These farms displayed contrasting levels of pesticide use, and covered a large diversity of environmental characteristics and farming practices. Our objective was to identify profiles of management strategies showing contrasting pesticide use levels in France. Two categories of factors potentially related to pesticide use were considered successively, namely factors describing production situations and factors describing management strategies. Regression tree methods were applied to the dataset to identify combinations of factors associated with low vs. high pesticide use levels. Results showed that, among the factors describing production situations, the presence of livestock, climate conditions, and to a lesser extent soil characteristics were able to discriminate groups of farms with contrasting pesticide use levels. Among the factors describing management strategies, the crop sequence, the crop diversity, the pesticide spraying techniques, and soil tillage were frequently selected for discriminating farms characterised by low vs. high pesticide use levels, whereas specific factors such as mechanical weeding, crop cultivars and sowing dates were related with pesticide use in some production situations only. Across production situations, several contrasting strategies led to low levels of pesticide use. Besides, within each considered production situation, different strategies appeared associated with low levels of pesticide use. Our results reveal that a large diversity of strategies exists for controlling pests, weeds and diseases without high levels of pesticide use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lung computed tomography (CT) scan is essential for diagnosing lung diseases in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. As a result, lung CT scans are increasingly prescribed in the early phase after allogeneic HSCT, with no assessment of the added value for global patient management. Among 250 patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT in our center over a 2-year period, we evaluated 68 patients who had at least 1 lung CT scan within the first 30 days post-transplantation. The median interval between allogeneic HSCT and lung CT scan was 8.5 days. Patients who underwent an early lung CT scan were more immunocompromised and had a more severe course. Fever was the main indication for the CT scan (78%). The lung CT scan was abnormal in 52 patients, including 17 patients who had an abnormal pre-HSCT CT scan. A therapeutic change was noted in 37 patients (54%) within 24 hours after the lung CT scan. The main changes included the introduction of corticosteroids (n = 23; 62%), especially in patients with a normal CT scan (89%). In univariate models, we found that a normal pretransplantation CT scan ( P = .002), the absence of either dyspnea ( P = .029) or hypoxemia ( P = .015), and a serum C-reactive protein level <10 mg/L ( P = .004) were associated with a normal post-HSCT lung CT scan. We found that the association of these variables could predict the normality of early post-HSCT lung CT scans. Pretransplantation lung CT scans are useful for the interpretation of subsequent lung CT scans following allogeneic HSCT, which are frequently abnormal. Early post-HSCT lung CT scans are helpful in patient management, but prescriptions could be more targeted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous vegetation established on the city wall constitutes a characteristic greenspace within the urban matrix. Nanjing city wall of the Ming Dynasty (NJCW), as an extraordinary huge defensive masonry project, was built in 1393, the extant, basically intact ancient city wall is 25.09 km long, 9–26 m high, and is protected now as a key national cultural relic. Species composition and life forms of the vascular plants established on the vertical or inclined wall surfaces of NJCW were investigated, and its diaspore sources and dispersal modes were also analyzed. Totally, 159 species in 125 genera of 70 families were found inhabiting the joints between bricks or between block stones, trees, shrubs and woody lianas accounts for 51.57% of the species assemblage, while herbaceous plant species makes up 48.43% of them. Fifteen alien species were found colonizing NJCW, including 12 invasive species. Six 100-m-long quadrats were sampled in different segments of NJCW, each quadrat contained 39–77 species, and 755–3006 individuals. In total, 10785 individuals of vascular plants were recorded, consisting of 104 species in 89 genera of 56 families. 65.25% of the total individuals, and 53.85% of the total species are adapted to the primary dispersal of diaspores by wind, whereas 34.75% of the individual assemblage, and 46.15% of the species assemblage are adapted to the primary dispersal of seeds by birds. A bird-dispersed, native pioneer tree, Broussonetia papyrifera , was the most abundant species among the six quadrats, even developed coppices on the vertical wall surface. Location and aspect of the quadrats may have affected the species diversity of vascular plants established on its wall surfaces. A diversity of vascular plants established on NJCW, as a valuable urban ecological heritage, is worthy of sustainable wall management, while management priorities should be given to those large trees inhabiting the walls made of bricks, and to the invasive alien species to prevent them from further spreading over the adjacent urban habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to compare the reproductive performance of lactating Holstein cows managed with a strategy that included the Ovsynch protocol with exogenous progesterone (P4) supplementation or presynchronization with GnRH 7 d before Ovsynch to treat cows without a corpus luteum (CL), a CL <15 mm, or cystic at the time of the PGF2α injection of Resynch (GnRH-7 d-PGF2α-56 h-GnRH-16 to 20 h-TAI). In a preliminary study, blood collection and transrectal ovarian ultrasonography were conducted (n = 555) at the PGF2α of Resynch [coincident with nonpregnancy diagnosis (NPD)] to define a cutoff value for CL size that better predicted fertility after timed artificial insemination (TAI). A CL size of 15 mm was selected based on statistical differences in pregnancies per AI (P/AI) [33.2 vs. 10.3 P/AI for CL ≥15 mm (n = 497) vs. no CL ≥15 mm (n = 58; no CL, CL <15 mm, or cystic)]. Subsequently, in a completely randomized experiment, cows were enrolled in a management strategy that used Ovsynch with P4 supplementation [Ovsynch+P4; GnRH and controlled internal drug release device (CIDR)-7 d-PGF2α and CIDR removal-56 h-GnRH-16 to 20 h-TAI] or a PreG-Ovsynch protocol [PreG-Ovsynch; GnRH-7 d-GnRH-7 d-PGF2α-56 h-GnRH-16 to 20 h-TAI] to treat cows without a CL, a CL <15 mm, or cystic at NPD and the PGF2α of Resynch. Cows with a CL ≥15 mm at the PGF2α of Resynch completed the protocol and received TAI. Data were available from 212, 192, and 1,797 AI services after Ovsynch+P4, PreG-Ovsynch, and Resynch, respectively. At 39 d after AI, P/AI tended to be greater for Ovsynch+P4 and PreG-Ovsynch combined (35.1%) than for Resynch cows (31.1%), whereas P/AI were similar for Ovsynch+P4 (34.4%) and PreG-Ovsynch (35.9%). The hazard of pregnancy for cows that received the experimental treatments at least once was similar for cows in the Ovsynch+P4 (n = 124) and the PreG-Ovsynch (n = 132) group (hazard ratio 1.15; 95% confidence interval: 0.87 to 1.53). Median days to pregnancy were 52 and 59 for cows in the Ovsynch+P4 and the PreG-Ovsynch groups, respectively. The presynchronizing GnRH injection of PreG-Ovsynch induced ovulation in 86.0% of the cows. At the first GnRH of Ovsynch, the proportion of cows with a CL based on ultrasound (86.6 vs. 15.0%), P4 >1 ng/mL (82.8 vs. 31.8%), a follicle ≥10 mm (98.0 vs. 84.4%), and P4 concentrations (3.7 vs. 1.1 ng/mL) was greater in PreG-Ovsynch than in Ovsynch+P4. Conversely, more cows ovulated in response to the first GnRH of Ovsynch in Ovsynch+P4 (71.9%) than PreG-Ovsynch (58.3%). At the PGF2α before TAI, more cows had a CL based on ultrasound (92.1 vs. 77.0%) and P4 concentrations were greater in PreG-Ovsynch than in Ovsynch+P4 (4.1 vs. 2.6 ng/mL); however, a similar proportion of cows had P4 >1 ng/mL (79.1 vs. 82.7%). We conclude that the Ovsynch+P4 and PreG-Ovsynch treatments for cows without a CL, a CL <15 mm, or cystic at the PGF2α injection of Resynch led to P/AI similar to that of cows with a CL ≥15 mm, and that both management strategies resulted in similar time to pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In hierarchically managed network-on-chip (NoC) based manycore systems with over one thousand processor cores, resource management is critical to efficient operation of the whole system. Meanwhile, the fault-tolerant design of the management structure is as important as the fault-tolerant design in the micro-structural level and the system level, which should require more attention towards constructing resilient manycore systems. This paper presents RCFTM, a hierarchical agent-based role-changeable fault-tolerant management strategy based on the modified role-changeable management framework for resilient NoC-based manycore systems. It is a distributed and adaptive strategy which can reconstruct the management hierarchy dynamically and it is capable of providing an intrinsic ability to tolerate various damages to the management hierarchy due to permanent core faults. The fault-tolerant capability of the RCFTM strategy is first evaluated with MATLAB for a large scale manycore system. Results show that the RCFTM strategy has better fault-tolerant capability than the conventional replacement strategy which relies only on backup cores. Then, the RCFTM strategy is implemented in C on a 5×5 NoC-based manycore system, where a full-system simulation platform is utilized. Experiments show that, with 20 K bytes ROM and 35.6 K bytes RAM footprint for the RCFTM strategy on each agent, the system can successfully tolerate both single and multiple core faults. Results also show that the RCFTM strategy only introduces less than 1.48% computing overhead of a working agent while the system is fault-free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been extensive literature discussion regarding data-poor assessments, but considerably less on harvest strategies for data-poor fisheries. There is also a large body of work around harvest strategy development for data-rich fisheries. However, there has been little discussion or specific guidance regarding the process of developing and implementing formal harvest strategies for data-poor fisheries. We outline such a process, illustrated using case studies of data-poor Australian Commonwealth fisheries. The process comprises: (1) compile and review available information; (2) identify possibly indicators; (3) identify reference points for key indicators; (4) select an appropriate harvest strategy and decision rules; (5) if possible, formally evaluate whether the harvest strategy options are likely to achieve the management objectives; and (6) implementation. While this approach is similar to that for data-rich cases, there is less statistical or estimation detail within each step. Even with minimal capacity, the guidelines outlined here, backed by even the simplest form of management strategy evaluation, provide an approach that should enable harvest strategies to be proposed and associated monitoring to be implemented. Monitoring requirements may be explicitly built into harvest strategies via trigger reference points and control rules related to data-collection. While prior formal evaluation provides the best basis for testing the efficacy of a harvest strategy, there remains disparity between the corresponding required capacity and what many agencies and institutions worldwide are capable of providing. Thus, the extent to which harvest strategies may be effectively evaluated and implemented remains an unresolved challenge for data-poor fisheries, but one whose resolution is predicated, at least in the first instance, on adequate monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolytic hydrogen production using renewable sources can play a central role in global decarbonization. However, the direct coupling of electrolyzers with renewable energies can cause frequent shutdowns and high production fluctuations unless adopting electrical storage systems or using electricity from the grid that is generally not completely decarbonized. In this study, a system consisting of a wind turbine, short-term battery storage, and an alkaline electrolyzer was analyzed through annual simulations in MATLAB. A power management strategy sets the electrolyzer and battery operating conditions. Firstly, several battery and electrolyzer sizes were investigated for a given wind site for three scenarios (0%grid , 20%grid , and 100%grid) in which the grid guarantees the electrolyzer operation at a minimum load of 0%, 20%, and 100%, respectively. Secondly, the effect of the wind speed distribution on the system performance was investigated by comparing sixteen different wind sites in the 0%grid scenario. The battery presence always led to a LCOH increase. The 20%grid scenario represented a good compromise between the minimization of specific CO 2 emissions, and the minimization of LCOH (that was always lower compared to the 0%grid scenario and the lowest without battery). The shape parameter of the fitted Weibull wind speed distribution did not affect the system. Instead, a greater scale parameter led to both greater hydrogen production and a lower LCOH. • Direct hydrogen generation from wind energy is investigated. • Scenarios with an increasing absorption from the electrical grid were compared. • Influence of Weibull scale and shape parameters on system performance. • Battery use always increases the levelized cost of hydrogen. • Best results when the electrolyzer minimum load operation is guaranteed by grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The range of components involved in the construction of tourist expectations and the influence these expectations generate on consumer satisfaction have been analyzed by tourism and marketing researchers. However, the causes and consequences of negative emotions such as disappointment seem to be neglected. Tourists' high expectations should be met not only by the services sector, but also by the tourism destination itself. Service insufficiency, or the failure of the travel experience, along with other risk factors may lead to tourists' dissatisfaction. This paper aims to create a better understanding of negative emotional attributes related to tourism destinations by investigating the causes, factors, and consequences of tourists' disappointment by developing a model of the phenomenon. This paper offers practical implications for destination managers and discusses how the causes of disappointment might be eliminated, or minimized, and that tourists can be compensated for disappointing experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new methodology has been discussed on economical power management of a grid-connected CHP system which consists of a wind turbine, photovoltaic array, polymer exchange membrane fuel cell and an electrolyzer. Hence, the paper also attempts to present the thorough modeling of energy management of the hybrid system in the form of a nonlinear optimization problem; through which offline energy management is regarded to use the available options in order to determine the role of each generator in producing heat, power and hydrogen in the system under study. In addition to this, variable tariffs of daily exchange with local grid have been taken into account in different operation conditions so as to reach real utilization requirements. Based on these facts, choosing the most suitable model for each element of the hybrid system has been considered in regard to their dynamic behavior. The proposed hybrid system is to supply the electrical and thermal demands of renewable energy laboratory of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (SBUK). The economical energy management is comprehensively studied and surveyed in the form of various scenarios while the hybrid system is connected to the grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, a new approach to energy resources management in a residential microgrid is proposed and evaluated in simulation, using energy and economic criteria. Its aim is to improve energy efficiency as well as interaction with the electricity grid. So, a grid-connected building located in Perpignan (south of France) and equipped with energy production and storage systems has been modelled using the TRNSYS software. We designed and managed these systems optimally and highlighted configurations that promote self-consumption of energy. In addition, the negative impact on the grid of local power generation (related to both energy injection and extraction) is minimized. The combination of photovoltaic solar panels and a vertical-axis wind turbine as a viable energy mix option for residential buildings in Southern France has also been evaluated. At least, we appraised the way electricity storage impacts on performance as well as the savings one can achieve by shifting some domestic loads from on-peak to off-peak periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legume-based catch crops (LBCCs) may act as an important source of nitrogen (N) in organic crop rotations because of biological N fixation. However, the potential risk of high nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions needs to be taken into account when including LBCCs in crop rotations. Here, we report the results from a one-year field experiment, which investigated N availability and N 2 O emissions as affected by three LBCCs, i.e., red clover (CL), red clover–ryegrass mixture (GC) and winter vetch (WV), two non-LBCCs, i.e., perennial ryegrass (GR) and fodder radish (FR), and a control (CO) without catch crops. The effect of two catch crop management strategies was also tested: autumn harvest of the catch crop versus incorporation of whole-crop residues by spring ploughing. LBCCs accumulated 59–67 kg N ha −1 in their tops, significantly more than those of the non-LBCC, 32–40 kg N ha −1 . Macro-roots accounted for >33% of total N in the catch crops. In accordance with this, LBCCs enhanced the performance of the succeeding unfertilised spring barley, thus obtaining a grain yield of 3.3–4.5 Mg ha −1 compared to 2.6–3.3 Mg ha −1 grain yield from non-LBCC and the fallow control treatments. Autumn harvest of catch crops, especially LBCCs, tended to reduce crop yield. The annual N 2 O emissions were comparable across treatments except for fodder radish, which had the highest N 2 O emission, and also the highest average yield-scaled N 2 O emission, at 499 g N 2 O-N Mg −1 grain. Although the sampling strategy employed in this study introduces uncertainty about the spatial and temporal variability, differences in seasonal emission patterns among catch crops were captured and harvest of catch crops in late autumn induced significantly higher emissions during winter, but lower emissions after residue incorporation in spring. In comparison with non-LBCC, LBCCs have the potential to partly replace the effect of manure application in organic cropping systems with greater crop production and less environmental footprint with respect to N 2 O emissions. However, harvest of the catch crops may reduce crop yield unless the harvested N is recycled as fertiliser to the crops in the rotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) consist of emergent macrophytes that are placed on a floating mat in a pond for water treatment and aesthetic purposes. FTWs may have unique advantages with respect to treating urban runoff within existing retention ponds for excess nutrients. However, research is lacking in providing guidance on performance of specific species for treating urban runoff, and on timing of harvest. Harvesting is needed to remove nutrients permanently from the retention pond. We investigated vegetation effects on FTWs on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal performance and storage in above-ground FTW macrophyte tissues. The study evaluated pickerelweed (PW, Pontederia cordata L.) and softstem bulrush (SB, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani ) over time in microcosms flushed with water obtained from a nearby urban retention pond in northern Virginia near Washington, DC. While the literature exhibits a wide range of experimental sizes, using the term mesocosm, we have chosen the term microcosm to reflect the small size of our vessel; and do not include effects of sediment. The experiment demonstrated PW outperformed SB for P and N removal. Based upon analysis of the accumulated nutrient removal over time, a harvest of the whole PW and SB plants in September or October is recommended. However, when harvesting only the aerial parts, we recommend harvesting above-ground PW tissues in July or August to maximize nutrient removal. This is because PW translocates most of its nutrients to below-ground storage organs in the fall, resulting in less nutrient mass in the above-ground tissue compared to the case in the summer (vegetative stage). Further research is suggested to investigate whether vegetation can be overly damaged from multiple harvests on an annual basis in temperate regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cl− may have harmful effects on water reuse. • Present situations and challenges of Cl− in reclaimed water were analyzed • Non-selective and selective technologies for Cl− removal were compared. • A holistic framework of Cl− control towards sustainable water reuse was proposed. Chloride ions (Cl−), which are omnipresent in reclaimed water, can cause various problems in water reuse systems, especially during water transmission and at end use sites. Although reverse osmosis (RO) is considered as an effective technology to reduce chloride, its high investment and complex maintenance requirements hinder its application in many water reclamation plants (WRPs). Recently, several technologies bringing new options to better deal with chloride have gained increased attention. This review provides detailed information on the harmful effects, concentration levels, and sources of chloride in reclaimed water and summarizes and discusses various chloride removal technologies, including non-selective methods (e.g., membrane filtration, adsorption and ion exchange, oxidation, and electrochemical methods) and selective methods (e.g. precipitation and specially designed electrochemical methods). Among these, Friedel's salt precipitation and capacitive deionization showed attractive development potential. This review also proposes a holistic framework for chloride control from aspects of "Fit-for-Purpose" planning, technical system development, and whole process optimization, which could facilitate the planning and operation of long-term sustainable water reuse practices. [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A template for restoring high elevation five needle pines is presented. • The template includes long term programs that assist in restoration activities done at four spatial scales. • Climate change considerations are integrated into this template at each scale. Many ecologically important high elevation five-needle white pine (HEFNP) forests that historically dominated upper subalpine landscapes of western North America are now being impacted by mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus spp.) outbreaks, the exotic disease white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), and altered fire regimes. And more recently, predicted changes in climate may reduce HEFNP habitat and exacerbate adverse impacts of fire, beetles and rust. Management intervention using specially designed tactics implemented at multiple scales (range-wide, landscape, stand, and tree levels) are needed to conserve these keystone tree species. A goal of this intervention is to promote self-sustaining HEFNP ecosystems that have both resilience to disturbances and genetic resistance to white pine blister rust in the face of climate change. Many tools and methods are available for land managers, and in this paper, we summarize possible multi-scaled actions that might be taken as steps toward restoration of these valuable HEFNP forests. Long-term programs, such as inventory, mapping, planning, seed collection, seedling production, education, and research provide the materials for effective restoration at finer scales. Stand- and landscape-level passive and active treatments, such as silvicultural cuttings and prescribed fires in both healthy and declining forests, are described in detail and grouped by objectives, methods, and tactics. And last, there are critical pro-active tree-level actions of planting and protection that may be used alone or together to enhance success of other restoration actions. Administrative, policy, legislative, and societal barriers to implementation of an effective restoration effort are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Zollinger–Ellison syndrome (ZES) is a rare disorder characterized by gastrin-secreting tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and gastric acid hypersecretion. There is controversy over the best way to manage these patients; we investigated outcomes of patients with different forms of the disease, who did and did not undergo surgery. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with ZES associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) (n = 16) and those with sporadic ZES (n = 33) seen at a tertiary care center from August 1994 to January 2012. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to compare survival times among groups, based on treatment with surgery (n = 34) and the presence of MEN-1 (n = 9 with surgery; n = 7 without surgery). Differences were compared using the unpaired Student t test and the Fisher exact test. Results: Patients with MEN-1 syndrome-associated ZES presented at a younger age than patients with sporadic ZES (34.9 vs 45.7 y, respectively; P < .05) and were diagnosed at a younger age (39.3 vs 49.7 y, respectively; P < .01), yet lived a similar number of years (55.9 vs 55.1 y, respectively; P = .91). None of the patients with MEN-1–associated ZES died of progressive disease, compared with 86% of deaths among patients with sporadic ZES (P < .05). Lymph node involvement, detected during surgery, increased the risk of metastasis to liver (P = .13) and lack of cure by surgery (P = .01). Surgery reduced all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.6; P = .011) and disease-related mortality (hazard ratio, 0.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.84; P = .032) of patients with sporadic, but not MEN-1 syndrome-associated, ZES. Conclusions: The presence of MEN-1 is associated with earlier onset and diagnosis of ZES, but a benign clinical course that rarely results in disease-related death; surgery therefore can be deferred for these patients. However, 86% of deaths among patients with sporadic ZES are attributed to disease-related causes, and mortality is reduced by early surgical intervention. Patients with sporadic ZES should undergo surgery soon after diagnosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The past fifty years has witnessed dramatic progress in the understanding and treatment of patients suffering from cardiovascular disease leading to symptomatic relief and impressive increases in longevity. These advances have been due in large part to the development, study and implementation of new technology. Within interventional cardiology in particular, these advances have been driven by the availability of new technology in the form of medical devices. Successful device development efforts require close collaboration among basic scientist, clinician-inventors/entrepreneurs, clinician-investigators and corporations. Though the role of the clinician is central to this process, these activities present important conflicts-of-interest (COIs). The purpose of this paper is to 1) characterize these conflicts, 2) provide a context from which to approach their management and 3) recommend management strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ninety six crossbred pigs were used in a 4×2×2 experiment to determine the influence of management strategy, moisture infusion and ageing on pork quality. The treatments were i) management strategy (MS) during the last 28days pre-slaughter (Control: conventional diet; Ractopamine (Rac): porcine somatotropin (pST); and combined (Rac+pST): Rac for 28days and pST for the final 14days), ii) moisture infusion (MI) (0% and 10%) and iii) ageing period (24h and 7days). L* was decreased by pST and Rac+pST, followed by Rac and then the Control MS. Shear force was increased by Rac and Rac+pST but not by either pST or the Control MS. MI decreased L* and shear force while ageing for 7days increased L* and yellowness, and decreased drip loss and WB shear force. MI or ageing for 7days improved sensory pork quality. The results from this experiment indicated that as expected MI and ageing can be used to improve pork quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background & Aims: Cure of Helicobacter pylori infection induces remission in most patients with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (GML) that is associated with these bacteria. We determined the long-term outcomes of these patients in a prospective multicenter trial and investigated whether they developed second cancers or had histologic residual disease. Methods: We followed 120 patients with stage EI1 GML for a median of 122 months after H pylori eradication (range, 1–171 months). Remission was determined by histology analysis and development of second cancers was documented. Results: Of the patients, 80% (96 of 120) achieved complete remission from GML, and 80% of those (77 of 96) remained disease free. Estimated mean survival time in the Kaplan–Meier analysis was 147 months (95% confidence interval: 138–156 months). Of the patients that achieved complete remission, 17% (16 of 96) had histologic residual disease after a median of 32 months (range, 3–68 months). Disease did not progress in any of these patients, and all but 1 achieved a second complete remission (median duration, 46 months). Standardized morbidity ratios revealed a significantly higher incidence of gastric cancer (8.567; 95% confidence interval, 3.566–20.582) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (18.621; 95% confidence interval: 8.365–41.448) in the 96 patients that achieved a complete remission, compared with the general German population. Conclusions: Cure of H pylori infection leads to continuous complete remission in most patients with H pylori–associated GML. Patients are at risk for development of secondary cancers (ie, gastric cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A case study of Dahu landslide from Linbao Henan in China was discussed in this paper. Based on various kinds of basic data, the 3D numerical model of a geological structure which possesses all kinds of information including the mechanical characteristics and the geometrical parameters of geological discontinuities were known from previous works. Thus, both the whole geological structure and all kinds of geological components involved in a slope can be visualized on computer, the complicated analysis and calculation can be then carried out easily and effectively. Firstly, the combination of 3D numerical model with the limit equilibrium analysis theory in slope stabilization can easily provide the present stability factor. Then according to monitoring data of the total station, the potential sliding trends are analyzed if landslides do not occur. Secondly, there are a number of uncertainties on the factors of multi-forms of disaster, such as, rainfall, earthquake, and mined-out area. The unascertained mathematics theory is applied to the stability comprehensive evaluation. It shows four landslide bodies get to be at unstable state if there are some inducements. Thirdly, sliding distance and movement scope were predicted if landslides occur. On the basis of the analysis above, the treatment of the landslide body called isolated method of culvert was proposed. It has solved the contradiction of landslide and mining radically, and provides important technical assurance for safety and sustainable development of mine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the past few decades, construction and demolition (C&D) waste has received increasing attention from construction practitioners and researchers worldwide. A plethora of research regarding C&D waste management has been published in various academic journals. However, it has been determined that existing studies with respect to C&D waste reduction are mainly carried out from a static perspective, without considering the dynamic and interdependent nature of the whole waste reduction system. This might lead to misunderstanding about the actual effect of implementing any waste reduction strategies. Therefore, this research proposes a model that can serve as a decision support tool for projecting C&D waste reduction in line with the waste management situation of a given construction project, and more importantly, as a platform for simulating effects of various management strategies on C&D waste reduction. The research is conducted using system dynamics methodology, which is a systematic approach that deals with the complexity – interrelationships and dynamics – of any social, economic and managerial system. The dynamic model integrates major variables that affect C&D waste reduction. In this paper, seven causal loop diagrams that can deepen understanding about the feedback relationships underlying C&D waste reduction system are firstly presented. Then a stock-flow diagram is formulated by using software for system dynamics modeling. Finally, a case study is used to illustrate the validation and application of the proposed model. Results of the case study not only built confidence in the model so that it can be used for quantitative analysis, but also assessed and compared the effect of three designed policy scenarios on C&D waste reduction. One major contribution of this study is the development of a dynamic model for evaluating C&D waste reduction strategies under various scenarios, so that best management strategies could be identified before being implemented in practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to put forward a strategic framework of wetland preservation and management based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Information Systems (IS) in China. After analyzing the past and current wetland management in China, there were four problems identified existing in wetland management in China: a lack of wetland inventory, a lack of professional management, a delay in information online, and a lack of public participation in decision making. Thus, there is great need for establishing a conservation and management framework for both natural wetland and constructed wetland. A brief literature review is supplemented by a number of more detailed applications illustrating various GIS techniques which may be of use to the applied environmental issues or natural resources. GIS and IS could provide a platform to incorporate the complexities of the spatial data of all kinds of wetlands into the wetland inventory. The information collected through wetland inventories is essential for sustainable wetland management. Finally, the authors addressed the structure of the management system and put forward a strategy by online access that both benefit for decision making and public participation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this experimental work was to study the influence of the operation mode (i.e. cycle time and relative duration of ads-/desorption phases, R) as well as of the operating conditions on the performance of an adsorption chiller. The testing campaign demonstrated that the management optimization strongly improves the performance of such kind of machines. The Coefficient of Performance (COP) and the Specific/Volumetric Cooling Power (SCP, VCP) vary, respectively, in a range of ±133% and ±43% when the cycle time (τcycle) increases from 5 to 20 min at fixed boundary conditions (T e = 15 °C, T c = 35 °C, T h = 90 °C) while a further increasing in performance (up to 15%) is reached, at fixed cycle time, by protracting the duration of the adsorption phase at the expense of the desorption one. The complete set of results allowed to draw a map of performance suitable for the optimization of the management mode taking into account the specific application. At T e = 15 °C, T c = 35 °C, T h = 90 °C, if high SCP is required (e.g. automotive air conditioning), the optimal choice is τ cycle = 7 min and R = 2.5 (SCP = 394 W/kg, COP = 0.60, VCP = 223 W/m3) while to assure a good efficiency (e.g. solar cooling) the proper management is τ cycle = 20 min and R = 1 (SCP = 204 W/kg, COP = 0.69, VCP = 116 W/m3). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Grassland-based beef-cattle farms are dynamic systems that are difficult to manage, particularly because of their sensitivity to uncontrollable environmental factors such as weather. The design of farms and management strategies capable of coping with a wide range of conditions is thus a challenging issue. The SEDIVER discrete-event simulation framework presented in this article has been developed to support the construction of dynamic simulation models of grassland-based beef-cattle farms for evaluation and empirical design purposes. The originality of the models built with SEDIVER lies in the explicit representation of: (i) management strategies as the planning and coordination of activities in time and space through which the farmer controls the biophysical processes occurring within the system and (ii) the diversity in plant, animals, grassland and farmland, and the management opportunities and difficulties that this might induce. An application example illustrates the kind of simulation-based investigations enabled by SEDIVER. A grassland-based beef-cattle farm in France is examined for two contrasted management strategies: the first one corresponding to the actual practice and the second one paying increased attention to and exploiting plant and grassland diversity. The simulation results showed that the second one could roughly double fodder yields and thus ensure farm self-sufficiency for fodder. Thanks to the capacity of a SEDIVER-based model to take practical production considerations into account, it is possible to increase the realism of farm simulations and the credibility and relevance of the farming systems which can thus be designed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Saline water has been included as an important substitutable resource for fresh water in agricultural irrigation in many fresh water scarce regions. In order to make good use of saline water for agricultural irrigation in North China, a semi-humid area, a 3-year field experiment was carried out to study the possibility of using saline water for supplement irrigation of cucumber. Saline water was applied via mulched drip irrigation. The average electrical conductivity of irrigation water (EC iw ) was 1.1, 2.2, 2.9, 3.5 and 4.2dS/m in 2003 and 2004, and 1.1, 2.2, 3.5, 4.2 and 4.9dS/m in 2005. Throughout cucumber-growing season, the soil matric potential at 0.2m depth immediately under drip emitter was kept higher than −20kPa and saline water was applied after cucumber seedling stage. The experimental results revealed that cucumber fruit number per plant and yield decreased by 5.7% per unit increase in EC iw . The maximum yield loss was around 25% for EC iw of 4.9dS/m, compared with 1.1dS/m. Cucumber seasonal accumulative water use decreased linearly over the range of 1.5–6.9% per unit increase in EC iw . As to the average root zone EC e (electrical conductivity of saturated paste extract), cucumber yield and water use decreased by 10.8 and 10.3% for each unit of EC e increase in the root zone (within 40cm away from emitter and 40cm depths), respectively. After 3 years irrigation with saline water, there was no obvious tendency for EC e to increase in the soil profile of 0–90cm depths. So in North China, or similar semi-humid area, when there is no enough fresh water for irrigation, saline water up to 4.9dS/m can be used to irrigate field culture cucumbers at the expense of some yield loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Constant harvest rate as a management strategy for the Pacific sardine (Sardinops caeruleus) fishery in the Gulf of California is supported by an analysis of variations in the catchability coefficient (q), stock abundance and commercial catch. Catchability was analyzed based on population length-structured data standard length (SL), expressed as CPUE, for 26 fishing seasons (1972–1973 to 1997–1998). We used a deterministic model of catchability to estimate the catchability-at-length assuming catchability depends on length and sardine behavior. Results demonstrated that catchability increases with sardine length, with low values for older sardines (sizes greater than 20.5cm SL), which are poorly represented in catches. Most changes in q-at-length values can be observed within the range of 12.5–15.0cm SL, which corresponded to first maturity and first capture lengths, respectively. Catchability-at-length pattern was represented for an exponential model with adjusted R 2 =0.94. Moreover, we observed an inverse power relationship between catchability and stock abundance with a slope value of β d =−0.58, which indicates the existence of hyperstability or density-dependent catchability. The strong fluctuations in biomass of the Pacific sardine, the pattern of hyperstability, and the current state of the sardine fishery defined to be harvested at the maximum allowable catch, are the rationale for recommending a constant harvest rate as management strategy, with a value of HR=0.29 and maintain the current minimum legal size of capture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]