A Prospective Study on Evaluating the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Vaccination from Birth to 13 Years Old in Kuwait

Background: To prevent infectious diseases and deaths of children, vaccinations play a crucial role in public health strategies in Kuwait. However, it remained uncertain to demonstrate the potential long-term health outcomes of vaccination, including neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term health outcomes of vaccination among Kuwait children from birth to thirteen years old. Objectives: This study included the significant objectives: (1) to compare long-term health effects, including chronic and acute conditions for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and vaccinated children, and (2) to evaluate the association of vaccination with the neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism, and the preventable illnesses. Methods: This prospective study involved a sample of 976 children from Kuwait based on mothers’ reporting. Data collection about the vaccination status of children and various health outcomes relevant to chronic and acute illnesses was performed based on structured questionnaires through an online survey. However, participants were classified into unvaccinated (n = 40), partially vaccinated (n = 222), and fully vaccinated (n = 714). Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test, Odds Ratios (OR), 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and logistic regression, were performed using SAS (Version 9.4) to determine the associations between vaccination status and health outcomes among children. Results: The study disclosed that vaccinated children showed an increased diagnosis of chronic (allergic rhinitis, allergies, autism spectrum, eczema, neuro-developmental disorders, learning disability, ADHD, and any chronic condition) and acute (whooping cough, pneumonia, rubella, hepatitis A or B, measles, mumps, meningitis, influenza, rotavirus, cancer, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, conduct disorder, diabetes type 1 or 2, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, seizures, hearing loss, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and depression) illnesses than unvaccinated children. The fully vaccinated children showed an increased prevalence of influenza diagnosis, while partially vaccinated children were more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis than unvaccinated children. In contrast, unvaccinated were more likely to have been diagnosed with chickenpox and encephalopathy than fully and partially vaccinated. Males with chronic and acute conditions had a lower incidence of allergies and pneumonia, respectively, whereas females had a reduced prevalence of acute illnesses, such as whooping cough, inflammatory bowel disease, and hepatitis A or B among vaccinated (n = 936;combination of partially vaccinated and fully vaccinated) children. Regarding medication use and health service applications, vaccinated children were more likely to use medications for fever, antibiotics, and allergies. In addition, they showed an increased rate of sick visits and emergency visits in the past twelve months. On the other hand, factors like age (2 - 5 years, 6 - 9 years, and 10 - 13 years), birth type (cesarian), and mother suffering during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) were significantly associated with NDD (learning disability, autism spectrum, and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder) in the adjusted analysis. In the interaction model of age and birth type, age (6 - 9 years;OR 5.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 25.3) and mother suffering (gestational diabetes;OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2) during pregnancy were associated with NDD. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that there are some cases where the infection rate is higher among the vaccinated compared to unvaccinated children, or there are no significant differences between the two groups in Kuwait. Upon controlling the factors in the interaction model, the age of 6 to 9 years and gestational diabetic mothers during pregnancy were associated with the synergistic increment of odds with NDD. These data findings are recommended to verify a larger and diverse group of samples to optimize the vaccination on health outcomes in Kuwait children.

Long-term effectiveness,outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery

Dietary imbalance and overeating can lead to an increasingly widespread disease-obesity.Aesthetic considerations aside,obesity is defined as an excess of adipose tissue that can lead to serious health problems and can predispose to a number of pathological changes and clinical diseases,including diabetes;hypertension;atherosclerosis;coronary artery disease and stroke;obstructive sleep apnea;depression;weight-related arthropathies and endometrial and breast cancer.A body weight 20%above ideal for age,gender and height is a severe health risk.Bariatric surgery is a set of surgical methods to treat morbid obesity when other treatments such as diet,increased physical activity,behavioral changes and drugs have failed.The two most common procedures currently used are sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.This procedure has gained popularity recently and is generally considered safe and effective.Although current data show that perioperative mortality is low and better control of comorbidities and short-term complications is achieved,more randomized trials are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of bariatric procedures.This review aims to synthesize and summarize the growing evidence on the long-term effectiveness,outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery.

Addition of Urban Waste to Semiarid Degraded Soil:Long-term Effect

The addition of municipal solid wastes （MSW） is considered as a possible strategy for soil rehabilitation in southeast Spain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term （17 years） effect of five doses of MSW addition on the microbiological, biochemical, and physical properties of semiarid soil. Increased values of several parameters that serve as indicators of general microbiological activity, such as, basal respiration, adenosine triphosphate （ATP） or dehydrogenase activity; microbial population size （microbial biomass C）, and extracellular hydrolase activity related to macronutrient cycles, such as, urease, 3-glucosidase, and N-a-benzoyl-L-argininamide protease, were observed in the amended soils. The highest MSW doses showed the highest values in these hydrolase activities. The incorporation of municipal waste resulted in a more dense development of the plant cover, 50% greater in higher doses than in the control treatment, which generated a substantial increase in several C fractions. Total organic carbon reached 12 g kg^-1 soil with the highest MSW doses, compared to 4.30 g kg^-1 soil in the control treatment. The physical properties of the soil were also improved, showing greater percentage of stable aggregates and water holding capacity. Positive correlation coefficients between C fractions and parameters related to microbial activity and aggregate stability were observed. Although these improvements were greater in the soils receiving the highest doses of organic amendment, the increases were not proportional to the amount added, demonstrating the existence of a threshold, above which an increase in the amount of organic matter added is not reflected in an increase in the soil＇s physical, biochemical, and microbiological properties. However, the addition of municipal solid wastes proved its suitability for improving soil quality, thereby indicating the potential of such an amendment, to prevent desertification in Mediterranean areas such as those studied.

Evaluation of the long-term effect of foldable capsular vitreous bodies in severe ocular rupture

AIM:To evaluate the long-term effect of foldable capsular vitreous body(FCVB)in the treatment of severe ocular rupture to provide a practical basis for clinical selection.METHODS:A total of 26 patients(26 eyes),23 men and 3 women,with severe ocular rupture who underwent FCVB implantation between March 2018 and September 2018 were retrospectively analysed.All open ocular wounds located in zone III,with preoperative visual acuity grade IV and above(Snellen less than 4/200).The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),intraocular pressure(IOP),cornea,anterior chamber,iris,lens,choroid,and retina were evaluated before and after the surgery.The subjective feeling and the location of FCVB were also assessed.RESULTS:The average age of the 26 patients was 36y(20-60y).Postoperative follow-up was from 10 to 14mo.At the end of follow up,BCVA was light perception(LP)in 10 cases,no light perception(NLP)in 13 cases,hand motions(HM)in 3 cases.IOP was 11±5 mm Hg.Corneal degeneration was in 3 cases and corneal endothelial dystrophy was in 7 cases.Shallow anterior chamber was in 8 cases and hyphema was in 8 cases.Organized membrane in the pupil was in 14 cases.Epiphora occurred in 3 cases.FCVB drainage tube exposed in 3 cases.All FCVBs were in their normal location and no rejection occurred.CONCLUSION:FCVB implantation is a long-term effective treatment and may provide a practical selection for severe ocular rupture.

LONG-TERM EFFECT OF HOMOHARRINGTONINE ON CHRONIC GRANULOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

Objective: To observe the long-term effect of homoharringtonine (HHT) on chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) and its pharmacological mechanism. Methods: 76 patients with newly diagnosed early chronic phase CGL received treatment of merely 1.5 mg/m2 daily HHT for induction remission and long-term maintenance treatment. The apoptosis rate of bone marrow CD34+ cells induced by HHT was assayed with flow cytometer. Results: 86.8% patients achieved CHR, 13.2% patients PHR and 31.8% patients got cytogenetic response in HHT treatment group, which was longer than 31 (8-54) months in hydroxyurea (HU) group (P<0.05). The effect of apoptosis induction HHT was stronger on CGL-CP patients bone marrow CD34+ cells than on normal person bone marrow CD34+ cells. Conclusion: HHT is a very effective drug for remission induction and long-term maintenance treatment in early chronic phase CGL patients.

Long-term effect of Chinese herbal medicine Tianqi Capsule on the incidence ofdiabetes： an 8-year cohort study protocol

Background： The rapid growth of type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） remains a big challenge for clinicians worldwide.Traditional Chinese medicine may bring a new approach for solving this problem. The Tianqi Capsule DiabetesPrevention Study （REDUCES Study） reported that 1 years of therapy with Tianqi capsule reduced the risk of diabetes by32.1% compared with the placebo. Here we aimed to assess the long-term effect of Tianqi capsule on prevention ofT2DM in people with impaired glucose tolerance after discontinuation of active intervention. Methods/design： 420subjects will be followed-up for 8 years to assess the long-term effect of Tianqi capsule intervention. The causes of deathand the status of living subjects will be investigated. Follow-up data for living subjects will be collected by personalinterview and clinical examination and medical record review to determine diabetes status. Questionnaires will be givento all the subjects to investigate the factors that probably affect the diabetes status during the 8-year of discontinuation ofintervention. The primary outcome is the incidence of T2DM, and the secondary outcomes are body mass index, bloodglucose, blood lipids and blood pressure. The Cox proportional hazards model will be used to estimate the hazard ratiofor diabetes incidence. Analyses will be done with SAS 8.2 software package. Discussion： Results from this study mayprovide evidence for the long-term efficacy of Tianqi capsule in patients with prediabetes. The findings will provide abasis for further confirmatory studies. Ethics： The protocol has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee ofGuang’anmen Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences （approval number 2016-046-KY-01）. Studyregistration number： ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02848053.

Long-term effects of biodegradable versus durable polymercoated sirolimus-eluting stents on arterial wall morphology as assessed by virtual histology intravascular ultrasound

Objectives To assess long-term coronary arterial response to biodegradable polymer-coated sirolimus-eluting stent(BSES) in vivo by using virtual histology intravascular ultrasound(VH-IVUS).Methods 41 patients were enrolled in this study and VH-IVUS was performed to assess the native artery vascular responses to BSES compared with durable polymer-coated SES(DSES) during long-term follow-up(median =8 months).The presence of necrotic core abutting to the lumen was evaluated at follow-up.Results With similar in-stent late luminal loss(0.15[0.06,0.30]vs 0.19[0.03, 0.30]mm,P=0.772),the overall incidence of necrotic core abutting to the lumen was significantly less in BSES than DSES group(44%vs.63%,P=0.019)(proximal 18%,stented site 14%and distal 12%in BSES group,proximal 19%, stented site 28%and distal 16%in DSES group).Compared with stented segments each other,the DSES -treated segments had a significant higher incidence of necrotic core abutting to the lumen through the stent struts(73%vs.36%, P=0.005).In addition,more multiple necrotic core abutting to the lumen was observed in DSES group(overall:63%vs. 36%,P=0.015).Furthermore,among the total number of stented segments with necrotic core abutting to the lumen, DSES -treated lesions had more multiple necrotic core abutting to the lumen through the stent struts than BSES -treated lesions in evidence(74%vs.33%,P=0.027).Conclusions By VH-IVUS analysis at follow-up,a greater frequency of stable lesion morphometry was shown in lesions treated with BSESs compared with lesions treated with DSESs.The major reason was BSES produced less toxicity to the arterial wall and facilitated neointimal healing as a result of polymer coating on drug-eluting stent(DES) surface biodegraded as time went by.

Histologic analysis and long-term effect of acellular dermal matrix combined with autologous thin split-thickness skin graft

Objective To evaluate the long-term therapeutic effect and histologic result of ADM combined with autologous thin split-thickness skin graft.Methods 23 patients were treated with acellalar dermal matrix(ADM) combined with autoiogous

Long-term effects of early antibiotic intervention on blood parameters,apparent nutrient digestibility, and fecal microbial fermentation profile in pigs with different dietary protein levels

Backgroud： This study aimed to determine the effects of early antibiotic intervention（EAI） on subsequent blood parameters, apparent nutrient digestibility, and fecal fermentation profile in pigs with different dietary crude protein（CP） levels. Eighteen litters of piglets（total 212） were randomly allocated to 2 groups and were fed a creep feed diet with or without in-feed antibiotics（olaquindox, oxytetracycline calcium and kitasamycin） from postnatal d 7 to d 42. On d 42, the piglets within the control or antibiotic group were mixed, respectively, and then further randomly assigned to a normal-（20%, 18%, and 14% CP from d 42 to d 77, d 77 to d 120, and d 120 to d 185,respectively） or a low-CP diet（16%, 14%, and 10% CP from d 42 to d 77, d 77 to d 120, and d 120 to d 185,respectively）, generating 4 groups. On d 77（short-term） and d 185（long-term）, serum and fecal samples were obtained for blood parameters, microbial composition and microbial metabolism analysis.Results： EAI increased（P 〈 0.05） albumin and glucose concentrations in low-CP diet on d 77, and increased（P 〈 0.05） urea concentration in normal-CP diet. On d 185, EAI increased（P 〈 0.05） globulin concentration in normal-CP diets, but decreased glucose concentration. For nutrient digestibility, EAI increased（P 〈 0.05）digestibility of CP on d 77. For fecal microbiota, the EAI as well as low-CP diet decreased（P 〈 0.05） E. coli count on d 77. For fecal metabolites, on d 77, EAI decreased（P 〈 0.05） total amines concentration but increased skatole concentration in low-CP diet. On d 185, the EAI increased（P 〈 0.05） putrescine and total amines concentrations in low-CP diets but reduced（P 〈 0.05） in the normal-CP diets. The low-CP diet decreased the concentrations of these compounds.Conclusions： Collectively, these results indicate that EAI has short-term effects on the blood parameters and fecal microbial fermentation profile. The effects of EAI varied between CP levels, which was characterized by the significant alteration of glucose and putrescine concentration.

Long-Term Effect of Fertilizer and Rice Straw on Mineral Composition and Potassium Adsorption in a Reddish Paddy Soil

Increasing K＋ adsorption can be an effective alternative in building an available K pool in soils to optimize crop recovery and minimize losses into the environment. We hypothesized that long-term fertilization might change K＋ adsorption because of changes in the chemical and mineralogical properties of a rice （Oryza sativa L.）. The aims of this study were （i） to determine clay minerals in paddy soil clay size fractions using X-ray diffraction methods and a numerical diagramdecomposition method; （ii） to measure K＋ adsorption isotherms before and after H202 oxidation of organic matter, and （iii） to investigate whether K＋ adsorption is correlated with changes in soil chemical and mineral properties. The 30-yr longterm fertilization treatments caused little change in soil organic C （SOC） but a large variation in soil mineral composition. The whole-clay fraction （〈5 Jam） corresponded more to the fertilization treatment than the fine-clay fraction （〈1 gin） in terms of percentage of illite peak area. The total percentage of vermiculite-chlorite peak area was significantly negatively correlated with the total percentage ofillite peak area in the 〈5 lam soil particles （R=-0.946, P〈0.0006）. Different fertilization treatments gave significantly different results in K＋ adsorption. The SOC oxidation test showed positive effects of SOC on K＋ adsorption at lower K＋ concentration （≤120 mg L-0 and negative effects at higher K＋ concentration （240 mg L-l）. The K＋ adsorption by soil clay minerals after SOC oxidization accounted for 60-158% of that by unoxidized soils, suggesting a more important role of soil minerals than SOC on K＋ adsorption. The K＋ adsorption potential was significantly correlated to the amount of poorly crystallized illite present （R--0.879, P=0.012）. The availability of adsorbed K＋ for plant growth needs further study.

Long-term effects of pattern scan laser pan-retinal photocoagulation on diabetic retinopathy in Chinese patients: a retrospective study

●AIM:To evaluate the long-term effects of pattern scan laser(PASCAL)pan-retinal photocoagulation(PRP)on diabetic retinopathy(DR)in Chinese patients.●METHODS:In this retrospective study,we evaluated clinical data of 29 patients(53 eyes)with severe non-proliferative DR(SNPDR)or proliferative DR(PDR)who received PRP and follow-up at our hospital from 2008 to 2013.Sixteen patients(29 eyes)received PASCAL PRP and 13 patients(24 eyes)received 100-ms conventional laser PRP.●RESULTS:After long-term follow-up(mean,min-max days:719.8,290-1666 for PASCAL PRP vs 743.5,240-1348 for conventional PRP,P=0.569),patients receiving PASCAL PRP required fewer photocoagulation sessions than the conventional PRP group(2.6±1.0 vs 3.9±0.9,P<0.01).Best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)was reduced slightly in PASCAL PRP group while reduced significantly in conventional PRP group.At last visit,24 eyes in the PASCAL group(88.9%)and 21 eyes in the conventional group(91.7%)were improved or stable.Two eyes in PASCAL PRP group(7.4%)and 3 eyes in the conventional PRP group(12.5%)developed vitreous hemorrhage or vitreous fibrovascular proliferation.●CONCLUSION:PASCAL PRP is as effective and may be more conducive to maintaining visual acuity with less treatment sessions for DR treatment compared to conventional laser PRP.

Long-term effects of metformin use in gestational diabetes mellitus on offspring health

Metformin is the first-line drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus,but its role in gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)management is not clear.Recent evidence suggests a certain beneficial effect of metformin in the treatment of GDM,but a high treatment failure rate leads to the initiation of additional medications,such as insulin.Moreover,since metformin crosses the placental barrier and reaches a significant level in the fetus,it is likely to influence the fetal metabolic milieu.The evidence indicates the long-term safety in children exposed to metformin in utero except for mild adverse anthropometric profiles.Diligent follow-up of metformin-exposed offspring is warranted from the clinician’s point of view.

Long-term effects of management systems on crop yield and soil physical properties of semi-arid tropics of Vertisols

Long-term experiments can be used to assess management induced changes in soil properties and sustainability of the management system in terms of the productivity. Such data are scanty, especially in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) region. A long-term experiment established in 1976 at ICRISAT in India on Vertisols with two management treatments;improved management (IM), comprising semi-permanent broadbed and furrow (BBF) landform with minimum tillage and improved cropping practices;and traditional management (TM) system comprising keeping the land fallow during the rainy season and sowing on flat landform during post-rainy season with traditional cropping practices, was sampled after 24 and 34 years for soil physical and hydrological properties. Results showed that both in short-and long-term the management systems had profound effect on crop yields. Also in the long-term IM and TM management systems had significant effect on several soil physical and hydrological properties. Throughout the soil profile IM systems had significantly lower bulk density, significantly higher porosity, substantially lower penetration resistance both at 5 cm (1 and 8 MPa) and 15 cm depths (8 and 15 MPa), significantly higher infiltration and sorptivity and significantly larger mean weight diameter of 4.3 mm compared to 2.8 mm for soils under TM. However, management systems had no significant effect on moisture holding capacities both at 0.033 and 1.5 MPa. Significant differences between the improved and traditional systems were observed in the size and pattern of soil surface cracks. Over the long-term, the improved management systems has very favorable effects on soil physical and hydrological properties and on the soil surface cracking and its patterns, thereby contributing to higher productivity.

Long-Term Effect of Industrial Waste Water Irrigation on Soil Chemical Properties

A laboratory experiment was conducted in Soil Science Division of BRRI during 2011 aimed to determine the vertical distribution of soil chemical properties under long-term industrial waste water irrigated rice field. Waste water irrigated rice field seemed to create some differences in soil pH profile. The pHW and pHKCl in all soil depth was higher with waste water irrigated rice field. The surface charge of both the soils was considerably negative. Waste water irrigated rice field developed more negative charges in soils. Irrigation with waste water increased Electrical Conductivity （EC） in rice soils profile. The organic carbon content （%） started to decrease sharply with the increase in soil depth. Organic carbon content was higher with waste water irrigated rice soils Total nitrogen （%） was high with underground water irrigated rice soils in surface but at deeper, total N was similar in both soils. Olsen P （mg/kg） was higher with underground water irrigated soil at 0-5 cm depth but at 5-100 cm soils profile, it was higher with waste water irrigated rice soils. Micronutrients （Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn） and heavy metals （Pb, Cd, Ni and Cr） in soils were increased significantly through irrigation with waste water in rice-rice cropping pattern.

Long-Term Effectiveness of Radar Speed Display Signs in a University Environment

Vehicular speeds are of particular interest in areas with a high number of pedestrians due to the fact that 14-percent of all fatal crashes involve pedestrians. This study investigated the effect of a radar speed display sign placed for an extended period of time, at a location frequented by law enforcement on a road segment entering a university campus with a high number of pedestrians and vehicle speed violations. The statistical analysis included a comparison between AM peak, PM peak, and midday speeds collected one year apart. The data suggested that radar speed display signs can remain effective over a long period of time;causing drivers to decelerate when warned of a speeding violation. While other studies have examined long-term impacts of similar technologies, none have included a road entering a University campus. Thus, these findings support that other similar locations entering university campuses could see long-term benefits to stationary radar speed display signs.

Optimism,Social Support,and Caregiving Burden among the Long-Term Caregivers:The Mediating Effect of Psychological Resilience

Background:As the elderly population grows,the demand for long-term care services is increasing.Despite significant investments in care quality and workforce training,long-term care workers often face challenges such as work fatigue,heavy workloads,and inadequate support.These issues can impact job satisfaction,mental health,and care quality,leading to staff turnover.This study examines how optimism,social support,and psychological resilience relate to caregiving burden,aiming to understand their effects on caregivers’well-being and performance to enhance the quality of long-term care services.Methods:The participants were 542 long-term care workers.Descriptive statistics,t-tests,one-way ANOVA,and hierarchical regression were used for data analysis.Results:(1)Optimism and social support were significantly and positively correlated with psychological resilience and significantly and negatively associated with caregiving burden.(2)Regarding differences in optimism,social support,psychological resilience,and caregiving burden among long-term care workers,females scored significantly higher than males in“social support;”married workers scored significantly higher than unmarried workers in“optimism,”“social support,”and“psychological resilience”;workers aged 45–65 scored significantly higher than those aged 25–45 in“optimism”;workers aged 25–45 scored significantly higher than those aged 45–65 in“caregiving burden”;social workers scored significantly higher than nursing staff in“optimism.”(3)Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between social support and caregiving burden concerning explanatory and predictive power.Conclusions:These findings suggest that optimism,social support,and psychological resilience are essential factors in reducing the caregiving burden among long-term care workers.The study highlights the importance of promoting psychological resilience and providing social support to alleviate the burden of caregiving.

Effect of long-term thermal exposure on microstructure of laser-welded UNS N10003 alloy

The evolution of the microstructure and tensile rupture mechanism of laser welds in UNS N10003 alloy exposed to 700℃are investigated.Fine M_(6)C carbides precipitate around the primary eutectic M_(6)C-γcarbides in the fusion zone after 100 h of exposure.During long-term thermal exposure,the size of the fine M_(6)C carbides increased.The eutectic M_(6)C-γcarbides in the as-welded fusion zone transformed into spherical M_(6)C carbides as the exposure time extends to 10000 h.Additionally,the spherical M_(6)C particles exhibit size coarsening with increasing exposure time.The tensile properties of the welded joints are not adversely affected by the evolution of eutectic M_(6)C-γcarbides and the coarsening of M_(6)C carbides.

Verification of the Physiological Therapeutic Effects of Harvesting Activities in a Patient with Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease with Long-Term Agricultural Experience

Background: Harvesting activities have proven effective in reducing stress in patients with dementia. At a psychiatric hospital, occupational therapists (OT) made patients with dementia perform vegetable harvesting activities as a part of their treatment. The patients became calmer and began to smile not only after but also before and during harvesting activity. Therefore, this study aimed to measure autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses over time in a female patient in her 80s with moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) who had experience in farming when performing harvesting activities. Additionally, this study aimed to consider factors associated with changes in ANS responses over time and to verify the physiological therapeutic effects of harvesting activities. Methods: An OT with more than 10 years of experience and a good relationship with the patient conducted one-on-one sessions with the patient. Harvesting activity was performed in a courtyard with trees. The patient harvested lettuce (three lettuce plants) grown in a planter while sitting on a chair. Additionally, the planter was set up on a desk. ANS responses were measured over time from before to after the activity for different events at six time periods. Changes in the patient’s ANS responses were assessed during each period. Results: With the involvement of environmental factors and OT during harvesting activities, parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity significantly increased. This may lead to improved mental stability. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that implementing harvesting activities may have a positive effect on the PNS in patients with AD with long-term agricultural experience. However, further studies with a larger sample size and multidimensional evaluations are needed.

Effects of long-term grazing exclusion on vegetation structure,soil water holding capacity,carbon and nitrogen sequestration capacity in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Grazing exclusion is one of the primary management practices used to restore degraded grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.However,to date,the effects of long-term grazing exclusion measures on the process of restoring degraded alpine meadows have not been evaluated.In this study,moderately degraded plots,in which the vegetation coverage was approximately 65%and the dominant plant species was Potentilla anserina L,with grazing exclusion for 2 to 23 years,were selected in alpine meadows of Haibei in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Plant coverage,plant height,biomass,soil bulk density,saturated water content,soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)were evaluated.The results were as follows:(1)With aboveground biomass and total saturated water content at 0-40 cm depth,the average SOC and TN contents in moderately degraded alpine meadows increased as a power function,and the plant height increased as a log function.(2)The average soil bulk density at 0-40 cm depth first decreased and then increased with increasing grazing exclusion duration,and the minimum value of 0.90 g·cm^(-3) was reached at 15.23 years.The plant coverage,total belowground biomass at 0-40 cm depth,total aboveground and belowground biomass first increased and then decreased,their maximum values(80.49%,2452.92g·m^(-2),2891.06 g·m^(-2))were reached at 9.41,9.46 and 10.25 years,respectively.Long-term grazing exclusion is apparently harmful for the sustainable restoration of degraded alpine meadows.The optimal duration of grazing exclusion for the restoration of moderately degraded alpine meadows was 10 years.This research suggests that moderate disturbance should be allowed in moderately degraded alpine meadows after 10years of grazing exclusion.

240 nm AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet micro-LEDs:size effect versus edge effect

240 nm AlGaN-based micro-LEDs with different sizes are designed and fabricated.Then,the external quantum efficiency(EQE)and light extraction efficiency(LEE)are systematically investigated by comparing size and edge effects.Here,it is revealed that the peak optical output power increases by 81.83%with the size shrinking from 50.0 to 25.0μm.Thereinto,the LEE increases by 26.21%and the LEE enhancement mainly comes from the sidewall light extraction.Most notably,transversemagnetic(TM)mode light intensifies faster as the size shrinks due to the tilted mesa side-wall and Al reflector design.However,when it turns to 12.5μm sized micro-LEDs,the output power is lower than 25.0μm sized ones.The underlying mechanism is that even though protected by SiO2 passivation,the edge effect which leads to current leakage and Shockley-Read-Hall(SRH)recombination deteriorates rapidly with the size further shrinking.Moreover,the ratio of the p-contact area to mesa area is much lower,which deteriorates the p-type current spreading at the mesa edge.These findings show a role of thumb for the design of high efficiency micro-LEDs with wavelength below 250 nm,which will pave the way for wide applications of deep ultraviolet(DUV)micro-LEDs.