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Purpose: With over 100,000 procedures completed per year, hip and knee arthroplasty are two of the most common surgical procedures performed in Canada. There has been literature indicating that patient reported outcome measures (PROM) will start to plateau between six and 12 months. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the trajectory of PROMs following total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA), as well as assess the impact of any potential confounders on this trajectory. The central research question was: At what point do PROMS plateau among patients that undergo elective THA and TKA? Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of data from a prospective database. Patients were eligible if they had undergone an elective, primary THA/TKA with Oxford Scores recorded pre-operatively, and at least at two of the following four time points: six weeks, six months, one year, and two years. Results: Mean pre-operative Oxford scores were 18.0 (7.8) for THA, and 20.1 (7.5) for TKA. For both THA and TKA, there were statistically significant interval improvements in Oxford scores from six weeks [THA: 33.8 (7.9)/TKA: 28.7 (7.8)] to six months [THA: 40.2 (7.3)/TKA: 35.9 (8.3)], and from six months to one year [THA: 41.0 (7.3)/TKA: 37.3 (8.4)], but not from one to two years [THA: 40.0 (8.5)/TKA: 36.4 (9.6)]. Conclusions: Patients undergoing either primary THA or TKA can expect clinically meaningful improvements in the first six months after surgery. Beyond this time point, there is a plateau in PROMs. These findings are important for both setting patient expectations in pre-operative discussions, and allowing surgeons to have a realistic understanding of their patients' expected post-operative course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the rates of compartment syndrome and other early complications following outpatient open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of tibial plateau fractures. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort at a single US level I academic trauma centre of patients with tibial plateau fractures managed operatively. Inpatients received their definitive ORIF during their index hospital stay and were admitted post-operatively following ORIF. Outpatients were scheduled for ambulatory surgery during definitive ORIF. Exclusion criteria for outpatient surgery included compartment syndrome, polytrauma, open types IIIb/IIIc, and patients who received any internal fixation during index presentation. The primary outcome measure was post-operative compartment syndrome. Secondary outcomes were return to the 90-day return to the ED, 90-day readmission, surgical wound infection, thromboembolism, and 90-day mortality. An intention-to-treat (ITT) and as-treated (AT) analyses were performed. Results: Totally, 71 inpatients and 47 outpatients were included. There were no cases of post-operative compartment syndrome. In the ITT analysis, there were no differences for inpatients vs outpatients for 90-day re-admission (22.5% vs 12.8%, p = 0.275), 90-day return to the ED (35.2% vs 17.0%, p = 0.052), infection (12.7% vs 2.1%, p = 0.094), DVT (7% vs 4.3%, p = 0.819), or PE 1.4% vs 0.0%, p = 1.000). The AT analysis showed a significantly higher 90-day re-admission (26.9% vs 2.5%, p = 0.003) and 90-day ED visit (38.5% vs 7.5%, p = 0.001) rate in the inpatient group. Conclusions: Appropriately selected patients with isolated tibial plateau fractures can have non-inferior rates of compartment syndrome and post-operative complications when compared to inpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common complications of diabetes worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of DR in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Tibet and to identify risk factors that may influence the occurrence of DR. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a third-class hospital in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The prevalence of DR in hospitalized patients with T2DM was measured. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis were used to investigate the risk factors for DR. Results: The prevalence of DR was 29.3%. The duration of diabetes; concentrations of 25-OH-VitD3, hemoglobin, fasting insulin, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and creatinine; and HOMA-IR were significantly different between DR patients and non-DR patients (all P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression revealed that a longer duration of diabetes and lower 25-OH-VitD3 levels were associated with increased DR risk. RCS analysis suggested overall positive associations of the duration of diabetes and 25-OH-VitD3 concentrations with DR risk (P nonlinearity < 0.05). The turning points for the duration of diabetes and 25-OH-VitD3 concentrations were 5.1 years and 10.6 ng/mL, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for the combination of the duration of diabetes and 25-OH-VitD3 levels were 79.4%, 69.4% and 0.764, respectively. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of DR in hospitalized patients with T2DM in Tibet, vitamin D supplementation seems to be important in the prevention of DR to some degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon oxycarbide-based amorphous ceramic material was prepared by crosslinking and step-wise pyrolysis of polysiloxane-based Polyramic resin at temperatures up to 1200 °C as a matrix for anode in Na-ion batteries (NIBs). The synthesized powder was milled under low and high energy ball milling (LEM, HEM) conditions to investigate the effect of powder characteristics on the electrochemical properties of anodes in NIBs. The XPS and EDX analyses showed that the chemical compositions of anodes prepared from LEM and HEM SiOC were similar. However, the SiOC anodes prepared from finer grain sized HEM SiOC powders exhibited better performance like lower charge transfer resistance and faster Na+ diffusion coefficient. The slope capacity and thereby the total specific capacity was enhanced in HEM-SiOC anode. Therefore, the refinement of the particle size and increased surface area are vital for producing high-energy density SiOC anodes for NIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic exposure to the hypobaric hypoxia environment of plateau could influence human cognitive behaviours which are supported by dynamic brain connectivity states. Until now, how functional connectivity (FC) of the brain network changes with altitudes is still unclear. In this article, we used EEG data of the Go/NoGo paradigm from Weinan (347 m) and Nyingchi (2950 m). A combination of dynamic FC (dFC) and the K-means cluster was employed to extract dynamic FC states which were later distinguished by graph metrics. Besides, temporal properties of networks such as fractional windows (FW), transition numbers (TN) and mean dwell time (MDT) were calculated. Finally, we successfully extracted two different states from dFC matrices where State 1 was verified to have higher functional integration and segregation. The dFC states dynamically switched during the Go/NoGo tasks and the FW of State 1 showed a rise in the high-altitude participants. Also, in the regional analysis, we found higher state deviation in the fronto-parietal cortices and enhanced FC strength in the occipital lobe. These results demonstrated that long-term exposure to the high-altitude environment could lead brain networks to reorganize as networks with higher inter- and intra-networks information transfer efficiency, which could be attributed to a compensatory mechanism to the compromised brain function due to the plateau environment. This study provides a new perspective in considering how the plateau impacted cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used 16S high-throughput sequencing to investigate the effects of uranium mining on the rhizospheric bacterial communities and functions of three local plant species, namely, Artemisia frigida, Acorus tatarionwii Schott., and Salix oritrepha Schneid. The results showed that uranium mining significantly reduced the diversity of rhizospheric bacteria in the three local plant species, including the Shannon index and Simpson index (P < 0.05). Interestingly, we found that Sphingomonas and Pseudotrichobacter were enriched in the rhizosphere soil of the three local plants from uranium mining areas, indicating their important ecological role. The three plants were enriched in various dominant rhizospheric bacterial populations in the uranium mining area, including Vicinamidobacteriaceae, Nocardioides, and Gaiella, which may be related to the unique microecological environment of the plant rhizosphere. The rhizospheric bacterial community of A. tatarionwii plants from tailings and open-pit mines also showed a certain degree of differentiation, indicating that uranium mining is the main factor driving the differentiation of plant rhizosphere soil communities on the plateau. Functional prediction revealed that rhizospheric bacteria from different plants have developed different functions to cope with stress caused by uranium mining activities, including enhancing the translational antagonist Rof, the translation initiation factor 2B subunit, etc. This study explores for the first time the impact of plateau uranium mining activities on the rhizosphere microecology of local plants, promoting the establishment of effective soil microecological health monitoring indicators, and providing a reference for further soil pollution remediation in plateau uranium mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study designed a risk assessment scheme to reduce the risk of highway bridge construction in highland mountainous areas, and optimised the existing hierarchical analysis method used for risk weight calculation, using entropy weight and fuzzy numbers for improvement, and designed an optimised fuzzy hierarchical entropy weight comprehensive risk assessment model. The results found that the maximum affiliation degree of site safety management risk is 0.39, which is a low-level risk; the maximum affiliation degree of personnel safety and operation quality category is 0.42, which is an intermediate risk; the maximum affiliation degree of machinery and equipment is 0.40, which is a high-level risk; the maximum affiliation degree of construction materials is 0.69, which is a low-level risk; and the maximum affiliation degree of environment category is 0.51, which is an intermediate risk. The maximum affiliation of the overall construction risk is 0.369, which indicates that the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of the project is an intermediate risk. The results of the study show that the proposed construction risk assessment scheme for highway bridges in highland mountainous areas can provide certain reference for the construction of highland mountainous areas and avoid the corresponding safety risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shorebirds are facing global decline as a consequence of anthropogenic effects that include habitat loss, increased predation and climate change. Although some shorebirds are extensively studied, basic data on life history, ecology and behaviour are still lacking especially for populations where climate change is expected to have severe effects. Here, we provide the first detailed investigation of a high-altitude nesting shorebird in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, the Tibetan Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons. This alpine-breeding Central-Asian species recently split from the Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus that breeds in Eastern Siberia. Understanding the fundamental ecology and behaviour of alpine-breeding shorebirds is important for predicting the challenges these high-altitude species will face given the human-driven environmental changes that are likely to take place in these habitats. Here, we show that Tibetan Sand Plovers in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau have a short breeding season from mid-May to late-June, and exhibit social monogamy and bi-parental care of the clutch. Since they have low hatching success (18 of 57 nests hatched) and no chance of renesting, maintaining population size in the future may pose a challenge. To provide essential information for protection of this species in a vulnerable habitat, further demographic studies are warranted to better understand how climate change will mould adaptations of this specialised high-altitude species to their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the current status and outcomes of basic public health service management for hypertension patients among ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province, providing a scientific foundation for enhancing the quality of hypertension management services. Methods From September 2023 to January 2024, four townships—Jiantang Town and Xiaozhongdian Town in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Jin’an Town and Mingyin Town in Lijiang city, all situated above 2 500 meters in Yunnan Province—were selected using multi-stage stratified random sampling. A total of 2 536 residents aged 35 to 75 underwent questionnaire surveys, physical examinations, and blood biochemical tests. Participants received face-to-face interviews for standardized hypertension management services. ID card numbers were matched with Yunnan Province’s basic public health service management system, dividing participants into managed and unmanaged groups. Differences in blood pressure control and provision of hypertension guidance services between the groups were analyzed. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression was used to quantitatively analyze reasons for non-inclusion in management. Results A total of 618 previously diagnosed hypertension patients were included, with 365 in the managed group and 253 in the unmanaged group, yielding a management coverage rate of 59.1%. The blood pressure control rate in the managed group (38.6%) was significantly higher than that in the unmanaged group (28.0%, P<0.05). The managed group also showed higher proportions of participants receiving hypertension lifestyle guidance, blood pressure measurements, medication instructions, and anti-hypertensive medications compared to the unmanaged group (P<0.05). Tibetans with higher education levels, alcohol consumption, and lack of drug guidance were less likely to be included in management. Reasons for non-inclusion in management were primarily attributed to low health awareness among patients and delays in reporting by medical institutions. Conclusion Basic public health services effectively manage hypertension among ethnic minorities residing at high altitudes in Yunnan Province. Enhancing hypertension awareness among patients and improving management quality are essential for improving hypertension management outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common complications of diabetes worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of DR in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Tibet and to identify risk factors that may influence the occurrence of DR. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a third-class hospital in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The prevalence of DR in hospitalized patients with T2DM was measured. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis were used to investigate the risk factors for DR. Results The prevalence of DR was 29.3%. The duration of diabetes; concentrations of 25-OH-VitD3, hemoglobin, fasting insulin, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and creatinine; and HOMA-IR were significantly different between DR patients and non-DR patients (all P

Objective To study the changes in erythrocyte osmotic fragility(EOF) in patients with hypercythemia, polycythemia and anemia under a high altitude environment. Methods A total of 174 outpatients, inpatients and people undergoing physical examination in Tibet Autonomous Region People′s Hospital in October 2020 were enrolled and divided into four groups according to hemoglobin levels: the polycythemia group(n=42), the physiologic increase group(n=48), the anemia group(n=29) and the healthy control group(n=55). They were compared with 67 anemia patients and 67 healthy people in the laboratory of Peking Union Medical College Hospital in the same period as the plain control group. The classic EOF test method was used to compare the results of each group′s EOF. The concentrations of NaCl solution for starting hemolysis (STH) and NaCl solution for complete hemolysis (CTH) were included, and the data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software. Results There was a significant difference in CTH between Zang and Han healthy people (P

Objective To explore the features of sleep quality and its relationship with perceived stress and occupational stress in military personnel serving in high-altitude regions. Methods Cross-sectional study design was adopted in this study.In February 2023, self-designed demographic data questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), perceived stress scale (PSS-10) and job content questionnaire (JCQ) were applied to survey 3 784 soldiers from a unit stationing in plateau subjected by cluster sampling. Results The total score of PSQI was 5.37±2.78 in the participants, and the total score and the scores of each dimension of PSQI were significantly higher than the national norms for Chinese (P < 0.001).There were significant differences in PSQI scores among different age, length of military service, nationality, length of stationing in plateau, education level and family structure (P < 0.001).The low perceived stress group had significantly lower PSQI scores than the high perceived stress group (t=-12.108, P < 0.001).Regulatory effect analysis showed that the length of stationing in plateau, work autonomy, work psychological requirements, and social support in the work environment could modulate the relationship between perceived stress and sleep quality (t=8.326, -3.788, -2.145, -6.656, P < 0.05), and explained 14.6%, 7.6%, 7.0% and 7.9% of the variance of sleep quality, respectively. Conclusion The military personnel serving in high-altitude regions have a poor sleep quality.Age, time of military service, time of stationing in plateau, nationality, family structure, education level, perceived stress, and occupational stress are important factors affecting their sleep quality.The length of stationing in plateau time and occupational stress, can modulate the relationship between perceived stress and sleep quality.

Objective To investigate the influence of stress on insomnia among plateau soldiers, and explore the mediating role of parent-child alienation and the moderating role of emotion regulation strategies in this relationship. Methods A cross-sectional study design was adopted in this study.Our Self-designed General Information Questionnaire, Plateau Soldiers Stressor Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Inventory of Alienation towards Parents, and Emotion Regulation Scale were employed to survey 2 065 plateau soldiers at an average altitude of 4 200 m.With aid of SPSS 26.0 statistics, descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis were applied to analyze stress status, parent-child alienation, insomnia and emotion regulation in the participants, and then a structural equation model was established. Results ① The scores of stress, parent-child alienation and insomnia were significantly higher in the participants who were older, well educated (P < 0.01) and were or had been in a marital relationship (married, divorced, or widowed)(P < 0.001) than those without above conditions.② Significant pairwise positive correlations were observed among stress, parent-child alienation, insomnia, cognitive reappraisal, and expressive suppression (r=0.08~0.61, P < 0.001).③ Stress and expressive suppression could positively predict parent-child alienation (β=0.14~0.43, P < 0.001), and stress, parent-child alienation and expressive suppression could positively predict insomnia (β=0.04~0.25, P < 0.01).Cognitive reappraisal could not significantly predict parent-child alienation or insomnia.④Parent-child alienation towards parents partially mediated the relationship between stress and insomnia, with a mediation effect accounting for 7.29% of the total effect.⑤ Expressive suppression moderated the impact of stress on insomnia (β=-0.01, P < 0.001), and the higher expressive suppression level mitigated the adverse effect of stress on insomnia when compared with the lower expressive suppression level. Conclusion For plateau soldiers, stress significantly predicts insomnia, with parent-child alienation playing a mediating role.Furthermore, a higher level of expressive suppression can effectively buffer the influence of stress on insomnia.

Abstract Background Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a serious public health issue that threatens human health and economic development. Presently, differences in the prevalence of DVT among individuals from different nationalities, residents of high-altitude areas, and those consuming any special diet are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the prevalence of and the associated risk factors for DVT in hospitalized patients in the plateau areas. Methods The subjects were hospitalized patients in three grade III-a hospitals in the Qinghai Province, China, during January–October 2020. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected at admission, and ultrasonography of the bilateral lower extremities was performed. The hospital stay-duration was recorded at the time of discharge. Results A total of 3432 patients were enrolled, of which 159 (4.60%) were diagnosed with DVT. The age of > 50 years (OR = 2.434, 95% CI: 1.521–3.894252, P 50 years, residence altitude ≥ 3000 m, a history of varicose veins, D-dimer level ≥ 0.5 mg/L, current medications, and comorbidities) for patients at the time of admission.

Objective To investigate the status quo of health literacy among military personnel stationing on plateau and analyze its influencing factors. Methods National Health Literacy Monitoring Questionnaire (2015), self-made questionnaire for demographic data based on literature, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Positive and Negative Affect Scale were employed to survey 2 516 officers and soldiers stationing on plateau with aid of a WeChat APP Questionnaire Star. Their current status of health literacy and its influencing factors were analyzed. Results The survey results showed that the overall health literacy level was 20.03% among the 2 516 participants. The literacy levels of basic knowledge and concepts, healthy lifestyles and behaviors, and health skills were 31.08%, 26.23%, and 26.63%, respectively, and the health literacy levels of scientific health concepts, infectious disease prevention and treatment, chronic disease prevention and treatment, safety and first aid, basic medical care, and health information were 40.58%, 19.36%, 9.62%, 82.75%, 29.61%, and 45.03%, respectively. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis indicated that the influencing factors of health literacy level were years of working (OR=1.857, 95%CI: 1.391~2.479; OR=4.657, 95%CI: 3.297~6.578), ethnicity (OR=0.394, 95%CI: 0.251~0.620), marriage (OR=0.609, 95%CI: 0.430~0.861), only-child family (OR=0.759, 95%CI: 0.585~0.985), home location (OR=0.545, 95%CI: 0.359~0.827), smoking (OR=1.579, 95%CI: 1.254~1.988), education level (OR=3.638, 95%CI: 1.500~8.822), weekly online game time (OR=0.517, 95%CI: 0.365~0.731; OR=0.351, 95%CI: 0.172~0.716), number of physical checkups per year (OR=3.251, 95%CI: 1.359~7.778; OR= 4.545, 95%CI: 1.841~11.221), father's occupation (OR=5.185, 95%CI: 1.800~14.933; OR=3.229, 95%CI: 1.261~8.270), mother's occupation (OR=0.221, 95%CI: 0.086~0.568; OR=0.218, 95%CI: 0.081~0.587; OR=0.046, 95%CI: 0.018~0.118), positive coping (OR=1.052, 95%CI: 1.033~1.072), and negative coping (OR=0.950, 95%CI: 0.929~0.972). Conclusion The overall health literacy level is quite low among the plateau military personnel in this ministry, and the relevant departments should actively explore effective interventions to comprehensively improve their health literacy based on the influencing factors.

Abstract Background Long-term exposure to a high altitude environment with low pressure and low oxygen could cause abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart. Myocardial strain is a sensitive indicator for assessing myocardial dysfunction, monitoring myocardial strain is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of high altitude heart-related diseases. This study applies cardiac magnetic resonance tissue tracking technology (CMR-TT) to evaluate the changes in left ventricular myocardial function and structure in rats in high altitude environment. Methods 6-week-old male rats were randomized into plateau hypoxia rats (plateau group, n = 21) as the experimental group and plain rats (plain group, n = 10) as the control group. plateau group rats were transported from Chengdu (altitude: 360 m), a city in a plateau located in southwestern China, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (altitude: 3850 m), Yushu, China, and then fed for 12 weeks there, while plain group rats were fed in Chengdu(altitude: 360 m), China. Using 7.0 T cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to evaluate the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) and stroke volume (SV), as well as myocardial strain parameters including the peak global longitudinal (GLS), radial (GRS), and circumferential strain (GCS). The rats were euthanized and a myocardial biopsy was obtained after the magnetic resonance imaging scan. Results The plateau rats showed more lower left ventricular GLS and GRS (P 0.05). Conclusions After 12 weeks of exposure to high altitude low-pressure hypoxia environment, the left ventricular global strain was partially decreased and myocardium is damaged, while the whole heart ejection fraction was still preserved, the myocardial strain was more sensitive than the ejection fraction in monitoring cardiac function.

AIM: To investigate the effects of hypobaric hypoxia in plateau on tear indexes and related anatomical structures in rabbits.METHODS: A total of 18 healthy New Zealand rabbits were selected and randomly divided into plateau group and control group, with 9 rabbits(18 eyes)in each group. The plateau group was housed in the Simulated Climate Cabin for Special Environment of Northwest of China, simulating hypobaric hypoxia at an altitude of 6 000 m. The control group was housed in a clean animal room with atmospheric pressure and oxygen. Changes in the tear meniscus height and non-invasive tear break-up time were detected by using RHCT-1 corneal topographer dry eye comprehensive analysis system, changes in tear secretion was measured by Schirmer Ⅰ test, before intervention and on the 3, 7 d, 2 and 4 wk. Meanwhile, the changes in tear composition before and after intervention in the plateau environment were analyzed using Raman Spectroscopy. The histopathological changes of the lower lid conjunctiva, cornea, lacrimal gland, and Hardarian gland were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining after 4 wk of intervention, and the expression of mucin 5AC(MUC5AC)in conjunctiva was detected by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: Compared with the control group, Schirmer Ⅰ test, tear meniscus height, first and average non-invasive tear break-up time in the plateau group decreased significantly since 3 d, and the difference was significant with the extension of observation time(P

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Products obtained from farm animals meet the need for animal protein, which has an important place in human nutrition. In recent years, the demand for the products of small ruminants has been increasing. Products obtained from small ruminants are important in meeting the nutritional needs of the world population. Especially in light of the effect of global warming, small ruminants production has become even more important. Especially considering the production conditions of small ruminants, the nutritional needs of animals are met by grazing in the existing highlands. This study was conducted in Ordu province, located in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. The Black Sea region, with its coasts and springs, is a region where breeders engage in nomadic animal husbandry. In the study, it was determined that 86.6% of the nomadic sheep breeders are producing Karayaka breed sheep while 13.4% are breeding Karayaka crossbreds. In the study, 47.9% of the breeders who participated in the survey live in the village and 45.1% live in the district. Percent 94.4 of the breeders were male and 5.6% were female. It was determined that 32.4% of the breeders were between the ages of 41-50 and 40.8% were primary school graduates. The rate of those who contribute to their livelihood through husbandry is 57.2%. The rate of those who want to continue small ruminant farming in the future is 82.9%. Additionally, it was determined that the majority of breeders attach importance to record keeping and animal health protection practices. In the enterprises where the study was conducted, difficulties were encountered in supplying feed and finding shepherds, and high feed prices and labor costs were stated as the most common problems. In nomadic sheep breeding, grazing and climate parameters in pastures and plateaus have a significant impact on the nutrition of the animals. Therefore, facilitating the transportation of sheep to pastures and plateaus and the sustainability of these areas will positively affect nomadic sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In diploid organisms, half of the chromosomes in each cell come from the father and half from the mother. Through previous studies, it was found that the paternal chromosome and the maternal chromosome can be regulated and expressed independently, leading to the emergence of allele specific expression (ASE). In this study, we analyzed the differential expression of alleles in the high-altitude population and the normal population based on the RNA sequencing data. Through gene cluster analysis and protein interaction network analysis, we found some changes occurred at the gene level, and some negative effects. During the study, we realized that the calmodulin homology domain may have a certain correlation with long-term survival at high altitude. The plateau environment is characterized by hypoxia, low air pressure, strong ultraviolet radiation, and low temperature. Accordingly, the genetic changes in the process of adaptation are mainly reflected in these characteristics. High altitude generation living is also highly related to cancer, immune disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, endocrine disease, and other diseases. Therefore, the medical system in high altitude areas should pay more attention to these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the impact of three different types of intraoperative antibiotic prophylaxis on the risk of postoperative surgical site infection (SSI). Material and Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study. Patients who underwent surgery for osteosynthesis of a tibial plateau fracture (January 2009–November 2018) in Hospital Clinic i Provincial de Barcelona were included. Three types of prophylaxis during the study period were used: group A (cefuroxime single-dose treatment), group B (meropenem + teicoplanin), and group C (ceftriaxone + teicoplanin). Demographics, co-morbidity, type of fracture, need for external fixation, microbiology data, surgical time, and outcome were recorded. Failure was defined as the need for reintervention due to postoperative surgical site infection. Results: From a total of 148 patients included, 20 cases developed SSI, 8 from group A, 8 from group B, and 4 from group C. Higher ASA scores, Schatzker II classification, need for external fixation, and a prolonged surgical time were associated with a significantly (p < 0.005) increased incidence of SSI. Group C showed the overall highest survival and lowest cumulative risk, but differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Group C showed the lowest incidence of infection in this sample. It is necessary to confirm these findings with larger studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nutrient storage and sequestration effects are closely related to the stability of alpine grassland ecosystems, and the study of soil nutrient storage and sequestration effects in alpine grasslands with different degradation levels is of great significance to the recovery of alpine grassland vegetation. On this basis, four alpine grasslands with different degrees of degradation (non-degraded, lightly degraded, moderately degraded, and heavily degraded) were selected in Maqu County, Gannan, and soil samples were collected from 0–10, 10–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm, respectively, and analyzed for nutrients in terms of storage and sequestration effects. The results showed that soil water content decreased with increasing degradation, while soil pH, bulk density, and conductivity tended to increase. The storage and sequestration effects of soil organic carbon decreased with increasing degradation. And the storage and sequestration effects of soil total nitrogen and total phosphorus were smallest for moderately degraded soils in the 10–60 cm soil layer. Soil water content and soil bulk density were co-influences on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus storage. For the soil organic carbon sequestration effect, soil total nitrogen sequestration effect and soil pH were the two most important influencing factors, and the soil total nitrogen and total phosphorus sequestration effect were greatly influenced by soil organic carbon sequestration effect. In addition, soil bulk density was also the main influencing factor of soil total nitrogen sequestration effect, and the impact of soil total nitrogen sequestration on soil total phosphorus sequestration was also greatly influenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subfamily has lived in the anoxic environment of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for a long time, which is a natural biological model to study the adaptation mechanism of hypoxia. Transcriptome analysis was made on the kidneys of three species of Schizothorax curvilabiatus and Schizothorax macropogon at high altitude（ > 3 600 m） and Schizothorax prenanti at low altitude （< 700 m）. By comparing and analyzing the renal transcriptome of Schizothorax unicornis, Schizothorax megacephalus and Schizothorax homostoma, 504 and 478 differentially expressing genes were screened out respectively, among which 199 genes were commonly differentially expressed. The enrichment analysis of common differential genes by GO （Gene Ontology） and KEGG （Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes） showed that the two groups of common differential genes were mainly enriched in glycolysis/glycogen production, lipid biosynthesis, and angiogenesis. Among them, the high expression of eno3, fbp1α, prpf19, and ctsz may play an important role in the long-term adaptation of Schizothorax at high altitude to hypoxic environment. This study provides a new idea for revealing the longterm hypoxia adaptation of plateau fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term exposure to a high altitude environment with low pressure and low oxygen could cause abnormalities in the structure and function of the heart. Myocardial strain is a sensitive indicator for assessing myocardial dysfunction, monitoring myocardial strain is of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of high altitude heart-related diseases. This study applies cardiac magnetic resonance tissue tracking technology (CMR-TT) to evaluate the changes in left ventricular myocardial function and structure in rats in high altitude environment. Methods: 6-week-old male rats were randomized into plateau hypoxia rats (plateau group, n = 21) as the experimental group and plain rats (plain group, n = 10) as the control group. plateau group rats were transported from Chengdu (altitude: 360 m), a city in a plateau located in southwestern China, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (altitude: 3850 m), Yushu, China, and then fed for 12 weeks there, while plain group rats were fed in Chengdu(altitude: 360 m), China. Using 7.0 T cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to evaluate the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) and stroke volume (SV), as well as myocardial strain parameters including the peak global longitudinal (GLS), radial (GRS), and circumferential strain (GCS). The rats were euthanized and a myocardial biopsy was obtained after the magnetic resonance imaging scan. Results: The plateau rats showed more lower left ventricular GLS and GRS (P < 0.05) than the plain rats. However, there was no statistically significant difference in left ventricular EDV, ESV, SV, EF and GCS compared to the plain rats (P > 0.05). Conclusions: After 12 weeks of exposure to high altitude low-pressure hypoxia environment, the left ventricular global strain was partially decreased and myocardium is damaged, while the whole heart ejection fraction was still preserved, the myocardial strain was more sensitive than the ejection fraction in monitoring cardiac function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new stratigraphy of a 50 × 20 km area of the Ethiopian Plateau near Seladingay in northern Shewa province, some 160 km northeast of Addis Ababa. Situated near the rim of the plateau where the Afar depression funnels southwest into the Ethiopian rift, the area consists of > 1200 m of basalt lavas and interbedded rhyolitic volcanics. We describe three detailed stratigraphic sections and establish stratigraphic units on the basis of lithology and thin-section petrography, placed in the context of the regional stratigraphic framework and existing geochronology. We identify and name five new formations, each a package of either basaltic or rhyolitic units. Interlayered sedimentary strata and paleosols attest to intervals of volcanic quiescence. Likely initiating in the Paleogene, volcanism in our study area differs from the coeval Ethiopian Traps both in terms of lava composition and mechanism of magma genesis and extends into the Miocene (~ 15 Ma). From this, we determine that the first four of the volcanic formations in the central Ethiopian Plateau record a unique episode of volcanism in East Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction Tibial plateau fractures are periarticular injuries of the proximal tibia often associated with soft tissue injury. They account for 1-2% of all fractures. Their impact on the articular surfaces and the development of osteoarthritis make them an interesting research topic in the orthopaedic field. With the development of arthroscopic treatment methods, many are thinking of ways to incorporate less invasive methods in the reduction and fixation of these injuries. Review methods English-language scientific literature found in PubMed and Google Scholar was used for the review. Articles were searched based on keywords. Each article was analyzed for knowledge currency and relevance for use in the review. Description of the State of Knowledge After searching the articles, 35 articles were selected for final analysis. The collected data provided the latest information on treatment of tibial plateau fractures (TPF) using arthroscopic tools with studies diving deep into both the technique and longer-term results. Summary The use of arthroscopy in treatment of tibial plateau fractures grows year by year with more and more clinicians being interested in limiting the soft tissue damage and other adverse effects of ORIF Keywords: Schatzker, arthroscopy, tibial plateau fracture

ObjectiveTo investigate the short-term changes in chest CT images of low-altitude populations after entering a high-altitude environment.MethodsChest CT images of 3,587 people from low-altitude areas were obtained within one month of entering a high-altitude environment. Abnormal CT features and clinical symptoms were analyzed.ResultsBesides acute high-altitude pulmonary edema, the incidence of soft tissue space pneumatosis was significantly higher than that in low-altitude areas. Pneumatosis was observed in the mediastinum, cervical muscle space, abdominal cavity, and spinal cord epidural space, especially the mediastinum.ConclusionIn addition to acute high-altitude pulmonary edema, spontaneous mediastinal emphysema often occurs when individuals in low-altitude areas adapt to the high-altitude environment of cold, low-pressure, and hypoxia. When the gas escapes to the abdominal cavity, it is easy to be misdiagnosed as gastrointestinal perforation. It is also not uncommon for gas accumulation to escape into the epidural space of the spinal cord. The phenomenon of gas diffusion into distant tissue space and the mechanism of gas escape needs to be further studied.

The motor temperature distribution characteristics help to understand the working condition of the unit, thus improving efficiency. Currently, the motors are gradually being used at high altitudes. However, the plateau region has low air pressure, thin air and large differences in humidity. There is a lack of research on the effect of its complex and special working environment on motor temperature. Therefore, in this study, the numerical analysis of the motor temperature field is carried out from the novel perspective of plateau characteristics. In this paper, the finite volume method is used to analyse the flow-heat-solid coupling of a 20 MW motor. By comparing and verifying the experimental data with the simulation data, it is found that the error between the two is within 5 %. In order to have a more comprehensive picture of the motor's operation in the plateau environment, the temperature effects of different air pressure, air intake and relative humidity on the motor were investigated. The results of the study show that air pressure changes have a large effect on the temperature of the stator structure. The temperature decreases when the air pressure increases and the temperature difference decreases gradually with the increase of air pressure. The largest temperature difference in the stator structure occurs when the air pressure increases from 10 kPa to 40 kPa. The change in air intake has a positive effect on the stator structure temperature, which decreases when the air intake increases. After simulation calculations, it was found that the best heat dissipation effect was achieved in the range of air intake between 3.5 m/s and 4.5 m/s. Relative humidity has a minimal effect on the stator structure temperature. The conclusions of this paper can provide certain theoretical reference for the temperature change law of the motor under plateau operation, which is of great significance to improve the comprehensive hydraulic performance.

Abstract Background Photosynthesis is a fundamental process that underlies the formation of crop yield, wherein light serves as the driving force and carbon dioxide (CO2) as the raw material. These two factors have a direct influence on the progress and efficiency of photosynthesis in crops. Rapeseed is one of the four major oilseed crops worldwide. Plateau rapeseed has now become a research hotspot. However, the lack of high-yielding rapeseed germplasm resources on the plateau and the highly efficient strategy for screening them severely affect the development of rapeseed industry in plateau. Results In the rapeseed experimental fields located on the plateau (Lhasa, Tibet), we measured abundant sunlight, characterized by an average daily photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 1413 μmol m−2 s−1. In addition, the atmospheric CO2 concentrations range from 300 to 400 ppm, which is only two-thirds of that in the plain (Chengdu, Sichuan). We found that under different measurement conditions of light intensity and CO2 concentration, different rapeseed genotypes showed significant differences in leaf photosynthetic efficiency during the seedling stage. Moreover, the rapeseed materials with high photosynthetic efficiency under low CO2 concentrations rather than high light intensity, exhibited significant advantages in biomass, yield, and oil content when cultivated on the plateau, indicating that the CO2 is the key environmental factor which limited rapeseed production in plateau. Based on photosynthetic efficiency screening under low CO2 concentrations, six rapeseed varieties SC3, SC10, SC25, SC27, SC29 and SC37, shown significantly higher yields in plateau environment compared to local control variety were obtained. In addition, the adaptability of rapeseed to plateau was found to be related to the activities of key Calvin cycle enzymes and the accumulation of photosynthetic products. Conclusions This study established a screening strategy for plateau high-yielding rapeseed materials, obtained six varieties which were suitable for plateau cultivation, explored the mechanism of rapeseed response to the plateau environment, and thus provides a feasible strategy for plateau-adapted rapeseed breeding.

The pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics of drugs were altered under high‐altitude hypoxia. We aim to describe the population PK of atorvastatin (ATV) to identify patient characteristics that are predictive of variability in the PK parameters of the ATV and investigate the effects of high‐altitude hypoxia on the blood concentration of ATV in patients with hyperlipidemia. A total of 160 plasma concentrations were collected from 40 patients with hyperlipidemia in plateau areas and 40 in plain areas. The population pharmacokinetic model of patients with hyperlipidemia in plateau and plain areas of China was established by a nonlinear mixed‐effects model. The PK of ATV were described by a 1‐compartment model with first‐order elimination. The main PK parameters of ATV were the first‐order absorption rate (0.76 hour−1 fixed); clearance (174.22 L/h) and apparent volume of distribution (1119.62 L). The values of area and age were identified as significant covariates for the clearance, area, age, and urea for the volume of distribution. The steady‐state peak concentration in the plateau area was higher than that in the plain area. This study may suggest dose reduction is necessary for patients with hyperlipidemia in high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electric Drive for Locomotives is the property of Electric Drive for Locomotives Editorial Office 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.)

Copyright of Chinese Medical Equipment Journal is the property of Chinese Medical Equipment Journal Editorial Office 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.)

Background: Photosynthesis is a fundamental process that underlies the formation of crop yield, wherein light serves as the driving force and carbon dioxide (CO2) as the raw material. These two factors have a direct influence on the progress and efficiency of photosynthesis in crops. Rapeseed is one of the four major oilseed crops worldwide. Plateau rapeseed has now become a research hotspot. However, the lack of high-yielding rapeseed germplasm resources on the plateau and the highly efficient strategy for screening them severely affect the development of rapeseed industry in plateau. Results: In the rapeseed experimental fields located on the plateau (Lhasa, Tibet), we measured abundant sunlight, characterized by an average daily photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 1413 μmol m−2 s−1. In addition, the atmospheric CO2 concentrations range from 300 to 400 ppm, which is only two-thirds of that in the plain (Chengdu, Sichuan). We found that under different measurement conditions of light intensity and CO2 concentration, different rapeseed genotypes showed significant differences in leaf photosynthetic efficiency during the seedling stage. Moreover, the rapeseed materials with high photosynthetic efficiency under low CO2 concentrations rather than high light intensity, exhibited significant advantages in biomass, yield, and oil content when cultivated on the plateau, indicating that the CO2 is the key environmental factor which limited rapeseed production in plateau. Based on photosynthetic efficiency screening under low CO2 concentrations, six rapeseed varieties SC3, SC10, SC25, SC27, SC29 and SC37, shown significantly higher yields in plateau environment compared to local control variety were obtained. In addition, the adaptability of rapeseed to plateau was found to be related to the activities of key Calvin cycle enzymes and the accumulation of photosynthetic products. Conclusions: This study established a screening strategy for plateau high-yielding rapeseed materials, obtained six varieties which were suitable for plateau cultivation, explored the mechanism of rapeseed response to the plateau environment, and thus provides a feasible strategy for plateau-adapted rapeseed breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The huge output of sewage sludge (SS) has become a severe issue for the vulnerable environment of the Tibetan plateau. Composting is a considerable way to answer the SS yield increment and recycle the nutrients. However, the application of composting is limited by the oxygen-deficient environment in Tibet. In this study, the feasibility of applying composting to Tibet was investigated by experiment and simulation. The SS and highland barley straw (HBS) composting was conducted under different aeration rates (ARs). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and germination index (GI) analysis were applied to assess the maturity and stability. Moreover, a water-waste-nutrient nexus model was established on the basis of experimental data and the actual environmental conditions to estimate the environmental impacts and the economic value of composting in Tibet. The experimental results showed that best performance was obtained when AR was 0.42 L min−1 kg−1 in the initial stage and 0.69 L min−1 kg−1 in the thermophilic stage. The modelling results showed that applying the compost as a soil amendment could effectively reduce the application of chemical fertilizer, as well as N (12.66%) and P (7.14%) loss from the farmland soil. The annual economic benefit of applying SS/HBS compost fertilizer was 4.53E + 5 CNY (7.02E + 4 $), which correspondingly increased as the SS yield increased. The results provided reliable references for the application of composting in Tibet, and the nexus model offered an effective way to assess the economic potential of composting, which supported the decision making of waste treatment and nutrient recovery in Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare outcomes of patients with posterior tibial plateau fractures who underwent repair indirectly with an anterior approach to those who underwent direct repair with a prone "Lobenhoffer" operative approach. Methods: A total of 44 patients with a posterior column tibial plateau fracture that underwent repair were identified. Twenty-two patients with 22 tibial plateau fractures were fixed using a prone Lobenhoffer approach. They were compared to 22 patients treated with an indirect reduction using a supine approach for similar fracture patterns. Data collection at minimum 1 year included: patient-reported outcome scores (SMFA), patient-reported pain, knee range of motion, complications and need for reoperation. Radiographs were reviewed for knee alignment, residual depression and fracture healing. Results: All demographics were similar between the groups except BMI, which was lower in the prone group (P < 0.05). Fracture type according to age, Schatzker and three-column classification was matched between cohorts. There was no difference in outcomes including: pain, radiographic knee alignment, residual articular depression, functional outcome (SMFA), complications and need for reoperations. Knee flexion at 1 year was greater in the prone group (127.8 vs. 115.8; P = 0.018). In addition, surgical time was less in the prone group (mean 73.7 min vs. 82.3 min; P = 0.015). Conclusion: The Lobenhoffer approach with direct reduction of posterior fracture fragments for complex tibial plateau fractures is an excellent option for these injuries. It allowed for faster surgery with improved ultimate knee range of motion in posterior column tibial plateau fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forensic Science & Technology is the property of Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security 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.)

Global climate change has significantly impacted waterbird communities in the warming and humidifying wetlands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. However, further research is needed as these wetlands transition to warmer and drier states. This study focused on the diversity and richness of wintering birds in the alpine wetlands of the Yamzho Yumco Lake. By analyzing data collected from 17 sampling sites over seven years, we examined the abundance changes of waterbirds in the lake and surrounding land and determined the relationship between the structure of waterbird communities and climate data. The results have shown that the abundance, richness, and α-diversity index of wintering waterbirds fluctuated. Wintering waterbirds were positively correlated with monthly mean temperature and monthly mean higher temperature and negatively correlated with monthly total precipitation and water level. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that temperature contributed the most to the wintering waterbirds. Bird abundance and diversity in the drying wetlands of Yamzho Yumco Lake showed the same results. As temperatures continue to increase and precipitation decreases, the number of wintering waterbirds may also increase. We have highlighted the indicative role of Yamzho Yumco Lake in climate change responses from warming and humidification to warming and aridification and suggest that decision makers strengthen monitoring of the Yamzho Yumco Lake Reserve, restrict human activities, improve water resource management, and actively respond to the challenges brought about by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate and analyze the level of homocysteine (Hcy) in Tibet and to analyze the differences of Hcy level in different altitude regions, genders and ages, and thus to provide the prevalence profile of hyperhomocysteine and the differences in relevant tests between HHcy(hyperhomocysteinemia) and non-HHcy populations. Methods Totally 1 615(male n=585) subjects were selected from Ngari, Lhasa, Shigatse and Nyingchi plateau areas of Tibet by stratified cluster sampling. Serum Hcy level was analyzed and the difference of Hcy level in populations located at different altitude plateau areas, gender groups were found. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteine and related test were analyzed. Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare Hcy levels in different altitudes, genders and age groups, and Pearson Chi-square test was used to compare HHcy prevalence. Variance analysis was used for the differences of different test indicators between non-HHcy and HHcy populations. Results The level of Hcy in different regions and different genders were statistically significant, which was higher in males than that in females, and higher in Lhasa and Shigatse than in Nyingchi and Ngari. There was difference in serum HHcy prevalence among different genders, regions and age groups. Males showed a higher level than females, people from Lhasa and Shigatse showed a higher level than those from Nyingchi and Ngari. Conclusions The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Tibet is statistically significant in different areas, different genders and different age groups. So this study provides a scientific basis for the rational use of Hcy as an indicator in clinical practice of prevention and treatment of related diseases in plateau areas.

Purpose: This study aimecd to investigate whether elite athletes could reach higher values of maximal oxygen uptake ( V ˙ O 2 max) during a decremental exercise test in comparison with a traditional incremental test, as recently demonstrated in trained individuals. Methods: Nine male runners (age 25.8 [5.1] y, season best 10-km time 31:19 [1:50]) performed, on different days, 3 maximal uphill (5% grade) running exercise tests in fixed order: an incremental test (INC1), a V-shape exercise test (where speed started at 0.5 km·h−1 higher than the top stage finished during INC1 and was slowly decreased during 5.5 min, when it was again increased in similar fashion to the INC tests), and a final incremental test (INC2). Results: V ˙ O 2 max during the V-shape exercise test was higher than during INC1 (6.3% [3.0%], P =.01), although running speed was lower (16.6 [1.7] vs 17.9 [1.6] km·h−1, P =.01). Performance was similar between INC1 and INC2, but V ˙ O 2 max during INC2 was higher than INC1 (P <.001). During the V-shape exercise test, 5 participants reached the incremental part of the test, but V ˙ O 2 did not increase (Δ V ˙ O 2 = 52 [ 259 ] mL · min − 1 , P =.67), despite higher running speed (approximately 1.1 km·h−1, P <.01). Heart rate, pulmonary ventilation, breathing rate, and respiratory exchange ratio measured at V ˙ O 2 max were not different between tests. Conclusion: A decremental exercise test of sufficient intensity can produce higher V ˙ O 2 max than a traditional incremental test, even in elite athletes, and this is maintained during a subsequent incremental test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Hypoxia is a physiological state characterized by reduced oxygen levels in organs and tissues. It is a common clinicopathological process and a major cause of health problems in highland areas. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of the balance in autonomic innervation to the heart. It provides valuable information on the regulation of the cardiovascular system by neurohumoral factors, and changes in HRV reflect the complex interactions between multiple systems. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between high-altitude hypoxia and HRV. We summarize the different mechanisms of diseases caused by hypoxia and explore the changes in HRV across various systems. Additionally, we discuss relevant pharmaceutical interventions. Overall, this review aims to provide research ideas and assistance for in-depth studies on HRV. By understanding the intricate relationship between high-altitude hypoxia and HRV, we can gain insights into the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches to mitigate the effects of hypoxia on cardiovascular and other systems. Methods: The relevant literature was collected systematically from scientific database, including PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Baidu Scholar, as well as other literature sources, such as classic books of hypoxia. Results: There is a close relationship between heart rate variability and high-altitude hypoxia. Heart rate variability is an indicator that evaluates the impact of hypoxia on the cardiovascular system and other related systems. By improving the observation of HRV, we can estimate the progress of cardiovascular diseases and predict the impact on other systems related to cardiovascular health. At the same time, changes in heart rate variability can be used to observe the efficacy of preventive drugs for altitude related diseases. Conclusions: HRV can be used to assess autonomic nervous function under various systemic conditions, and can be used to predict and monitor diseases caused by hypoxia at high altitude. Investigating the correlation between high altitude hypoxia and heart rate variability can help make HRV more rapid, accurate, and effective for the diagnosis of plateau-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate and analyze the level of homocysteine (Hey) in Tibet and to analyze the differences of Hey level in different altitude regions, genders and ages, and thus to provide the prevalence profile of hyperhomocysteine and the differences in relevant tests between HHcy (hyperhomocysteinemia) and non-HHcy populations. Methods Totally 1 615(male n=585) subjects were selected from Ngari, Lhasa, Shigatse and Nyingchi plateau areas of Tibet by stratified cluster sampling. Serum Hey level was analyzed and the difference of Hey level in populations located at different altitude plateau areas, gender groups were found. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteine and related test were analyzed. Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare Hey levels in different altitudes, genders and age groups, and Pearson Chi-square test was used to compare HHey prevalence. Variance analysis was used for the differences of different test indicators between non-HHey and HHey populations. Results The level of Hey in different regions and different genders were statistically significant, which was higher in males than that in females, and higher in Lhasa and Shigatse than in Nyingchi and Ngari. There was difference in serum HHcy prevalence among dif- ferent genders, regions and age groups. Males showed a higher level than females, people from Lhasa and Shigatse showed a higher level than those from Nyingchi and Ngari. Conclusions The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Tibet is statistically significant in different areas, different genders and different age groups. So this study provides a scientific basis for the rational use of Hey as an indicator in clinical practice of prevention and treatment of related diseases in plateau areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, analysis of sales, costs and demands for timber species was carried out in selected timber markets of Plateau State, Nigeria. Association as well as relationship between factors influencing timber sales, costs and demands were investigated, and the dependency of timber sales on factors affecting it was ascertained. Data obtained through administration of 400 structured questionnaires were analysed. Results from the use of descriptive statistics showed that Khaya senegalensis (mahogany) was the mostly demanded timber species by consumers, and that the cost per timber species for most of the sawn woods ranged between N1001 and N1500, which was equivalent to US $2.42–$3.63 using the current conversion rate of Nigerian Naira 413.83 to 1US dollar. Pairwise use of Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC) indicated positive correlation between timber sales and variables representing costs, demands, stored timber and spoiled timber species. F-test statistics showed that timber sales were significantly affected, and t-test aided identification of the extent to which timber sales were affected by costs, demands, stored timber and spoiled timber species. Further analysis of results using multiple linear regression (MLR) gave a model representing dependence of timber sales on factors affecting them. With a positive correlation and relationship between variables, possibility of future increase in timber sales may be experienced due to increase in demand coupled with other factors. Therefore, timber regulatory agencies have to put in place measures to encourage planting of trees such as Khaya senegalensis (mahogany), whose timber species are mainly demanded by consumers of wood products, and curb excessive overexploitation of forests in Plateau State, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering is the property of Journal of Railway Science & Engineering Editorial Office 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.)

The Geography textbook for the 8th grade has been drawn up based on the program of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, in different years, with the aim that the students acquire geographical knowledge, reinforces this knowledge in everyday life situations, integrating the cause-effect relationships of natural and human phenomena and processes with geographical research methods. According to the content of the curriculum, regional geography and other eco-continents will be taught in the eighth grade, as well as the submission of questions is covered at the end of each topic in the text. This text deals with interesting issues for several continents, countries, and we will analyse the approaches of the authors, the clearest elaboration for the student on the topics and the questions posed to the students with the goal; remembering, understanding, and applying. A special care and attention has been shown to preserve the right ratios between informative and non-formative material, theoretical and factual, historical and contemporary, respecting the scientific and didactic criteria. We will base the research on Bloom's taxonomy, beginning with knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation, with the aim of better reflecting the state, analyse the revised taxonomy and we will also present the students' recollection, understanding and application in everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indoor bacterial communities may change with altitude because their major contributors, outdoor bacterial communities, vary with altitude. People’s health effects from bacteria inhalation exposure can also vary with altitude because human respiratory physiology changes with oxygen content in air. Accordingly, adjusting indoor bacterial communities may help to acclimate newcomers from low-altitude environments to ultrahigh-altitude environments. To lay the groundwork for further research, we aimed to first elucidate the bacterial communities in ultrahigh-altitude residences and the effects of altitude on these communities. We collected 187 environmental samples from residential communities at ultrahigh altitudes of 3811–4651 m in Ngari, China and sequenced bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Results: On one hand, when abundant genera in ultrahigh-altitude residences and those reported by previous studies on low-altitude residences were compared, nine genera were shared, whereas other five genera were abundant only at ultrahigh altitudes. On the other hand, when the bacterial communities of residences at different ultrahigh altitudes were further compared, the bacterial composition in indoor surface samples varied significantly with altitude. The relative abundance of five bacterial genera in indoor air samples and 10 genera and three phyla in indoor surface samples varied monotonically with altitude. Conclusions: Altitude may be a long-neglected factor that shapes residential bacterial communities and thus warrants attention.

The climate is an important factor influencing residents’ travel behavior. Many studies have focused on travel in areas with gentle terrain, with high-altitude regions receiving increased research attention due to their unique climatic conditions. Pilgrimage is a daily travel activity for many residents, and studying pilgrim flow patterns helps enrich the theory of travel behavior in high-altitude regions. In the context of population aging, it is crucial to help policymakers and transportation planners recognize the travel mobility needs of elderly pilgrims. This paper comprehensively analyzes the socio-demographic, travel and personal health attributes related to the mobility of elderly pilgrims and establishes plateau climate as an important factor influencing the travel behavior of this group. This study considers the actual situation of the Tibetan Plateau to fit the theoretical gap related to the travel behavior of urban residents in the plateau. Using travel diary data from selected cities on the Tibetan Plateau, a Random Coefficient Multinomial Logit Model is used to analyze the mobility patterns of elderly pilgrims. Considering the realities of China and based on specific research findings, policies developed by transportation practitioners and urban planners need to encourage older adults to use active transportation modes with lower carbon emissions and public transportation.