Clinical Study on Effect of Electro-acupuncture Combined with Different Anesthetics on Auditory-evoked Potential Index

To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture （EA） on auto regressive with exogenous input model （ARX-model） auditory evoked index （AAI） in patients anesthetized with different anesthetics. Methods： Forty-eight adult patients undergoing scheduled surgical operation were enrolled and divided into two groups （24 in each group） according to the anesthetics applied, Group A was anesthetized with propofol sedation and Group B with Isoflurane-epidural anesthesia. Group A was subdivided into three groups of low, middle and high concentration of target effect-site of 1.0 μg/ml, 1.5 μg/ml and 2.0 μg/ml through target controlled infusion （TCI） and Group B into 3 subgroups of minimum alveolar effective concentration of isoflurane （0.4 MAC, 0.6 MAC and 0.8 MAC for B1, B2 and B3 subgroups） respectively, with 8 patients in every subgroup. EA on acupoints of Hegu （LI4） and Neiguan （P6） was applied on all the patients during anesthesia, and the change of AAI at various time points was recorded. Results： In the three subgroups of Group A, levels of AAI were significantly elevated in the first few minutes after EA, and significantly lowered 20 min after EA in subgroup A2. While in the subgroups of Group B, except the elevating in Group B11 - 2 rain after EA, levels of AAI remained unchanged at other time points. Conclusion： Pain response could be reflected by AAI during EA. EA could enhance the sedative effect of propofol in middle concentration, but its effect on isoflurane epidural anesthesia is insignificant.

Spatial distribution and potential ecological and health risks associated with heavy metals in the Ijero-Ekiti mining site,Nigeria

Artisanal gold mining,a labor-intensive and antiquated technique,is a growing industry and the source of income for rural communities all over the world.However,artisanal gold mining has potential negative and long-term effects on economy,environment,and society.This study collected soil samples from 16 sample points including a control point to examine the pollution degrees and spatial distribution of heavy metals,as well as ecological and health risks associated with heavy metal pollution in the Ijero-Ekiti mining site,Nigeria.Geographical Information System(GIS)and remote sensing technologies were used to identify regions with high concentrations of heavy metals and assess the environmental impact of gold mining activities.The results show that the mean heavy metal concentrations of 16 soil pointa are 8.94(±5.97)mg/kg for As,0.18(±0.54)mg/kg for Cd,0.11(±1.06)mg/kg for Co,14.32(±3.43)mg/kg for Cr,6.89(±0.64)mg/kg for Cu,48.92(±11.77)mg/kg for Fe,135.81(±30.75)mg/kg for Mn,5.92(±0.96)mg/kg for Ni,5.72(±1.66)mg/kg for Pb,and 13.94(±1.38)mg/kg for Zn.The study reveals that heavy metal concentration in soils follows the order of Mn>Fe>Cr>Zn>As>Cu>Ni>Pb>Co>Cd.An analysis of soil samples indicates that 3 principal components(PCs)account for 70.008%of the total variance and there are strong positive correlations between various pairs of heavy metals.The total potential ecological risk index(309.599)in the study area is high.Non-carcinogenic risk suggests that there may be long-term health impacts on people who work in the mining areas due to chronic exposure to the environment.Based on the study,the hazard index of carcinogenic health risks associated with heavy metals through ingestion is 520.00×10^(–4).Dermal contact from As and Cr also increases the risk of cancer,with the highest hazard index value of 18.40×10^(–4).The lowest exposure pathway,with the hazard index value of 0.68×10^(–4),indicates that the inhalation of heavy metals has a comparatively low risk of cancer.This study recommends the formulation of policies to monitor the Ijero-Ekiti mining site and other regions in Nigeria where indiscriminate artisanal gold mining activities exist.

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Xiawan Port based on modified potential ecological risk index

Modified potential ecological risk index （MRI） was proposed based on the potential ecological risk index （RI） and risk assessment code （RAC） by modifying an index. The modified index was relevant to the chemical speciation of heavy metals. Xiawan Port, a typical region contaminated by industrial production, was selected as a case study area. The total concentrations and chemical speciation of heavy metals in sediments of Xiawan Port were analyzed. The experimental data indicate that Xiawan Port is seriously polluted by heavy metals, especially by Cd. The risks of heavy metals are evaluated by RI, RAC and MRI, respectively. The resluts of MRI show that the risks of heavy metals are in the decreasing order of Cd〉Pb〉Cu〉Zn. Comparison of results by different methods reveals that MRI integrates the characters of RI and RAC. MRI is recognized to be useful for risk managemnt of heavy metals in sediments.

Changes in the Tropical Cyclone Genesis Potential Index over the Western North Pacific in the SRES A2 Scenario

The Tropical Cyclone Genesis Potential Index （GPI） was employed to investigate possible impacts of global warming on tropical cyclone genesis over the western North Pacific （WNP）. The outputs of 20th century climate simulation by eighteen GCMs were used to evaluate the models＇ ability to reproduce tropical cyclone genesis via the GPI. The GCMs were found in general to reasonably reproduce the observed spatial distribution of genesis. Some of the models also showed ability in capturing observed temporal variation. Based on the evaluation, the models （CGCM3.1-T47 and IPSL-CM4） found to perform best when reproducing both spatial and temporal features were chosen to project future GPI. Results show that both of these models project an upward trend of the GPI under the SRES A2 scenario, however the rate of increase differs between them.

A drought resistance index to select drought resistant plant species based on leaf water potential measurements

The water deficit in arid and semi-arid regions is the primary limiting factor for the development of urban greenery and forestation. In addition, planting the species that consume low levels of water is useful in arid and semi-arid regions that have poor water management measures. Leaf water potential(Ψ) is a physiological parameter that can be used to identify drought resistance in various species. Indeed, Ψ is one of the most important properties of a plant that can be measured using a pressure chamber. Drought avoiding or drought resistant species have a lower Ψ than plants that use normal or high levels of water. To determine drought resistance of species that are suitable for afforestation in arid urban regions, we evaluated twenty woody species in the Isfahan City, central Iran. The experimental design was random split-split plots with five replications. The species were planted outdoor in plastic pots and then subjected to treatments that consisted of two soil types and five drip irrigation regimes. To evaluate the resistance of each species to drought, we used the Ψ and the number of survived plants to obtain the drought resistance index(DRI). Then, cluster analysis, dendrogram, and similarity index were used to group the species using DRI. Result indicates that the evaluated species were classified into five groups:(1) high water consuming species(DRI>–60 MPa);(2) above normal water consuming species(–60 MPa≥DRI>–90 MPa);(3) normal water consuming species(–90 MPa≥DRI>–120 MPa);(4) semi-drought resistant species(–120 MPa≥DRI>–150 MPa);and(5) drought resistant species(DRI≤–150 MPa). According to the DRI, Salix babylonica L., Populus alba L., and P. nigra L. are high water consuming species, Platanus orientalis L. and Albizia julibrissin Benth are normal water consuming species, and Quercus infectoria Oliv. and Olea europaea L. can be considered as drought resistant species.

Enthalpies Estimation of Formation of Monosubstituted Alkanes by Interaction Potential Index

The interaction potential index IPI（X） of 16 Br, C1, I, NO2, CN, CHO, COOH, CH3, CH： kinds of substituents X （X---OH, SH, NH2, ：CH2, C-CH, Ph, COCH3, COOCH3） were proposed, which are derived from the experimental enthalpies of formation △fHФ （g） values of monosubstituted straight-chain alkanes. Based on the IPI（X） and polarizability effect index, a simple and effective model was constructed to estimate the △fHФ （g） values of monosubstituted alkanes RX （including the branched derivatives）. The present model takes into account not only the contributions of the alkyl R and the substituent X, but also the contribution of the interaction between R and X. Its stability and prediction ability was confirmed by the results of leave-one-out method. Compared with previous reported studies, the obtained equation can be used to estimate enthalpies of formation for much more kinds of monosubstituted alkanes with less parameters. Thus, it is recommended for the calculation of the △fHФ（g） for the RX.

Diagnosis of the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea using a genesis potential index

The modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the southern South China Sea （SSCS） by the El Nin o- Southern Oscillation （ENSO） is examined in October–December （OND）, when tropical cyclone （TC） activities are most active in this region. The results reveal that there were more TCs formed over the SSCS during La Nin a years and less TCs during El Nin o years. How different environmental factors （including low-level vorticity, mid-level relative humidity, vertical wind shear, and potential intensity） contribute to this influence is investigated, using a genesis potential （GP） index developed by Emanuel and Nolan. Composite anomalies of the GP index are produced for El Nin o and La Nin a years separately, which could account for the changes of TC frequency over the SSCS in different ENSO phases. The degree of contribution by each factor is determined quantitatively by producing composites of modified indices in which only one of the contributing factors varies, with the others set to climatology. The results show that the mid-level relative humidity makes the largest contribution to the ENSO modulation of tropical cyclogenesis over the SSCS. Although warmer sea surface temperatures （SSTs） and larger amount of evaporation from the ocean surface were observed over the SSCS during El Nin o years, anomalous descending motions due to the anomalous Walker circulations inhibited the upward transports of water vapor and led to less moisture contents in the middle troposphere, which suppressed TC formations.

Potential Power of the Pyramidal Structure VIII: Exploration of Periodic Diurnal Oscillation of Pyramid Power and Bio-Entanglement

To date, numerous books have been published on so-called “pyramid power” but there have been few academic papers on this subject other than our own. Since 2007, to demonstrate the pyramid power, we have undertaken strictly scientific experiments using a pyramidal structure (PS) that we have carefully constructed. In previous reports, we used the edible cucumber, Cucumis sativus as an effective and practical biosensor. Through measurement and analysis of volatile components (gas concentrations) emitted from the biosensor, we were able to demonstrate the existence of the pyramid power and revealed some of its characteristics. In a paper published in 2022, we showed that gas concentration release from this biosensor displayed a circadian rhythm and that this rhythm changed with the season. Based on the result that the biosensor had a periodic diurnal oscillation called a circadian rhythm, we questioned whether or not pyramid power and Bio-Entanglement also had periodic diurnal oscillations. In this paper, we investigated that possibility. Our results have shown that pyramid power and Bio-Entanglement do not exhibit significant periodic diurnal oscillations. Thus we have revealed for the first time that the field associated with pyramid power is a type of static field that always exerts a constant influence. We expect that our research results will be widely accepted in the future and will become the foundation for a new research field in science, with a wide range of applications.

Tropical Cyclone Genesis Potential Index over the Western North Pacific Simulated by CMIP5 Models

Tropical cyclone （TC） genesis over the western North Pacific （WNP） is analyzed using 23 CMIP5 （Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5） models and reanalysis datasets. The models are evaluated according to TC genesis potential index （GPI）. The spatial and temporal variations of the GPI are first calculated using three atmospheric reanalysis datasets （ERA-Interim, NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis- 1, and NCEP/DOE Reanalysis-2）. Spatial distributions of July-October-mean TC frequency based on the GPI from ERA-interim are more consistent with observed ones derived from IBTrACS global TC data. So, the ERA-interim reanalysis dataset is used to examine the CMIP5 models in terms of reproducing GPI during the period 1982-2005. Although most models possess deficiencies in reproducing the spatial distribution of the GPI, their multi- model ensemble （MME） mean shows a reasonable climatological GPI pattern characterized by a high GPI zone along 20°N in the WNP. There was an upward trend of TC genesis frequency during 1982 to 1998, followed by a downward trend. Both MME results and reanalysis data can represent a robust increasing trend during 1982-1998, but the models cannot simulate the downward trend after 2000. Analysis based on future projection experiments shows that the GPI exhibits no significant change in the first half of the 21st century, and then starts to decrease at the end of the 21st century under the representative concentration pathway （RCP） 2.6 scenario. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the GPI shows an increasing trend in the vicinity of 20°N, indicating more TCs could possibly be expected over the WNP under future global warming.

Using geospatial technologies to delineate Ground Water Potential Zones(GWPZ)in Mberengwa and Zvishavane District,Zimbabwe

The main objective of the study was to delineate Ground Water Potential Zones(GWPZ)in Mberengwa and Zvishavane districts,Zimbabwe,utilizing geospatial technologies and thematic mapping.Various factors,including geology,soil,rainfall,land use/land cover,drainage density,lineament density,slope,Terrain Ruggedness Index(TRI),and Terrain Wetness Index(TWI),were incorporated as thematic layers.The Multi Influencing Factor(MIF)and Analytical Hierarchical Process(AHP)techniques were employed to assign appropriate weights to these layers based on their relative significance,prioritizing GWPZ mapping.The integration of these weighted layers resulted in the generation of five GWPZ classes:Very high,high,moderate,low,and very low.The MIF method identified 3%of the area as having very high GWPZ,19%as having high GWPZ,40%as having moderate GWPZ,24%as having low GWPZ,and 14%as having very low GWPZ.The AHP method yielded 2%for very high GWPZ,14%for high GWPZ,37%for moderate GWPZ,37%for low GWPZ,and 10%for very low GWPZ.A strong correlation(ρof 0.91)was observed between the MIF results and groundwater yield.The study successfully identified regions with abundant groundwater,providing valuable target areas for groundwater exploitation and highvolume water harvesting initiatives.Accurate identification of these crucial regions is essential for effective decision-making,planning,and management of groundwater resources to alleviate water shortages.

AN EAST ASIAN SUBTROPICAL SUMMER MONSOON INDEX DEFINED BY MOIST POTENTIAL VORTICITY

Based on consideration of both thermodynamic and kinetic features of the subtropical summer monsoon in East Asia,a new index is defined by the moist potential vorticity (MPV) for this monsoon.Variation features of the subtropical summer monsoon over 60 years are analyzed using National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA) data from 1948 to 2007.Results show that the new index can well reflect the seasonal,interannual,and interdecadal variations of the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon.Correlation analysis of the new index and precipitation data from 160 stations in China shows that in high-index years,the summer monsoon is strong,and more rain falls in eastern North China,southwestern China,and along the coast of South China and less rain falls in the Yangtze-Huaihe R.basin.In low-index years,the opposite occurs.Lastly,the new index is compared with four established monsoon indices.The new index is found to have an advantage in representing summer rainfall in the Yangtze-Huaihe R.basin.

A New Approach to the Calculation of Work Index and the Potential Energy of a Particulate Material

The work index Wi was defined by F. Bond as the specific energy (kWh/ton) required to reduce a particulate material from infinite grain size to 100 microns. The calculation is based on the size-energy relationship e1,2=C.(1/x2n–1/x1n ) , which for n = 0.5, x1 = ∞ and x2 =100, by definition gives e∞, 100 = Wi and consequently C=10Wi. In theory, for a given material the value found for Wi.should be constant regardless of the measured sizes x1 and x2 used to calculate the constant C by measuring the energy e. In practice this is not so due to the fact that n ≠ 0.5 and many correction factors have been proposed to overcome this inadequacy experienced by accepting n= 0.5. The present paper proposes a simple way to calculate the appropriate exponent n using conventional grinding procedures. The same calculation can be used to calculate the true value of Wi and attribute a potential energy state to a material at any size.

Correlations between silt density index,turbidity and oxidation-reduction potential parameters in seawater reverse osmosis desalination

The reverse osmosis method is one of the most widely used methods of seawater desalination at present.Hydrophilic and desalting membranes in reverse osmosis systems are highly susceptible to the input pollutants.Various contaminants,including suspended organic and inorganic matter,result in membrane fouling and membrane degradation.Fundamental parameters such as the turbidity,the amount of chlorine injection,and silt density index (SDI) are the most predominant parameters of fouling control in the membranes.In this study,the operation system included a water intake unit,a pretreatment system,and an RO system.The pretreatment system encompassed a clarifier,a gravity sand filter,pressurized sand filters,and a cartridge filter.The correlation between the amount of chlorine injection in terms of the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and the SDI value of the input water was investigated at a specified site next to the Persian Gulf.The results showed that,at certain intervals of inlet turbidity,injection of a certain amount of chlorine into the raw water has a distinct effect on the decrease of SDI.

Climatological and Seasonal Variations of the Tropical Cyclone Genesis Potential Index Based on Oceanic Parameters in the Global Ocean

This study investigates the global performance of the tropical cyclone(TC)genesis potential index based on oceanic parameters(GPI_(ocean))proposed by Zhang et al.(2016).In six major TC formation basins,GPI_(ocean)can represent the seasonal variations of TC genesis over most basins,except for the North Indian Ocean(NIO).The monthly climatological GPI_(ocean)shows only a single peak in the NIO,which cannot describe the bimodal pattern of the annual cycle of TC genesis.To determine the cause of the poor performance of GPI_(ocean)in the NIO,the relative contributions of different parameters related to GPI_(ocean)are calculated and compared with those related to the genesis potential index developed by Emanuel and Nolan(2004)(GPI04).Results show that the net longwave radiation on the sea surface is responsible for the single peak of TC genesis in the NIO in boreal summer.Compared with GPI04,vertical wind shear is not involved in GPI_(ocean).Vertical wind shear is the dominant factor inhibiting TC genesis in the NIO in boreal summer.Therefore,the absence of vertical wind shear in GPI_(ocean)results in the failure of the annual cycle of TC genesis in the NIO.

Trajectory engineering via a space-fractional Schrodinger equation with dynamic linear index potential

We theoretically and numerically study the propagation dynamics of a Gaussian beam modeled by the fractional Schrodinger equation with different dynamic linear potentials. For the limited case α = 1(α is the Lévy index) in the momentum space, the beam suffers a frequency shift which depends on the applied longitudinal modulation and the involved chirp. While in the real space, by precisely controlling the linear chirp, the beam will exhibit two different evolution characteristics: one is the zigzag trajectory propagation induced by multi-reflection occurring at the zeros of spatial spectrum,the other is diffraction-free propagation. Numerical simulations are in full accordance with the theoretical results. Increase of the Lévy index not only results in the drift of those turning points along the transverse direction, but also leads to the delocalization of the Gaussian beam.

Analyzing the influences of two types of El Nino on Tropical Cyclone Genesis with a modified genesis potential index

To understand the impacts of large-scale circulation during the evolution of E1 Nifio cycle on tropical cyclones （TC） is important and useful for TC forecast. Based on best-track data from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and reanalysis data from National Centers for Environmental Prediction for the period 1975- 2014, we investigated the influences of two types of E1 Nifio, the eastern Pacific E1 Nifio （EP-E1 Nifio） and central Pacific E1 Nifio （CP-E1 Nifio）, on global TC genesis. We also examined how various environmental factors contribute to these influences using a modified genesis potential index （MGPI）. The composites reproduced for two types of E1 Nifio, from their developing to decaying phases, were able to qualitatively replicate observed cyclogenesis in several basins except for the Arabian Sea. Certain factors of MGPI with more influence than others in various regions are identified. Over the western North Pacific, five variables were all important in the two E1Nifio types during developing summer （July-August-September） and fall （October- November-December）, and decaying spring （April-May-June） and summer. In the eastern Pacific, vertical shear and relative vorticity are the crucial factors for the two types of El Nifio during developing and decaying summers. In the Atlantic, vertical shear, potential intensity and relative humidity are important for the opposite variation of EP- and CP-EI Nifios during decaying summers. In the Southern Hemisphere, the five variables have varying contributions to TC genesis variation during peak season （January-February-March） for the two types of E1 Nifio. In the Bay of Bengal, relative vorticity, humidity and omega may be responsible for clearly reduced TC genesis during developing fall for the two types and slightly suppressed TC cyclogenesis during EP-E1 Nifio decaying spring. In the Arabian Sea, the EP-E1 Nifio generates a slightly positive anomaly of TC genesis during developing falls and decaying springs, but the MGPI failed to capture this variation.

China’s Potential of Grain Production Due to Changes in Agricultural Land Utilization in Recent Years

The changes in utilization of agricultural land have gradually grown into one of the major factors impacting grain output in China. This study explores the various components of agricultural production in China from the land utilization perspective, involving changes in grain production per unit area, multi-cropping index, and adjustment of agricultural structure. Compared with the record values, different research methodologies are used to analyze the po- tential of above three components. The results indicate that grain production potential of 65.68×109kg was unexploited in 2006, in which 45.8×109kg came from the restructuring in agriculture. So we can infer that the reduction of grain production in China could be primarily attributed to agricultural restructuring in recent years. So the productive poten- tial can be fully restored by increasing agricultural investment, or recovering agricultural structure in favorable condi- tions. So we can say that China’s current condition of food security is good.

APPROXIMATION OF GENERALIZED BI－AXIALLY SYMMETRIC POTENTIALS WITH FAST RATES OF GROWTH

The paper deals with growth and approximation of solutions (not necessarily entire) of certain elliptic partial differential equations. These solutions are called Generalized Bi-axially Symmetric Potentials (GBSP's). The GBSP's are taken to be regular in a finite hyperball and influence of the growth of their maximum moduli on the rate of decay of their approximation errors in sup norm is studied. The authors obtain the characterizations of the q-type and lower q-type of a GBSP H ∈ HP,0 < R < ∞, in terms of rate of decay of approximation error E.(H,R0), 0 < R0<R <∞.

Presenting an engineering classification system for coal spontaneous combustion potential

The phenomenon of coal spontaneous combustion is one of the common hazards in coal mines and also one of the important reasons for the loss of coal in piles and mines. Based on previous researches, different types of coals have different spontaneous combustion characteristics. For coal loss prevention, a measure is necessary for prediction of coal spontaneous combustion. In this study, a new engineering classification system called ＂Coal Spontaneous Combustion Potential Index （CSCPI）＂ is presented based on the Fuzzy Delphi Analytic Hierarchy Process （FDAHP） approach. CSCPI classifies coals based on their spontaneous combustion capability. After recognition of the roles of the effective parameters influencing the initiation of a spontaneous combustion, a series of intrinsic, geological, and mining characteristics of coal seams are investigated. Then, the main stages of the implementation of the FDAHP method are studied and the weight of each parameter involved is calculated. A classification list of each parameter is formed, the CSCPI system is described, and the engineering classifying system is subsequently presented. In the CSCPI system, each coal seam can be rated by a number from 0 to 100; a higher number implies a greater ease for the coal spontaneous combustion capability. Based on the CSCPI system, the propensity of spontaneous combustion of coal can be classified into three potential levels： low, medium, and high. Finally, using the events of coal spontaneous combustion occurring in one of the Iranian coal mines, Eastern Alborz Coal Mines, an initial validation of the mentioned systematic approach is conducted. Comparison of the results obtained in this study illustrate a relatively good agreement.

Potential Power of the Pyramidal Structure III: Discovery of Pyramid Effects with and without Seasonal Variation

Since October 2007, we have been conducting rigorous scientific research on the unexplained “power” of a pyramidal structure (PS). From our research results so far, we could classify the pyramid effects by the PS into the following two types. (i) The pyramid effects in which the PS converted the test subject’s unexplained energy to affect biosensors when the test subject entered the PS and meditated. (ii) The pyramid effects in which the potential power of the PS affected biosensors if the test subject had not been inside the PS for at least 20 days and the test subject’s unexplained energy was excluded. In this paper, we report new results regarding (ii). As a result of dividing a year according to the four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and autumn and analyzing the pyramid effect of each period, the following points were found. 1) There was a pyramid effect without seasonal variation. The pyramid effect on the lower and upper layers was different throughout the year for the biosensors placed at the PS apex in two layers, regardless of the season. 2) There was a pyramid effect with seasonal variation. The value of the psi index, which indicates the magnitude of the pyramid effect, changed as the seasons changed, while different pyramid effects were maintained on the lower and upper layers. Regarding the change in the pyramid effect depending on the season, the psi index in summer was larger than that in winter in both the lower and upper layers. From these results, we found that there are two types of potential power at the PS apex: seasonal potential power and non-seasonal potential power.