Effects of drip and flood irrigation on carbon dioxide exchange and crop growth in the maize ecosystem in the Hetao Irrigation District,China

Drip irrigation and flood irrigation are major irrigation methods for maize crops in the Hetao Irrigation District,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China.This research delves into the effects of these irrigation methods on carbon dioxide(CO_(2))exchange and crop growth in this region.The experimental site was divided into drip and flood irrigation zones.The irrigation schedules of this study aligned with the local commonly used irrigation schedule.We employed a developed chamber system to measure the diurnal CO_(2)exchange of maize plants during various growth stages under both drip and flood irrigation methods.From May to September in 2020 and 2021,two sets of repeated experiments were conducted.In each experiment,a total of nine measurements of CO_(2)exchange were performed to obtain carbon exchange data at different growth stages of maize crop.During each CO_(2)exchange measurement event,CO_(2)flux data were collected every two hours over a day-long period to capture the diurnal variations in CO_(2)exchange.During each CO_(2)exchange measurement event,the biological parameters(aboveground biomass and crop growth rate)of maize and environmental parameters(including air humidity,air temperature,precipitation,soil water content,and photosynthetically active radiation)were measured.The results indicated a V-shaped trend in net ecosystem CO_(2)exchange in daytime,reducing slowly at night,while the net assimilation rate(net primary productivity)exhibited a contrasting trend.Notably,compared with flood irrigation,drip irrigation demonstrated significantly higher average daily soil CO_(2)emission and greater average daily CO_(2)absorption by maize plants.Consequently,within the maize ecosystem,drip irrigation appeared more conducive to absorbing atmospheric CO_(2).Furthermore,drip irrigation demonstrated a faster crop growth rate and increased aboveground biomass compared with flood irrigation.A strong linear relationship existed between leaf area index and light utilization efficiency,irrespective of the irrigation method.Notably,drip irrigation displayed superior light use efficiency compared with flood irrigation.The final yield results corroborated these findings,indicating that drip irrigation yielded higher harvest index and overall yield than flood irrigation.The results of this study provide a basis for the selection of optimal irrigation methods commonly used in the Hetao Irrigation District.This research also serves as a reference for future irrigation studies that consider measurements of both carbon emissions and yield simultaneously.

Systemic immune-inflammation index,neutrophilto-lymphocyte ratio,and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with type 2 diabetes at different stages of diabetic retinopathy

AIM:To investigate systemic immune-inflammation index(SII),neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),and plateletto-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)levels in patients with type 2 diabetes at different stages of diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS:This retrospective study included 141 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM):45 without diabetic retinopathy(NDR),47 with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR),and 49 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR).Complete blood counts were obtained,and NLR,PLR,and SII were calculated.The study analysed the ability of inflammatory markers to predict DR using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.The relationships between DR stages and SII,PLR,and NLP were assessed using multivariate logistic regression.RESULTS:The average NLR,PLR,and SII were higher in the PDR group than in the NPDR group(P=0.011,0.043,0.009,respectively);higher in the NPDR group than in the NDR group(P<0.001 for all);and higher in the PDR group than in the NDR group(P<0.001 for all).In the ROC curve analysis,the NLR,PLR,and SII were significant predictors of DR(P<0.001 for all).The highest area under the curve(AUC)was for the PLR(0.929 for PLR,0.925 for SII,and 0.821 for NLR).Multivariate regression analysis indicated that NLR,PLR,and SII were statistically significantly positive and independent predictors for the DR stages in patients with DM[odds ratio(OR)=1.122,95%confidence interval(CI):0.200–2.043,P<0.05;OR=0.038,95%CI:0.018–0.058,P<0.05;OR=0.007,95%CI:0.001–0.01,P<0.05,respectively).CONCLUSION:The NLR,PLR,and SII may be used as predictors of DR.

Actuality and underlying mechanisms of systemic immuneinflammation index and geriatric nutritional risk index prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma

This editorial contains comments on the article“Correlation between preoperative systemic immune inflammation index,nutritional risk index,and prognosis of radical resection of liver cancer”in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.It pointed out the actuality and importance of the article and focused primarily on the underlying mechanisms making the systemic immuneinflammation index(SII)and geriatric nutritional risk index(GNRI)prediction features valuable.There are few publications on both SII and GNRI together in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and patient prognosis after radical surgery.Neutrophils release cytokines,chemokines,and enzymes,degrade extracellular matrix,reduce cell adhesion,and create conditions for tumor cell invasion.Neutrophils promote the adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial cells,through physical anchoring.That results in the migration of tumor cells.Pro-angiogenic factors from platelets enhance tumor angiogenesis to meet tumor cell supply needs.Platelets can form a protective film on the surface of tumor cells.This allows avoiding blood flow damage as well as immune system attack.It also induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of tumor cells that is critical for invasiveness.High SII is also associated with macro-and microvascular invasion and increased numbers of circulating tumor cells.A high GNRI was associated with significantly better progression-free and overall survival.HCC patients are a very special population that requires increased attention.SII and GNRI have significant survival prediction value in both palliative treatment and radical surgery settings.The underlying mechanisms of their possible predictive properties lie in the field of essential cancer features.Those features provide tumor nutrition,growth,and distribution throughout the body,such as vascular invasion.On the other hand,they are tied to the possibility of patients to resist tumor progression and development of complications in both postoperative and cancer-related settings.The article is of considerable interest.It would be helpful to continue the study follow-up to 2 years and longer.External validation of the data is needed.

Impact of body mass index on adverse kidney events in diabetes mellitus patients: A systematic-review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The incidence of chronic kidney disease among patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)remains a global concern.Long-term obesity is known to possibly influence the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.However,no previous meta-analysis has assessed the effects of body mass index(BMI)on adverse kidney events in patients with DM.AIM To determine the impact of BMI on adverse kidney events in patients with DM.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed on the PubMed,ISI Web of Science,Scopus,Ovid,Google Scholar,EMBASE,and BMJ databases.We included trials with the following characteristics:(1)Type of study:Prospective,retrospective,randomized,and non-randomized in design;(2)participants:Restricted to patients with DM aged≥18 years;(3)intervention:No intervention;and(4)kidney adverse events:Onset of diabetic kidney disease[estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)of<60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or microalbuminuria value of≥30 mg/g Cr],serum creatinine increase of more than double the baseline or end-stage renal disease(eGFR<15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or dialysis),or death.RESULTS Overall,11 studies involving 801 patients with DM were included.High BMI(≥25 kg/m2)was significantly associated with higher blood pressure(BP)[systolic BP by 0.20,95%confidence interval(CI):0.15–0.25,P<0.00001;diastolic BP by 0.21 mmHg,95%CI:0.04–0.37,P=0.010],serum albumin,triglycerides[standard mean difference(SMD)=0.35,95%CI:0.29–0.41,P<0.00001],low-density lipoprotein(SMD=0.12,95%CI:0.04–0.20,P=0.030),and lower high-density lipoprotein(SMD=–0.36,95%CI:–0.51 to–0.21,P<0.00001)in patients with DM compared with those with low BMIs(<25 kg/m2).Our analysis showed that high BMI was associated with a higher risk ratio of adverse kidney events than low BMI(RR:1.22,95%CI:1.01–1.43,P=0.036).CONCLUSION The present analysis suggested that high BMI was a risk factor for adverse kidney events in patients with DM.

Systemic Inflammation Response Index and weight loss as prognostic factors in metastatic pancreatic cancer: A concept study from the PANTHEIA-SEOM trial

BACKGROUND The prognostic value of the Systemic Inflammation Response Index(SIRI)in advanced pancreatic cancer is recognized,but its correlation with patients´nutritional status and outcomes remains unexplored.AIM To study the prognostic significance of SIRI and weight loss in metastatic pancreatic cancer.METHODS The PANTHEIA-Spanish Society of Medical Oncology(SEOM)study is a multicentric(16 Spanish hospitals),observational,longitudinal,non-interventional initiative,promoted by the SEOM Real World-Evidence work group.This pilot study sought to analyze the association between weight loss and inflammatory status as defined by SIRI.The cohort stems from a proof-of-concept pilot study conducted at one of the coordinating centers.Patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma,treated from January 2020 to January 2023,were included.The index was calculated using the product of neutrophil and monocyte counts,divided by lymphocyte counts,obtained within 15 days before initiation chemotherapy.This study evaluated associations between overall survival(OS),SIRI and weight loss.RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included.66%of these patients were male and the median age was 66 years.Metastasis sites:36%liver,12%peritoneal carcinomatosis,10%lung,and 42%multiple locations.Regarding the first line palliative chemotherapy treatments:50%received gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel;28%,modified fluorouracil,leucovorin,irinotecan and oxaliplatin,and 16%were administered gemcitabine.42%had a weight loss>5%in the three months(mo)preceding diagnosis.21 patients with a SIRI≥2.3×10^(3)/L exhibited a trend towards a lower median OS compared to those with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L(4 vs 18 mo;P<0.000).Among 21 patients with>5%weight loss before diagnosis,the median OS was 6 mo,in contrast to 19 mo for those who did not experience such weight loss(P=0.003).Patients with a weight loss>5%showed higher SIRI levels.This difference was statistically significant(P<0.000).For patients with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L,those who did not lose>5%of their weight had an OS of 20 mo,compared to 11 mo for those who did(P<0.001).No association was found between carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels≥1000 U/mL and weight loss.CONCLUSION A higher SIRI was correlated with decreased survival rates in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer and associated with weight loss.An elevated SIRI is suggested as a predictor of survival,emphasizing the need for prospective validation in the upcoming PANTHEIA-SEOM study.

Systemic inflammatory response index is a predictor of prognosis in gastric cancer patients: Retrospective cohort and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The systemic inflammatory response index(SIRI)has been demonstrated to make a significant difference in assessing the prognosis of patients with different solid neoplasms.However,research is needed to ascertain the accuracy and reliability of applying the SIRI to patients who undergo robotic radical gastric cancer sur-gery.AIM To validate the applicability of the SIRI in assessing the survival of gastric cancer patients and evaluate the clinical contribution of preoperative SIRI levels to predicting long-term tumor outcomes in patients,who received robotic radical gastric cancer surgery.METHODS Initially,an exhaustive retrieval was performed in the PubMed,the Cochrane Library,EMBASE,Web of Science,and Scopus databases to identify relevant studies.Subsequently,a meta-analysis was executed on 6 cohort studies iden-tifying the value of the SIRI in assessing the survival of gastric cancer patients.Additionally,the clinical data of 161 patients undergoing robotic radical gastric cancer surgery were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate their clinicopathological characteristics and relevant laboratory indicators.The association between preoperative SIRI levels and 5-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)was assessed.RESULTS The findings demonstrated an extensive connection between SIRI values and the outcome of patients with gastric cancer.Preoperative SIRI levels were identified as an independent hazard feature for both OS and DFS among those who received robotic surgery for gastric cancer.SIRI levels in gastric cancer patients were observed to be associated with the presence of comorbidities,T-stage,carcinoembryonic antigen levels,the development of early serious postoperative complications,and the rate of lymph node metastasis.CONCLUSION SIRI values are correlated with adverse in the gastric cancer population and have the potential to be utilized in predicting long-term oncological survival in patients who undergo robotic radical gastric cancer surgery.

A preliminary site selection system for underground hydrogen storage in salt caverns and its application in Pingdingshan,China

Large‐scale underground hydrogen storage(UHS)provides a promising method for increasing the role of hydrogen in the process of carbon neutrality and energy transition.Of all the existing storage deposits,salt caverns are recognized as ideal sites for pure hydrogen storage.Evaluation and optimization of site selection for hydrogen storage facilities in salt caverns have become significant issues.In this article,the software CiteSpace is used to analyze and filter hot topics in published research.Based on a detailed classification and analysis,a“four‐factor”model for the site selection of salt cavern hydrogen storage is proposed,encompassing the dynamic demands of hydrogen energy,geological,hydrological,and ground factors of salt mines.Subsequently,20 basic indicators for comprehensive suitability grading of the target site were screened using the analytic hierarchy process and expert survey methods were adopted,which provided a preliminary site selection system for salt cavern hydrogen storage.Ultimately,the developed system was applied for the evaluation of salt cavern hydrogen storage sites in the salt mines of Pingdingshan City,Henan Province,thereby confirming its rationality and effectiveness.This research provides a feasible method and theoretical basis for the site selection of UHS in salt caverns in China.

Effects of Functional Organic Materials on Morphological Indexes,Quality and Yield of Watermelon

[Objectives]This study was conducted to explore suitable organic compound application models for watermelon growth.[Methods]With watermelon hybrid material"M22×P18"as the test material,the effects of four functional organic materials,namely garlic straw treatment(T_(1)),onion straw treatment(T_(2)),garlic straw+sheep manure treatment(T_(3))and onion straw+chicken manure treatment(T_(4)),on the morphological indexes,yield and quality of watermelon were investigated.[Results]Different functional organic materials had different effects on morphological indexes,yield and quality of watermelon.The morphological indexes,nutritional quality indexes and yield of watermelon treated with garlic straw and sheep manure compound(T_(3))and onion straw and chicken manure compound(T_(4))were significantly higher than those treated simply with garlic straw(T_(1))and onion straw(T_(2)),and T_(3)performed relatively better.Compared with treatment T_(2),T_(3)showed a stem diameter,vine length and leaf number increasing by 43.05%,46.69%and 40.77%respectively,central sugar and side sugar contents increasing by 11.72%and 21.90%respectively,and a yield increasing by 42.91%,with significant differences from T_(2).[Conclusions]This study provides technical support for high-quality and high-yielding cultivation of watermelon.

Systemic immune-inflammation index combined with pediatric appendicitis score in assessing the severity and prognosis for paediatric appendicitis

BACKGROUND Pediatric appendicitis is a common cause of abdominal pain in children and is recognized as a significant surgical emergency.A prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent complications such as perforation and peritonitis.AIM To investigate the predictive value of the systemic immune-inflammation index(SII)combined with the pediatric appendicitis score(PAS)for the assessment of disease severity and surgical outcomes in children aged 5 years and older with appendicitis.METHODS Clinical data of 104 children diagnosed with acute appendicitis were analyzed.The participants were categorized into the acute appendicitis group and chronic appendicitis group based on disease presentation and further stratified into the good prognosis group and poor prognosis group based on prognosis.The SII and PAS were measured,and a joint model using the combined SII and PAS was constructed to predict disease severity and surgical outcomes.RESULTS Significant differences were observed in the SII and PAS parameters between the acute appendicitis group and chronic appendicitis group.Correlation analysis showed associations among the SII,PAS,and disease severity,with the combined SII and PAS model demonstrating significant predictive value for assessing disease severity[aera under the curve(AUC)=0.914]and predicting surgical outcomes(AUC=0.857)in children aged 5 years and older with appendicitis.CONCLUSION The study findings support the potential of integrating the SII with the PAS for assessing disease severity and predicting surgical outcomes in pediatric appendicitis,indicating the clinical utility of the combined SII and PAS model in guiding clinical decision-making and optimizing surgical management strategies for pediatric patients with appendicitis.

Exploration and Research on Textbook Quality Evaluation Index System Based on Engineering Major in Higher Education

The report of the Chinese 20th National Congress put forward“strengthening the construction and management of textbooks”for the first time,which indicates the importance of textbook construction and highlights the vital position of textbooks in the overall development of the country.From the perspective of textbook quality,and based on the research and analysis of the policy requirements and current evaluation indicators of higher education textbooks,this paper establishes the textbook quality evaluation index system composed of basic indicators and evaluation indicators.This system is based on the principles of science,comprehensiveness,operability,and target-oriented approach.It provides a relatively scientific,objective,and fair reference system for the management and evaluation of textbooks.

Effectiveness of Combined Application of Shock Index and Early Warning Scoring System in Patients with Acute Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Objective:To explore the effect of the combined application of the Shock Index(SI)and the Early Warning Score(EWS)in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods:Seventy patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to a hospital from June 2022 to May 2024 were selected and randomly divided into two groups:the control group and the observation group,with 35 patients in each group.The control group received conventional emergency care measures,while the observation group received SI combined with NEWS emergency care measures.The treatment effects in both groups were compared.Results:The observation group had shorter waiting times for consultation(4.45±1.59 minutes),intravenous access establishment(6.79±2.52 minutes),hemostasis time(4.41±1.52 hours),and hospital stays(8.39±2.13 days)compared to the control group,which had times of 5.46±1.34 minutes,8.41±2.16 minutes,5.16±1.47 hours,and 10.26±2.98 days,respectively.The differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Before management,there were no significant differences in the levels of hemoglobin,prealbumin,and serum protein between the two groups(P>0.05).However,after systematic emergency management,the serum indexes in both groups significantly improved,with the observation group showing greater improvement than the control group,and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).In the observation group,only one case of cardiovascular complications occurred during the rescue period,with an incidence rate of 2.86%.In contrast,the control group experienced eight cases of complications,including hemorrhagic shock,anemia,multi-organ failure,cardiovascular complications,and gastrointestinal rebleeding,with an incidence rate of 22.85%.The difference between the groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of SI combined with EWS emergency care measures in patients with acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage can effectively improve serum indexes,shorten resuscitation time and hospital stay,and reduce the risk of complications such as hemorrhagic shock,anemia,infection,multi-organ failure,cardiovascular complications,acute renal failure,and gastrointestinal rebleeding.This approach has positive clinical application value.

Correlation between preoperative systemic immune inflammation index, nutritional risk index, and prognosis of radical resection of liver cancer

BACKGROUND Radical surgery is the most commonly used treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the surgical effect remains not ideal,and prognostic evaluation is insufficient.Furthermore,clinical intervention is rife with uncertainty and not conducive to prolonging patient survival.AIM To explore correlations between the systemic immune inflammatory index(SII)and geriatric nutritional risk index(GNRI)and HCC operation prognosis.METHODS This retrospective study included and collected follow up data from 100 HCC.Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to analyze the correlation between SII and GNRI scores and survival.SII and GNRI were calculated as follows:SII=neutrophil count×platelet count/lymphocyte count;GNRI=[1.489×albumin(g/L)+41.7×actual weight/ideal weight].We analyzed the predictive efficacy of the SII and GNRI in HCC patients using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and the relationships between the SII,GNRI,and survival rate using Kaplan–Meier survival curves.Cox regression analysis was utilized to analyze independent risk factors influencing prognosis.RESULTS After 1 year of follow-up,24 patients died and 76 survived.The area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,specificity,and the optimal cutoff value of SII were 0.728(95%confidence interval:0.600-0.856),79.2%,63.2%,and 309.14,respectively.According to ROC curve analysis results for predicting postoperative death in HCC patients,the AUC of SII and GNRI combination was higher than that of SII or GNRI alone,and SII was higher than that of GNRI(P<0.05).The proportion of advanced differentiated tumors,tumor maximum diameter(5–10 cm,>10 cm),lymph node metastasis,and TNM stage III-IV in patients with SII>309.14 was higher than that in patients with SII≤309.14(P<0.05).The proportion of patients aged>70 years was higher in patients with GNRI≤98 than that in patients with GNRI>98(P<0.05).The 1-year survival rate of the SII>309.14 group(compared with the SII≤309.14 group)and GNRI≤98 group(compared with the GNRI>98 group)was lower(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The prognosis after radical resection of HCC is related to the SII and GNRI and poor in high SII or low GNRI patients.

Heterogeneity and non-linearity of ecosystem responses to climate change in the Qilian Mountains National Park, China

Ecosystem responses to climate change,particularly in arid environments,is an understudied topic.This study conducted a spatial analysis of ecosystem responses to short-term variability in temperature,precipitation,and solar radiation in the Qilian Mountains National Park,an arid mountainous region in Northwest China.We collected precipitation and temperature data from the National Science and Technology Infrastructure Platform,solar radiation data from the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset,and vegetation cover remote-sensing data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer.We used the vegetation sensitivity index to identify areas sensitive to climate change and to determine which climatic factors were significant in this regard.The findings revealed a high degree of heterogeneity and non-linearity of ecosystem responses to climate change.Four types of heterogeneity were identified:longitude,altitude,ecosystem,and climate disturbance.Furthermore,the characteristics of nonlinear ecosystem responses to climate change included:(1)inconsistency in the controlling climatic factors for the same ecosystems in different geographical settings;(2)the interaction between different climatic factors results in varying weights that affect ecosystem stability and makes them difficult to determine;and(3)the hysteresis effect of vegetation increases the uncertainty of ecosystem responses to climate change.The findings are significant because they highlight the complexity of ecosystem responses to climate change.Furthermore,the identification of areas that are particularly sensitive to climate change and the influencing factors has important implications for predicting and managing the impacts of climate change on ecosystems,which can help protect the stability of ecosystems in the Qilian Mountains National Park.

Food-Security Indexes Related to Combined Pollution of Chromium and Phenol in Soil-Rice Systems

The pot-culture method combined with chemical and statistical analyses was used to get basic data for determination of the food-security indexes related to combined pollution of Cr and phenol in soil-rice systems.Regression analyses according to the experimental result indicated that the critical concentrations of Cr andphenol in brown rice were 0.37 and 0.33 mg kg-1, respectively, under the condition of Cr-phenol combined pollution.

Asymmetric Drying and Wetting Trends in Eastern and Western China

As an important factor that directly affects agricultural production, the social economy, and policy implementation,observed changes in dry/wet conditions have become a matter of widespread concern. However, previous research has mainly focused on the long-term linear changes of dry/wet conditions, while the detection and evolution of the non-linear trends related to dry/wet changes have received less attention. The non-linear trends of the annual aridity index, obtained by the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition(EEMD) method, reveal that changes in dry/wet conditions in China are asymmetric and can be characterized by contrasting features in both time and space in China. Spatially, most areas in western China have experienced transitions from drying to wetting, while opposite changes have occurred in most areas of eastern China. Temporally, the transitions occurred earlier in western China compared to eastern China. Research into the asymmetric spatial characteristics of dry/wet conditions compensates for the inadequacies of previous studies, which focused solely on temporal evolution;at the same time, it remedies the inadequacies of traditional research on linear trends over centennial timescales. Analyzing the non-linear trend also provides for a more comprehensive understanding of the drying/wetting changes in China.

Association between childhood obesity and gut microbiota:16S rRNA gene sequencing-based cohort study

BACKGROUND This study aimed to identify characteristic gut genera in obese and normal-weight children(8-12 years old)using 16S rDNA sequencing.The research aimed to provide insights for mechanistic studies and prevention strategies for childhood obesity.Thirty normal-weight and thirty age-and sex-matched obese children were included.Questionnaires and body measurements were collected,and fecal samples underwent 16S rDNA sequencing.Significant differences in body mass index(BMI)and body-fat percentage were observed between the groups.Analysis of gut microbiota diversity revealed lowerα-diversity in obese children.Differences in gut microbiota composition were found between the two groups.Prevotella and Firmicutes were more abundant in the obese group,while Bacteroides and Sanguibacteroides were more prevalent in the control group.AIM To identify the characteristic gut genera in obese and normal-weight children(8-12-year-old)using 16S rDNA sequencing,and provide a basis for subsequent mechanistic studies and prevention strategies for childhood obesity.METHODS Thirty each normal-weight,1:1 matched for age and sex,and obese children,with an obese status from 2020 to 2022,were included in the control and obese groups,respectively.Basic information was collected through questionnaires and body measurements were obtained from both obese and normal-weight children.Fecal samples were collected from both groups and subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing using an Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform for gut microbiota diversity analysis.RESULTS Significant differences in BMI and body-fat percentage were observed between the two groups.The Ace and Chao1 indices were significantly lower in the obese group than those in the control group,whereas differences were not significant in the Shannon and Simpson indices.Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated significant differences in unweighted and weighted UniFrac distances between the gut microbiota of normal-weight and obese children(P<0.01),suggesting substantial disparities in both the species and quantity of gut microbiota between the two groups.Prevotella,Firmicutes,Bacteroides,and Sanguibacteroides were more abundant in the obese and control groups,respectively.Heatmap results demonstrated significant differences in the gut microbiota composition between obese and normal-weight children.CONCLUSION Obese children exhibited lowerα-diversity in their gut microbiota than did the normal-weight children.Significant differences were observed in the composition of gut microbiota between obese and normal-weight children.

Mutation detection and fast identification of switching system based on data-driven method

In the engineering field,switching systems have been extensively studied,where sudden changes of parameter value and structural form have a significant impact on the operational performance of the system.Therefore,it is important to predict the behavior of the switching system,which includes the accurate detection of mutation points and rapid reidentification of the model.However,few efforts have been contributed to accurately locating the mutation points.In this paper,we propose a new measure of mutation detection—the threshold-based switching index by analogy with the Lyapunov exponent.We give the algorithm for selecting the optimal threshold,which greatly reduces the additional data collection and the relative error of mutation detection.In the system identification part,considering the small data amount available and noise in the data,the abrupt sparse Bayesian regression(abrupt-SBR)method is proposed.This method captures the model changes by updating the previously identified model,which requires less data and is more robust to noise than identifying the new model from scratch.With two representative dynamical systems,we illustrate the application and effectiveness of the proposed methods.Our research contributes to the accurate prediction and possible control of switching system behavior.

A phenology-based vegetation index for improving ratoon rice mapping using harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 data

Ratoon rice,which refers to a second harvest of rice obtained from the regenerated tillers originating from the stubble of the first harvested crop,plays an important role in both food security and agroecology while requiring minimal agricultural inputs.However,accurately identifying ratoon rice crops is challenging due to the similarity of its spectral features with other rice cropping systems(e.g.,double rice).Moreover,images with a high spatiotemporal resolution are essential since ratoon rice is generally cultivated in fragmented croplands within regions that frequently exhibit cloudy and rainy weather.In this study,taking Qichun County in Hubei Province,China as an example,we developed a new phenology-based ratoon rice vegetation index(PRVI)for the purpose of ratoon rice mapping at a 30 m spatial resolution using a robust time series generated from Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2(HLS)images.The PRVI that incorporated the red,near-infrared,and shortwave infrared 1 bands was developed based on the analysis of spectro-phenological separability and feature selection.Based on actual field samples,the performance of the PRVI for ratoon rice mapping was carefully evaluated by comparing it to several vegetation indices,including normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),enhanced vegetation index(EVI)and land surface water index(LSWI).The results suggested that the PRVI could sufficiently capture the specific characteristics of ratoon rice,leading to a favorable separability between ratoon rice and other land cover types.Furthermore,the PRVI showed the best performance for identifying ratoon rice in the phenological phases characterized by grain filling and harvesting to tillering of the ratoon crop(GHS-TS2),indicating that only several images are required to obtain an accurate ratoon rice map.Finally,the PRVI performed better than NDVI,EVI,LSWI and their combination at the GHS-TS2 stages,with producer's accuracy and user's accuracy of 92.22 and 89.30%,respectively.These results demonstrate that the proposed PRVI based on HLS data can effectively identify ratoon rice in fragmented croplands at crucial phenological stages,which is promising for identifying the earliest timing of ratoon rice planting and can provide a fundamental dataset for crop management activities.

The role of quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment score as simple scoring system to predict Fournier gangrene mortality and the correlation with Fournier’s Gangrene Severity Index: Analysis of 69 patients

Objective:Fournier’s gangrene is a rare but life-threatening infection disease with high mortality rate.The quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment(qSOFA)is a new and simpler scoring system that may identify patients with suspected infection who are at greater risk for a poor outcome.The purpose of this study was to find out role of qSOFA in determining prognosis of Fournier’s gangrene patients.Methods:This study is a case control with retrospective review of Fournier’s gangrene patients treated at Hasan Sadikin Hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 who met inclusion criteria.Participants were divided into two groups according to qSOFA score as high qSOFA(2-3)and low qSOFA(0-1).Results:From 69 patients,the mortality rate was 24.6%.The sensitivity of qSOFA score to predict mortality was 88.2%;the specificity was 94.2%;positive predictive value was 83.3%;negative predictive value was 96.1%;positive likelihood ratio was 15.2;negative likelihood ratio was 0.12;and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of qSOFA was 94.2%.There was significant association between qSOFA scale and mortality with p-value of 0.0001.The qSOFA score has strong positive correlation with Fournier’s Gangrene Severity Index(p<0.0001,r=0.704).Conclusion:qSOFA scoring system has a high prognostic value and can be used to determine prognosis of Fournier’s gangrene patients.

Association between body mass index and body fat measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:We examined the association between body mass index(BMI)and body fat percentage(BF%)measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DXA)among adults and children in China.Methods:We searched four databases-PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang,and Vip for studies published in the past 22 years.Meta-analysis was conducted using random-or fixed-effect models.Results:In total of 21 studies met inclusion criteria and were included in review,and 17 ot them in meta-analysis.They were conducted across China.Their sample size ranged from 62 to 5726,and participants'age ranged from 6-80 years.Meta-analysis revealed strong associations between BMI and BF% measured by DXA in adults(pooled r=0.71,95% CI:0.66 to 0.74)and children(pooled r=0.60,95% CI:0.52 to 0.68).The association was stronger in Northern China than in East China in children(β=-0.40,95%CI:-0.65 to-0.14)and in Central China in adults(β=-0.25;95% CI:-0.51 to-0.01).Urban children's BMI was strongly associated with BF%than rural(β=0.19;95%CI:0.04 to 0.35),whereas it was stronger in adults living in rural than in urban(β=-0.35;95% CI:-0.66 to-0.05).Conclusions:BMI was strongly associated with BF%measured by DXA,and the association in children and adults in China varied by residence and region.