Search

Abstract Background Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals. As a transboundary animal disease, the prevention and control of FMD are important. This study was based on spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to assess FMD risk areas in mainland China. Ten risk factors were identified for constructing risk maps by scoring, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to calculate the criteria weights of all factors. Different risk factors had different units and attributes, and fuzzy membership was used to standardize the risk factors. The weighted linear combination (WLC) and one-at-a-time (OAT) were used to obtain risk and uncertainty maps as well as to perform sensitivity analysis. Results Four major risk areas were identified in mainland China, including western (parts of Xinjiang and Tibet), southern (parts of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan and Guangdong), northern (parts of Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia), and eastern (parts of Hebei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong). Spring is the main season for FMD outbreaks. Risk areas were associated with the distance to previous outbreak points, grazing areas and cattle density. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the risk map had good predictive power (AUC=0.8634). Conclusions These results can be used to delineate FMD risk areas in mainland China, and veterinary services can adopt the targeted preventive measures and control strategies.

In recent years, the pipe shed advanced support method has emerged as a new technique for excavating tunnels in weak surrounding rock. However, the necessity to maintain a certain inclination angle when constructing large pipe sheds unavoidably increases the excavation and lining quantities. Consequently, as the length of the pipe shed increases, construction errors also grow, resulting in larger excavations and backfilling works, thereby making it difficult to control the quality of pipe shed installations and limiting the development of the pipe shed method. Faced with the challenges presented by tunnel support construction as part of subway tunnel construction, this paper is based on the Songhuai Youyuan Station tunnel project involving Zhengzhou Metro Line 9. Field experiments were conducted, using high-torque horizontal drilling machines and pipe shed guiding technology to successfully complete the installation of a 208 m long pipe shed in a single operation (the longest in the world). Through case analysis and technological innovation, a feasible and effective drilling technology scheme was proposed. Compared with traditional methods, the key technology for installing super-long pipe sheds in a single operation reduced the construction time by 35% and construction costs by 25%, providing valuable insights for similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swine erysipelas is a common infectious disease that affects the pig‐breeding industry. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the risk factors and their role in the prevalence of swine erysipelas so that one may be able to better prevent and control the swine erysipelas outbreaks in Northeast China. Using spatial clusters, the study area was divided into two parts: South Central Mainland China (hot spots) and Northeast Mainland China (potential outbreak areas). We investigated a total of 31 environmental factors and used the lasso regression and k‐fold cross‐validation methods to determine the main factors involved. Seven risk factors were determined to have a major impact on swine erysipelas. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the contribution of these seven risk factors to the outbreak from 2008 to 2018, in the two research regions. In South Central Mainland China, where swine erysipelas was most prevalent, the extreme maximum temperature [OR = 1.143 (95%CI: 1.032–1.342)], total precipitation [OR = 2.298 (95%CI: 1.410–5.112)] and precipitation ≥0.1 mm [OR = 2.396 (95%CI: 1.329–5.941)] exhibited positive effects. The maximum wind speed [OR = 0.550 (95%CI: 0.303–0.775)] and concentration of O3‐8H‐90 per [OR = 0.876 (95%CI: 0.747–0.980)] exhibited negative effects. Summer was the main season for the erysipelas epidemic in South Central Mainland China. In Northeast China, only the total precipitation [OR = 1.048 (95%CI: 0.900–0.989)] was positively correlated with the prevalence of swine erysipelas, whereas the other factors were not significant. There was no obvious seasonal feature for the epidemic. Through the comparison and analysis of risk factors between the two research regions, more attention should be given to the impacts of high temperature and precipitation on the swine erysipelas epidemic in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A two-dimensional coupled flow-heat-solid numerical model was established to simulate the dynamic response of stress and temperature field in the North China Plain (Henan). • The stress field alters the flow path and velocity distribution of the fluid, thereby affecting the heat conduction process; the influence of the stress field on heat conduction leads to distortion and uneven distribution of the temperature field. • Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains in the western and northern parts are the main recharge areas for underground geothermal water in the North China Basin, while the recharge proportion in the southwestern mountainous area of western Shandong is relatively small. The distribution and flow of geothermal energy in the North China region are influenced by geological structures and rock thermal properties. However, the interactions between geothermal energy, groundwater movement, and hydrogeochemical processes are not well understood. In this study, a numerical model was developed to simulate these interactions under different geological conditions. The results showed that the stress field of geological structures affects the flow path and velocity distribution of geothermal fluid, leading to distortion and uneven temperature distribution. The distribution of high-mineralized zones of geothermal water indicated the main recharge area in the northern part of the North China Basin (Henan). Hydrochemistry analysis revealed a dynamic balance between centrifugal and centripetal flows in sandstone geothermal water. The study provides important insights for the exploration and development of underground geothermal water, as well as the assessment and optimization of geothermal resources in large basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]