Which Neighborhoods Have Easier Access to Online Home Delivery Services?A Spatiotemporal Accessibility Analysis in Nanjing,China

The rise in online home delivery services(OHDS)has had a significant impact on how urban services are supplied and used in recent years.Studies on the spatial accessibility of OHDS are emerging,but few is known about the temporal dimension of OHDS accessibility as well as the geographic and socioeconomic differences in the spatiotemporal accessibility of OHDS.This study measures the spatiotemporal accessibility of four types of OHDS,namely leisure,fresh and convenient,medical,and catering services.The geographic and socioeconomic disparities in the spatiotemporal accessibility of these four types of OHDS are then identified using spatial statistical methods and the Kruskal-Wallis test(K-W test).The case study in Nanjing,China,suggests that:1)spatiotemporal accessibility better reflects the temporal variation of OHDS accessibility and avoids overestimation of OHDS accessibility when only considering its spatial dimension.2)The spatiotemporal accessibility of OHDS varies geographically and socioeconomically.Neighborhoods located in the main city or neighborhoods with higher housing prices,higher population density,and higher point of interest(POI)mix have better OHDS spatiotemporal accessibility.Our study contributes to the understanding of OHDS accessibility from a spatiotemporal perspective,and the empirical insights can assist policymakers in creating intervention plans that take into account variations in OHDS spatiotemporal accessibility.

Bio-Based Waterborne Poly(Vanillin-Butyl Acrylate)/MXene Coatings for Leather with Desired Warmth Retention and Antibacterial Properties

This study presents a solvent-free,facile synthesis of a bio-based green antibacterial agent and aromatic monomer methacrylated vanillin(MV)using vanillin.The resulting MV not only imparted antibacterial properties to coatings layered on leather,but could also be employed as a green alternative to petroleum-based carcinogen styrene(St).Herein,MV was copolymerized with butyl acrylate(BA)to obtain waterborne bio-based P(MV-BA)miniemulsion via miniemulsion polymerization.Subsequently,MXene nanosheets with excellent photothermal conversion performance and antibacterial properties,were introduced into the P(MV-BA)miniemulsion by ultrasonic dispersion.During the gradual solidification of P(MV-BA)/MXene nanocomposite miniemulsion on the leather surface,MXene gradually migrated to the surface of leather coatings due to the cavitation effect of ultrasonication and amphiphilicity of MXene,which prompted its full exposure to light and bacteria,exerting the maximum photothermal conversion efficiency and significant antibacterial efficacy.In particular,when the dosage of MXene nanosheets was 1.4 wt%,the surface temperature of P(MV-BA)/MXene nanocomposite miniemulsioncoated leather(PML)increased by about 15℃ in an outdoor environment during winter,and the antibacterial rate against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was nearly 100%under the simulated sunlight treatment for 30 min.Moreover,the introduction of MXene nanosheets increased the air permeability,water vapor permeability,and thermal stability of these coatings.This study provides a new insight into the preparation of novel,green,and waterborne bio-based nanocomposite coatings for leather,with desired warmth retention and antibacterial properties.It can not only realize zerocarbon heating based on sunlight in winter,reducing the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions,but also improve ability to fight off invasion by harmful bacteria,viruses,and other microorganisms.

Establishment of predictive models and determinants of preoperative gastric retention in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

BACKGROUND Study on influencing factors of gastric retention before endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)background:With the wide application of ERCP,the risk of preoperative gastric retention affects the smooth progress of the operation.The study found that female,biliary and pancreatic malignant tumor,digestive tract obstruction and other factors are closely related to gastric retention,so the establishment of predictive model is very important to reduce the risk of operation.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 190 patients admitted to our hospital for ERCP preparation between January 2020 and February 2024.Patient baseline clinical data were collected using an electronic medical record system.Patients were randomly matched in a 1:4 ratio with data from 190 patients during the same period to establish a validation group(n=38)and a modeling group(n=152).Patients in the modeling group were divided into the gastric retention group(n=52)and non-gastric retention group(n=100)based on whether gastric retention occurred preoperatively.General data of patients in the validation group and identify factors influencing preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients.A predictive model for preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients was constructed,and calibration curves were used for validation.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was analyzed to evaluate the predictive value of the model.RESULTS We found no statistically significant difference in general data between the validation group and modeling group(P>0.05).The comparison of age,body mass index,hypertension,and diabetes between the two groups showed no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).However,we noted statistically significant differences in gender,primary disease,jaundice,opioid use,and gastrointestinal obstruction between the two groups(P<0.05).Mul-tivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender,primary disease,jaundice,opioid use,and gastrointestinal obstruction were independent factors influencing preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients(P<0.05).The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that gender,primary disease,jaundice,opioid use,and gastroin-testinal obstruction were included in the predictive model for preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients.The calibration curves in the training set and validation set showed a slope close to 1,indicating good consistency between the predicted risk and actual risk.The ROC analysis results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of the predictive model for preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients in the training set was 0.901 with a standard error of 0.023(95%CI:0.8264-0.9567),and the optimal cutoff value was 0.71,with a sensitivity of 87.5 and specificity of 84.2.In the validation set,the AUC of the predictive model was 0.842 with a standard error of 0.013(95%CI:0.8061-0.9216),and the optimal cutoff value was 0.56,with a sensitivity of 56.2 and specificity of 100.0.CONCLUSION Gender,primary disease,jaundice,opioid use,and gastrointestinal obstruction are factors influencing preoperative gastric retention in ERCP patients.A predictive model established based on these factors has high predictive value.

Mapping and measuring urban-rural inequalities in accessibility to social infrastructures

Equal access to social infrastructures is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development,but has long been a great challenge worldwide.Previous studies have primarily focused on the accessibility to social infras-tructures in urban areas across various scales,with less attention to rural areas,where inequality can be more severe.Particularly,few have investigated the disparities of accessibility to social infrastructures between urban and rural areas.Here,using the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration,China,as an example,we investigated the inequality of accessibility in both urban and rural areas,and further compared the urban-rural difference.Accessibility was measured by travel time of residents to infrastructures.We selected four types of social infrastructures including supermarkets,bus stops,primary schools,and health care,which were funda-mentally important to both urban and rural residents.We found large disparities in accessibility between urban and rural areas,ranging from 20 min to 2 h.Rural residents had to spend one to two more hours to bus stops than urban residents,and 20 min more to the other three types of infrastructures.Furthermore,accessibility to multiple infrastructures showed greater urban-rural differences.Rural residents in more than half of the towns had no access to any infrastructure within 15 min,while more than 60%of the urban residents could access to all infrastructures within 15 min.Our results revealed quantitative accessibility gap between urban and rural areas and underscored the necessity of social infrastructures planning to address such disparities.

Water retention behavior and shear strength of artificially cemented granite residual soil subjected to free drying

Artificially cemented soils have been widely used as filling materials in highway and railway construction.The shear strength evolution of filling materials upon moist variation can determine the stability of subgrade and embankments.This study conducted water retention tests,MIP tests,and multi-stage triaxial shear tests on cement-treated granite residual soil(GRS)to determine its water retention curve(WRC)upon free drying,pore structure,and peak shear strength qf,respectively.The water retention behavior and shear strength evolution upon free drying were modeled based on the dual-porosity structure of cement-treated GRS and the effective stress principle,respectively.Results show that the drying-WRC is bimodal and higher cement dosage yields a more severe decrease in the water retention capacity within a specific suction range.For a given confining pressure,the peak shear strength qf increased with increasing cement dosage or suction value s.The peak shear strength qf also solely depends on the suction value in the peak stress state.In addition,the cement-treated GRS has a bimodal pore size distribution curve,and its macro-and micro-void ratios remain almost unchanged after free drying.The bimodal drying-WRC of the cement-treated GRS can be modeled by differentiating the water retention mechanisms in macro-and micro-pores.Moreover,using the macro-pore degree of saturation as the effective stress parameterχ=S_(rM),the q_(f)–p′_(f)relationship(where p′_(f)is the effective mean pressure at failure)under various suction and stress conditions can be unified,and the q_(f)–s relationships at various net confining pressuresσ_(3),net can be well reproduced.These findings can help design subgrade and embankments constructed by artificially cemented GRS and assess their safe operation upon climate change.

Al-modified yolk-shell silica particle-supported NiMo catalysts for ultradeep hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene:Efficient accessibility of active sites and suitable acidity

Yolk-shell SiO2 particles(YP)with center-radial meso-channels were fabricated through a simple and effective method.Al-containing YP-supported NiMo catalysts with different Al amounts(NiMo/AYP-x,x=Si/Al molar proportion)were prepared and dibenzothiophene(DBT)and 4,6-dimethyl-dibenzothiophene(4,6-DMDBT)were employed as the probes to evaluate the hydrodesulfurization(HDS)catalytic performance.The as-prepared AYP-x carriers and corresponding catalysts were characterized by some advanced characterizations to obtain deeper correlations between physicochemical properties and the HDS performance.The average pore sizes of series AYP-x supports are above 6.0 nm,which favors the mass transfer of organic sulfides.The cavity between the yolk and the shell is beneficial for the enrichment of S-containing compounds and the accessibility between reactants and active metals.Aluminum embedded into the silica framework could facilitate the formation of Lewis(L)and Brønsted(B)acid sites and adjust the metal-support interaction(MSI).Among all the as-synthesized catalysts,NiMo/AYP-20 catalyst shows the highest HDS activities.The improved HDS activity of NiMo/AYP-20 catalyst is attributed to the perfect combination of excellent structural properties of the yolk-shell mesoporous silica,enhanced acidity,moderate MSI,and good accessibility/dispersion of active components.

Preoperative gastric retention in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

We comment on the article by Jia et al,in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.We focus mainly on the factors that impair gastric motility and cause gastric retention in the pre-operative setting of endoscopic retrograde cholan-giopancreatography(ERCP).ERCP is a complex endoscopic therapeutic proce-dure,which demands great skill from the endoscopist but also has recognized complications.Gastric retention impairs the endoscopist’s visibility but also increases the risk of complications,such as aspiration pneumonia.Therefore,identifying the factors that predispose to gastric retention alerts the endoscopists of the possible risks and enables them to take evasive action.The authors in the current study by Jia et al developed and validated a predictive model,which in-corporates five different factors,i.e.,gender,primary disease,jaundice,opioid use,and gastrointestinal obstruction,which were found to influence gastric retention.This model was shown to have a high predictive value to accurately identify pa-tients at risk for gastric retention before a therapeutic ERCP.

Influence of Transportation Accessibility on Urban-rural Income Disparity and Its Spatial Heterogeneity

Transportation accessibility has been treated as an important means of reducing the urban-rural income disparity.However,only a few studies have examined the effects of different types of transportation accessibility on urban-rural income disparity and their spatial heterogeneity.Based on data from 285 prefecture-level(and above)Chinese cities in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2020,this study uses spatial econometric models to examine how highway accessibility and railway accessibility influence the urban-rural income disparity and to identify their spatial heterogeneity.The result reveals that highway accessibility and railway accessibility have‘coreperiphery’ring-like circle structures.The urban-rural income disparity exhibits strong spatial clustering effects.Both highway accessibility and railway accessibility are negatively associated with urban-rural income disparity,and the former having a greater effect size.Moreover,there is a substitution effect between highway accessibility and railway accessibility in the whole sample.Furthermore,these associations differ in geographic regions.In the central region,highway accessibility is more important in reducing the urban-rural income disparity,but its effect is weakened with the increase of railway accessibility.In the western region,railway accessibility has a larger effect on narrowing the urban-rural income disparity,and this effect is strengthened by the increase of highway accessibility.We conclude that improving transportation accessibility is conducive to reducing the urban-rural income disparity but its effect is spatial heterogenetic.Highways and railways should be developed in a coordinated manner to promote an integrated transport network system.

Measuring urban thermal environment from accessibility-based perspective:A case study in a populous city

Understanding the spatial interaction among residents,cooling service,and heat risk area in complex urban areas is conducive to developing targeted management.However,traditional urban thermal environment assessments typically relied on simple linear integration of associated indicators,often neglecting the spatial interaction effect.To explore the spatial interaction among the three elements,this study proposes an accessibility-based urban thermal environment assessment framework.Using Zhengzhou,a rapidly urbanizing city,as an example,remotely sensed images from three periods(2010,2015 and 2020)were applied to extract urban green space(UGS)and hot island area(HIA).An improved two-step floating catchment area(2SFCA)method and bivariate local Moran’s I were employed to explore whether residents’clustering locations are more likely to access cooling service or to be exposed to heat risk.The results demonstrate that the UGS in the city has been expanding,whereas the HIA shrank within the inner city in 2015 and then increased in 2020.Even though the urban thermal environment may have improved in the last decade,the spatial interaction among the residents,cooling service and heat risk area could be exacerbated.Spatial autocorrelation shows an increase in locations that are disadvantageous for resident congregation.Even when sufficient cooling services were provided,residents in these areas could still be exposed to high heat risk.The developed urban thermal environment framework provides a novel insight into the residents’heat risk exposure and cooling service accessibility,and the findings could assist urban planners in targeting the improvement of extra heat exposure risk locations.

High Urine Retention: Experience in a Series of Patients with Renal Failure Patients

Purpose: High urinary retention (HUR) can negatively impact renal function. Our study aimed to present the epidemiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of HUR in a Senegalese academic hospital. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 70 patients with HUR associated with renal failure from January 2017 to December 2020. Parameters examined included: age, sex, coexisting conditions affecting renal function, clinical symptoms, diagnostic tests, causes of HUR, urinary diversion, and patient outcomes. Results: The average age was 66, with a majority of male patients (87%). Twenty-three patients had pre-existing medical conditions. Oligo-anuria was the most common reason for detecting HUR (70%). Half of the patients had an ECOG score ≥ 2. The mean creatinine level was 50.7 mg/l. Nineteen patients exhibited hydroelectrolytic disorders. Bacterial colonization was observed in 25 patients. Ultrasound and computed tomography were the most frequently performed imaging tests (100% and 62.8%, respectively). Sixty-seven patients had ureterohydronephrosis (UHN), with bilateral UHN in 88.6% of cases. Pelvic cancers (47.1%) were the primary cause of HUR, primarily bladder cancers (27.1%). Nephrostomy was the most common urinary drainage method (50%), particularly for obstructions due to pelvic cancer (88.6%). The majority of patients (52.8%) regained normal renal function after drainage. Nineteen deaths occurred among elderly patients with compromised general health. Conclusion: Urinary drainage significantly improved renal function for most patients. Pelvic cancer emerged as the leading cause of HUR. Nephrostomy was the predominant drainage method.

Accessibility and Fairness of Public Service Facilities from the Perspective of Supply and Demand Coordination: A Case Study of Old Urban Area of Guangzhou City

The accessibility and fairness of public service facilities are important manifestations of the convenience and equality of urban public service resource allocation.Optimizing the layout of urban public service facilities is an inevitable requirement for promoting the construction of people centered cities.This paper takes the old urban area of Guangzhou as the research area,measures the accessibility of multiple types of public service facilities based on an improved two-step floating catchment method,and combines Palma Ratio and location quotient methods to explore the fairness of urban public service facilities from two dimensions:social equity and spatial equity,with supply and demand relationship analysis as the main line.Research has shown that:①there is a significant spatial difference in the accessibility of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou,and the comprehensive accessibility is generally higher in the central and southeastern regions of the old urban areas with fewer residential populations;②from the perspective of social equity,the resource allocation of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou is in a seriously unfair state(with a fairness index of 2.99),and there are also varying degrees of unfairness within the streets;③from the perspective of spatial equity,the location quotient of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou shows a pattern of multil center circles decreasing,indicating a significant spatial mismatch between the accessibility supply side of public service facilities and the demand side of the residential population.The research conclusion will provide scientific basis for optimizing the allocation of urban public service facilities and ensuring the equalization of public services.

Study on the Application Effect of Flexible Nursing Care in Patients with Postpartum Urinary Retention and its Effect on Lactation

Objective: To study the application effect of flexible nursing in patients with postpartum urinary retention and its effect on lactation. Methods: A total of 200 cases of postpartum urinary retention patients admitted between January 2021 and January 2022 were selected and randomly grouped into two groups, a control group (conventional nursing) and an observation group (flexible nursing), of 100 cases each. The time of onset of lactation, the lactation volume score, urinary indicators, the amount of post-partum hemorrhage, and the quality of life score of the two groups were compared. Results: The observation group’s lactation initiation time (21.41 ± 1.52) h and lactation volume score (2.11 ± 0.52) were better than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The observation group’s first urination time (2.11 ± 0.51) min was lower than the control group, while the urinary retention completely relieved time (33.12 ± 8.61) h, and first urinary volume (262.17 ± 52.41) mL was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The amount of postpartum hemorrhage in the observation group (151.21 ± 22.12) mL was less than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of somatic functioning (86.25 ± 2.20), psychological functioning (91.56 ± 1.45), social functioning (89.25 ± 2.45), and material life (89.75 ± 1.45) of the observation group were higher than those of the control group after nursing (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Flexible nursing care in patients with postpartum urinary retention exhibited significant nursing effects and lactation function was effectively improved.

Prevalence of Occupational Injury and Knowledge of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Accessibility among Healthcare Workers in Mogadishu, Somalia

Introduction: Healthcare workers in Mogadishu, Somalia face significant occupational injury risks, particularly needle stick injuries, with 61.1% reporting incidents. This poses a serious threat to their health, leading to infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Despite the high prevalence of injuries, awareness of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) accessibility is relatively high, with 84.0% of respondents aware of it. However, there are gaps in knowledge and implementation, as evidenced by variations in availability of PEP. Improving workplace safety measures, providing comprehensive training on injury prevention and PEP protocols, and ensuring consistent availability of PEP in healthcare facilities are crucial steps to safeguard the well-being of healthcare workers in Mogadishu, Somalia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among hospital workers in Mogadishu, Somalia, focusing on professionals from various healthcare facilities. The study targeted nurses, doctors, laboratory personnel, and pharmacists. Purposive sampling was employed, resulting in a sample size of 383 calculated using Fisher’s sample size formula. Data were collected using coded questionnaires entered into Microsoft Excel 2019 and analyzed with SPSS software to generate frequencies and proportions, presented through frequency tables and pie figures. Results: The study in Mogadishu, Somalia, examined the prevalence of occupational injuries and knowledge of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) accessibility among healthcare workers. Findings indicate a high prevalence of injuries, with 61.1% reporting incidents, predominantly needle stick injuries (60.6%). Despite the majority seeking prompt medical attention (72.0%), work-related illnesses affected 53.2% of respondents, notably work-related stress (59.5%). While most received training on injury and illness prevention (68.9%), gaps exist in PEP awareness, with 16.0% unaware of it. Nonetheless, 84.0% were aware, predominantly through health facilities (52.0%). Availability of PEP was reported by 71.3% in healthcare facilities, with variations in shift availability. The majority reported guidelines for PEP use (55.7%). Efforts are needed to bolster PEP awareness and ensure consistent availability in healthcare facilities to safeguard worker health. Conclusion: High prevalence of occupational injuries among healthcare workers, with needle stick injuries being the most common (60.6%). Despite this, 84.0% of respondents were aware of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), primarily learning about it from health facilities (52.0%). While 71.3% reported the availability of PEP in their facility, 28.7% noted its unavailability. These results emphasize the need for improved education and accessibility of PEP to mitigate occupational injury risks.

Affordability, Accessibility, and Quality of Maternal Health Care Services and Level of Satisfaction of Mothers in Rural Areas in China

Objective:This study aimed to understand the affordability,accessibility,and quality of maternal and child health services for postpartum mothers,and their impact on satisfaction.Methods:The study utilized the Anderson model and revised the Maternal Pregnancy and Perinatal Health Service Questionnaire.A survey was conducted among 289 mothers aged 20–49 in Feicheng City.Results:Regarding accessibility,most respondents(133)reported that travel time to healthcare services exceeded 60 minutes,while 99 respondents indicated a travel time of 16–30 minutes.The issue of affordability was highlighted,with 86.85%of participants perceiving maternal healthcare services as costly,indicating a significant financial burden.More than 50%of respondents were satisfied with two specific dimensions(P<0.05)regarding the quality of maternal healthcare services.Conclusion:The study found that accessibility,affordability,and quality significantly affect mothers’satisfaction with maternal health services.Future research should focus on developing more suitable service pathways for rural mothers.

Study on the Influence of Lanzhou-Urumqi High-Speed Railway on Regional Accessibility and Economic Development

The Lanzhou-Urumqi high-speed railway is an important part of the railway network connecting Gansu,Qinghai,and Xinjiang,and it is of far-reaching significance in facilitating China’s western development.An accessibility model and a double difference model were built to analyze the impact of the Lanzhou-Urumqi high-speed railway on regional accessibility and economic development of the areas along the line before(2012-2014)and after(2017-2019)its opening.The results show that the regional accessibility remains unchanged before and after the operation of this railway line.However,there is a spatial difference in improvement,that of central cities being better.The opening of the high-speed railway is conducive to driving the overall economic development of the region and promoting the comprehensive and coordinated development of regional economies.

Assessment of Retention Ponds and Its Impacts on Health of Residents in Mogadishu, Somalia: Mixed Methods

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of retention ponds on the environment and population health by analyzing water samples from various ponds in Mogadishu, to determine the prevalence of waterborne illnesses that occur during the rainy season in Mogadishu, and to find out what experts thought about the effects of retention ponds on the environment as well as population health in Mogadishu. Methods: Mixed designs were used in the study. The first design is an exploratory study where samples are taken from different retention ponds in Mogadishu. The second design involves gathering secondary data from the online FSNAU Dashboard regarding the incidence of rainfall and waterborne illnesses including malaria and cholera. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey of expert opinions using questionnaires was the third design. The 10 water samples were taken from retention ponds in Mogadishu as part of the sample size. Data on the fourth month was also gathered using the FNSAU dashboard, and seventy sample sizes were used for the expert self-administered questionnaire for the third design. Excel was used for data analysis in the initial design. While BMI SPSS versions 22 were used to analyze the data from the Self-administered Questionnaire, additional methods were utilized to compute descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, and to analyze demographic data in a frequency table. Findings: The results show that three samples had unsatisfactory scores (Grade D): Yaqshid (Warshadda Bastada) had a WQI of 80.85, Boondheer (Bondher Pond) had a WQI of 80.64, and Wartanabad (Xamar Jadiid Pond) had a WQI of 80.89. The remaining samples were all rated as fair (grade), which indicates that they ranged from 50 to 75. The months with the largest rainfall already occurred in December, November, and October, when the prevalence of diseases during the rainy season was highest for cholera cases. Although October and December saw a significant number of malaria cases, November did not. Retention ponds’ overall effects on residential environments were evaluated, and the results showed that the standard deviation was 0.802 and the cumulative average mean scores were 4.41 overall. This indicates that the respondents were in agreement that retention ponds in Mogadishu, Somalia, had an effect on residential areas. Recommendation: The study suggested that in order to identify retention pond contamination and create treatment units for its management, the Ministry of Health forms a district-level public health committee. All districts must have a sewer system installed by the local government, and retention ponds must be made easier in order to move waste outside of the city.

Fire and retention island remnants have similar deadwood carbon stock a decade after disturbances in boreal forests of Alberta

In an attempt to reconcile wood extraction and forest biodiversity in managed boreal forests,ecosystem-based forest management(EBM)has become the de facto management approach.Retention forestry represents one prominent way that EBM is implemented in many parts of the world.Retention patches commonly left after harvesting serve as analogues of fire island remnants,which are patches of unburned forests in the burned forest matrix.Although the persistence of retention patches has been questioned,few studies have attempted to quantitatively compare forest attributes in both burned and harvested forests.As part of a larger program examining multiple aspects of ecosystem function in fire and harvest island remnants,we investigated the impact of disturbance type(fire/harvest)and forest edges on C stock in snags and coarse woody debris(CWD)found in island remnants in mixedwood boreal forests of Alberta,Canada.Total C stock(in snags and CWD)was similar between the two disturbance types and edge plots had similar total deadwood C stocks to interiors.The edges of island remnants had about two-fold more snag C stock than their interiors in both disturbance types,but C stock in CWD was unaffected by edge effects and disturbance type.Our results suggest that deadwood C dynamics in island remnants in fire and harvest disturbed boreal forests were similar,thus lending support for the continued implementation of retention forestry in Alberta.

Factors Promoting Retention of Nurses in Three Private Hospitals of Lahore: A Cross Sectional Descriptive Survey

Introduction: Pakistan has a large number of professional nurses but a higher rate of turnover contributes towards the shortage of nurses which is intensified by nurses’ immigration, lack of recruitment of new nurses and retirement of senior nurses. Aim: The study aimed at examining the factors that increase retention of nurses. Research Method: The study is descriptive cross sectional with a sample of 150 nurses including both the genders, from 3 private hospitals located in Pakistan. A convenient sampling technique was used. The data collection was done through close ended questionnaires based on 20 questions. Data collection was done quantitatively and then data was entered in SPSS. Correlation and regression tests were performed. Findings: The analysis revealed that 91.3% nurses are loyal to their hospitals but, 8.7%nurses can switch the hospital for different reasons. It was also found that the idea of leaving the job based on the intention of moving to abroad and public sector was higher than the retirement and other causes. Resultantly, enhancements in nurses’ work environments have the ability to decrease nurses’ job burnout and turnover and increase patients’ satisfaction. Recommendations: Hospital leaders should implement effective strategies to encourage nurses to continue their job by motivation, strengthening management skills within the hospital and improving a positive work environment by promoting teamwork, continuous learning, trust, respect and flexible arrangements which can lead towards achieving better results.However, further studies quantitatively and qualitatively can explore more factors related to dissatisfaction of nurses. Health systems policy makers should lead by developing related strategies for the retention of nurses.

A systematic review of the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine retention enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis

The objective of this study is to summarize the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)enema in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC).The randomized controlled trials on TCM enema intervention in the treatment of UC were searched in seven databases:PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,CBM,CNKI,Wanfang Database,and VIP Database from January 1,2013 to June 6,2022,and the data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software.A total of 18 studies involving 1514 UC patients were included.Meta analysis results showed that compared with conventional Western medicine,Chinese medicine enema had a significant effect on UC,and the clinical effective rate of the experimental group using Chinese medicine enema was 4.45 times that of the control group using conventional Western medicine(odds ratio=4.45,95%confidence interval[3.27,6.06]).Therefore,Chinese medicine enema is effective in the treatment of UC,and can significantly reduce related symptoms.

Petroleum Retention,Intraformational Migration and Segmented Accumulation within the Organic-rich Shale in the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong Sag,Songliao Basin,Northeast China

In this study,organic geochemical and petrological analyses were conducted on 111 shale samples from a well to understand the retention,intraformational migration and segmented accumulation(shale oil enrichment in different intervals is unconnected)features of shale oil within the organic-rich shale in the Qingshankou Formation of the Gulong Sag.Our study shows that retained petroleum characteristics in the investigated succession are mainly influenced by three factors:organic richness,intraformational migration and segmented accumulation.Organic matter richness primarily controls the amount of retained petroleum,especially the‘live’component indicated by the S_(2)value rather than the total organic carbon(TOC)figure alone.The negative expulsion efficiencies determined by mass-balance calculations of hydrocarbons reveal that petroleum from adjacent organic-rich intervals migrates into the interval of about 2386-2408 m,which is characterized by high free hydrocarbon(S_(1)),OSI and saturated hydrocarbons content,along with a greater difference inδ^(13)C values between polar compounds(including resins and asphaltenes)and saturated hydrocarbons.The depth-dependent heterogeneity of carbon isotope ratios(δ^(13)C)of mud methane gas,δ^(13)C of extracts gross composition(SARA),δ^(13)C of kerogen and SARA content of extracts suggest that the studied succession can be subdivided into four intervals.The shale oil sealing enrichment character in each interval is further corroborated by the distinctδ^(13)C values of mud methane gas in different intervals.Due to the migration of petroleum into the 2386-2408 m interval,the S_(1),OSI and saturated hydrocarbons content of the interval show higher relative values.The maturity of organic matter in the 2471-2500 m interval is at the highest with the smaller size molecular components of the retained petroleum.Thus,favorable‘sweet spots’may be found in the 2386-2408 m interval and the 2471-2500 m interval,according to the experiment results in this study.