Environmental Impact Assessment Follow-Up of Seismic Survey Offshore Activities in Brazil

Follow-up of environmental impacts is an integral part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, closely related to the effectiveness of the instrument. EIA follow-up has been receiving a lot of interest from scientists and practitioners, though it is recognized as one of the weakest points of EIA systems globally. Also, EIA follow-up is influenced by the context, mainly in terms of the types of projects or activities and their related impacts on the environment. Therefore, the present paper is focused on the investigation of the follow-up stage applied to the activity of seismic survey coupled with offshore oil & gas exploitation in Brazil. Research was based on a qualitative approach that included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with analysts involved in EIA processes, and sought to generate evidence of effectiveness of the EIA follow-up as conducted by the Federal Environment Agency (Ibama) in order to situate the practice of follow-up in the broader context of international best practice principles. Based on the findings, it was concluded that, due to the peculiarities of offshore seismic survey, it is necessary to promote adaptations in the procedures for monitoring impacts in order to ensure proper alignment with the principles and conceptual foundations that guide EIA practice. Specifically, the timing of the execution of the activity imposes challenges for its integration into the “conventional” cycle that has guided the monitoring of the impacts in the EIA of projects.

Analysis of debris flow control effect and hazard assessment in Xinqiao Gully,Wenchuan M_(s)8.0 earthquake area based on numerical simulation

Xinqiao Gully is located in the area of the 2008 Wenchuan M_(s)8.0 earthquake in Sichuan province,China.Based on the investigation of the 2023"6-26"Xinqiao Gully debris flow event,this study assessed the effectiveness of the debris flow control project and evaluated the debris flow hazards.Through field investigation and numerical simulation methods,the indicators of flow intensity reduction rate and storage capacity fullness were proposed to quantify the effectiveness of the engineering measures in the debris flow event.The simulation results show that the debris flow control project reduced the flow intensity by41.05%to 64.61%.The storage capacity of the dam decreases gradually from upstream to the mouth of the gully,thus effectively intercepting and controlling the debris flow.By evaluating the debris flow of different recurrence intervals,further measures are recommended for managing debris flow events.

Landslide susceptibility assessment in Western Henan Province based on a comparison of conventional and ensemble machine learning

Landslide is a serious natural disaster next only to earthquake and flood,which will cause a great threat to people’s lives and property safety.The traditional research of landslide disaster based on experience-driven or statistical model and its assessment results are subjective,difficult to quantify,and no pertinence.As a new research method for landslide susceptibility assessment,machine learning can greatly improve the landslide susceptibility model’s accuracy by constructing statistical models.Taking Western Henan for example,the study selected 16 landslide influencing factors such as topography,geological environment,hydrological conditions,and human activities,and 11 landslide factors with the most significant influence on the landslide were selected by the recursive feature elimination(RFE)method.Five machine learning methods[Support Vector Machines(SVM),Logistic Regression(LR),Random Forest(RF),Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost),and Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA)]were used to construct the spatial distribution model of landslide susceptibility.The models were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and statistical index.After analysis and comparison,the XGBoost model(AUC 0.8759)performed the best and was suitable for dealing with regression problems.The model had a high adaptability to landslide data.According to the landslide susceptibility map of the five models,the overall distribution can be observed.The extremely high and high susceptibility areas are distributed in the Funiu Mountain range in the southwest,the Xiaoshan Mountain range in the west,and the Yellow River Basin in the north.These areas have large terrain fluctuations,complicated geological structural environments and frequent human engineering activities.The extremely high and highly prone areas were 12043.3 km^(2)and 3087.45 km^(2),accounting for 47.61%and 12.20%of the total area of the study area,respectively.Our study reflects the distribution of landslide susceptibility in western Henan Province,which provides a scientific basis for regional disaster warning,prediction,and resource protection.The study has important practical significance for subsequent landslide disaster management.

Assessment of acoustic backscatter intensity surveying on deep-sea ferromanganese crust: Constraints from Weijia Guyot, western Pacific Ocean

Near-bottom observation data from the manned deep submersible Jiaolong with high-precision underwater positioning data from Weijia Guyot,Magellan Seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are reported.Three substrate types were identified:Sediment,ferromanganese crust,and ferromanganese crust with a thin cover of sediment.The ferromanganese crusts show clear zoning and their continuity is usually disturbed by sediments on areas of the mountainside with relatively gentle slope gradients.The identified substrate spatial distributions correspond to acoustic backscatter intensity data,with regions of high intensity always including crust development and regions of low intensity always having sediment.Therefore,acoustic backscatter intensity surveying appears useful in the delineation and evaluation of crust resources,although further more work is needed to develop a practicable methodology.

Assessment of Domestic Water Sources Safety: Application of the Micro Biological Survey Method and Microbiological Profile of the Contaminating Bacteria

Water is essential for human life and it’s expected to be clean and safe. In Cameroon, government efforts to improve access to drinking water are mitigated. Many households are suffering from chronic water shortages leading to the majority of people using doubtful water sources. This study was carried out in accordance with guidelines produced by the STARBIOS2-EU funded project on Responsible Research and Innovation and aimed to assess the microbiological quality of water samples collected from domestic water sources in 3 divisions of the West region of Cameroon. 22 water samples from well water, stream, water pump and river were aseptically collected. At each sampling point, 50 mL of sample was taken aseptically and immediately transported to the laboratory for analysis. The detection of Coliforms bacteria was done using Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method. 1 mL of each sample was inoculated in the Coliforms MBS (Coli MBS) vial initially rehydrated with 10 mL of sterile distilled water. The Coli MBS vials were closed, shaken for homogenization, and then incubated at 37°C. From the initial red color of the Coli MBS vials, changes in color to yellow of the reaction vials were monitored at three different time intervals (12 h, 19 h and 24 h), corresponding to three levels of bacterial concentration. All positives samples on MBS method were selected to determine the presence of E. coli Loop full broths of Coli MBS vials were taken;streaked into the eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. E. coli was confirmed by observing green metallic sheen on EMB agar plate. The biochemical indole, methyl red, Voges-Proskauer and citrate (IMViC) test was performed to determine the complete microbiological profile of the water samples. Almost all the water samples were contaminated with Total Coliforms (TC). A high concentration of TC (>103 CFU/mL) was found in 8 samples (36.4%), a medium concentration (10 < x < 103 CFU/mL) was observed in 10 samples (45.5%) and 2 samples (9.1%) were low concentrated (1 < x < 10 CFU/mL). 8 samples were positive for the presence of E. coli by observing the green metallic sheen on EMB agar plates. The IMViC test confirmed the presences of 5 bacteria species: Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., E. coli spp., Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. We recommend integrating sanitary assessment in the design and implementation of water supply projects. Regular water purification using proper methods and maintenances of the water point. Regular microbiological quality assessment of water intended for human consumption should be planned and carried out.

Big data assessment on the operating characteristics of on-line taxis and thoughts on relevant policies

A double-dimensional big data assessment method on the characteristics of on-line taxi traffic operation is proposed to provide a scientific basis for carrying out the taxi industry reform and standardizing the on-line taxi hailing management work. Taking Shenzhen as an example, multi- source data such as on-line taxi license plate data, plate identification data and taxi （including on-line taxis） operation data are combined with the results of the stated preference （SP） survey on taxi operating characteristics to assess the overall operation characteristics of on-line taxis. The results show that the current on-line taxis in Shenzhen can be divided into three categories, that is, full-time on-line taxis, non- active on-line taxis and part-time on-line taxis, accounting for 4%, 55%, and 41%, respectively, of the total quantity. In terms of the characteristics of space-time operations, full-time on-line taxis have similar operating characteristics as those of traditional taxis; the operation of non-active on-line taxis and part-time on-line taxis coincides with commuting requirements during morning and evening peak hours. However, part-time on-line taxis operate for a much longer time period at night. Due to the convenient hailing and favorable price, on-line taxis have a significant impact on trip modes of citizens; and the substitution eflbct of on-line taxis on traditional buses and cruising taxis is obvious. It is beneficial for helping the government departments to objectively understand the development law of the on-line taxi industry and providing decision reference for the formulation of relevant management policies during the critical development stage of on-line taxi industry.

Occupational risk assessment based on employees’ knowledge and awareness of hazards in mining

Analyses and assessments of hazards occurring in work processes are carried out by teams,in which there is usually one representative of the personnel,as the embodiment of the active participation of employees in the assessment of occupational risks.This is why the article presents research on all employees’knowledge and awareness about risks in their work environment.The research was carried out in the form of an employee survey in one of the open-pit mines,at workstations dealing with the loading and transporting of excavated material.The survey included a list of 40 hazards divided into four groups:(1)hazards related to machines and equipment used,(2)hazards related to exposure,(3)hazards with an impact extending beyond the workstation and(4)hazards of an ergonomic nuisance nature,where employees were required to indicate which hazards apply to their workplaces and determine their level of signifcance,probability of occurrence and the scale of possible efects.In this way,a hierarchical identifcation of threats occurring at the analyzed workplaces was made,and the obtained results were used to determine the amount of occupational risk both for specifc workstations and for the whole technological process.The measures of the magnitude of occupational risk obtained using the proposed method have showed that,according to the respondents,greatest risks at the workstation are associated with moving machines and vehicles and with mobile equipment.Equally important risks,which were often mentioned by employees,were those directly related to their health,i.e.,related to ergonomic nuisance and exposure.Threats resulting from geological and mining conditions,considered typical for mining,were important for the surveyed miners but they were not the most important owing to proper prevention,good organization of work and high safety culture The active involvement of the crew in the process of assessing occupational hazards allowed to identify the signifcance of each hazard,in the opinion of the personnel working at various places and to use this ranking for determining occupational risk levels in the mining company concerned.The research has also outlined another goal to be achieved:a comparison of the relative signifcance of hazards identifed by the employees and of the hazards listed in occupational risk assessment matrices used by mines.

Arsenic and fluoride co-enrichment of groundwater in the loess areas and associated human health risks:A case study of Dali County in the Guanzhong Basin

This study aims to reveal the occurrence and origin of typical groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in the loess area of the Guanzhong Basin—a Neogene faulted basin.Key findings are as follows:(1)Groundwater samples with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations collected from the loess area and the terraces of the Weihe River accounted for 26%and 30%,respectively,of the total samples,with primary hydrochemical type identified as HCO_(3)-Na.The karst and sand areas exhibit relatively high groundwater quality,serving as preferred sources for water supply.It is recommended that local governments fully harness groundwater in these areas;(2)groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in the loess area and the alluvial plain of rivers in Dali County is primarily distributed within the Guanzhong Basin,which represents the drainage zone of groundwater;(3)arsenic and fluoride in groundwater originate principally from natural and anthropogenic sources;(4)the human health risk assessments reveal that long-term intake of groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations pose cancer or non-cancer risks,which are more serious to kids compared to adults.This study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in loess areas.

Assessment of SoilGrids data for soil erosion estimation at watershed scale: A case study in northern Thailand

Soil erosion has been identified as one of the most destructive forms of land degradation,posing a threat to the sustainability of global economic,social and environmental systems.This underscores the need for sustainable land management that takes erosion control and prevention into consideration.This requires the use of state-of-the-art erosion prediction models.The models often require extensive input of detailed spatial and temporal data,some of which are not readily available in many developing countries,particularly detailed soil data.The soil dataset Global Gridded Soil Information(SoilGrids)could potentially fill the data gap.Nevertheless,its value and accuracy for soil erosion modelling in the humid tropics is still unknown,necessitating the need to assess its value vis-à-vis field-based data.The major objective of this study was to conduct a comparative assessment of the value of SoilGrids and field-based soil data for estimating soil loss.Soil samples were collected from five physiographic positions(summit,shoulder,back slope,foot slope,and toe slope)using the soil catena approach.Samples were collected using a 5-cm steel sample ring(undisturbed)and a spade(disturbed).Data of the landform,predominant vegetation types,canopy cover,average plant height,land use,soil depth,shear strength,and soil color were recorded for each site.The soil samples were subjected to laboratory analysis for saturated hydraulic conductivity,bulk density,particle size distribution,and organic matter content.Pedotransfer functions were applied on the SoilGrids and field-based data to generate soil hydrological properties.The resultant field-based data were compared with the SoilGrids data for corresponding points/areas to determine the potential similarities of the two datasets.Both datasets were then used as inputs for soil erosion assessment using the revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney model.The results from both datasets were again compared to determine the degree of similarity.The results showed that with respect to point-based comparison,both datasets were significantly different.At the hillslope delineation level,the field-based data still consistently had a greater degree of variability,but the hillslope averages were not significantly different for both datasets.Similar results were recorded with the soil loss parameters generated from both datasets;point-based comparison showed that both datasets were significantly different,whereas the reverse was true for parcel/area-based comparison.SoilGrids data are certainly useful,especially where soil data are lacking;the utility of this dataset is,however,dependent on the scale of operation or the extent of detail required.When detailed,site-specific data are required,SoilGrids may not be a good alternative to soil survey data in the humid tropics.On the other hand,if the average soil properties of a region,area,or land parcel are required for the implementation of a particular project,plan,or program,SoilGrids data can be a very valuable alternative to soil survey data.

Automated machine learning for rainfall-induced landslide hazard mapping in Luhe County of Guangdong Province,China

Landslide hazard mapping is essential for regional landslide hazard management.The main objective of this study is to construct a rainfall-induced landslide hazard map of Luhe County,China based on an automated machine learning framework(AutoGluon).A total of 2241 landslides were identified from satellite images before and after the rainfall event,and 10 impact factors including elevation,slope,aspect,normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),topographic wetness index(TWI),lithology,land cover,distance to roads,distance to rivers,and rainfall were selected as indicators.The WeightedEnsemble model,which is an ensemble of 13 basic machine learning models weighted together,was used to output the landslide hazard assessment results.The results indicate that landslides mainly occurred in the central part of the study area,especially in Hetian and Shanghu.Totally 102.44 s were spent to train all the models,and the ensemble model WeightedEnsemble has an Area Under the Curve(AUC)value of92.36%in the test set.In addition,14.95%of the study area was determined to be at very high hazard,with a landslide density of 12.02 per square kilometer.This study serves as a significant reference for the prevention and mitigation of geological hazards and land use planning in Luhe County.

Research achievements of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau based on 60 years of aeromagnetic surveys

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(also referred to as the Plateau)has long received much attention from the community of geoscience due to its unique geographical location and rich mineral resources.This paper reviews the aeromagnetic surveys in the Plateau in the past 60 years and summarizes relevant research achievements,which mainly include the followings.(1)The boundaries between the Plateau and its surrounding regions have been clarified.In detail,its western boundary is restricted by West Kunlun-Altyn Tagh arc-shaped magnetic anomaly zone forming due to the arc-shaped connection of the Altyn Tagh and Kangxiwa faults and its eastern boundary consists of the boundaries among different magnetic fields along the Longnan(Wudu)-Kangding Fault.Meanwhile,the fault on the northern margin of the Northern Qilian Mountains serves as its northern boundary.(2)The Plateau is mainly composed of four orogens that were stitched together,namely East Kunlun-Qilian,Hoh-Xil-Songpan,Chamdo-Southwestern Sanjiang(Nujiang,Lancang,and Jinsha rivers in southeastern China),and Gangdese-Himalaya orogens.(3)The basement of the Plateau is dominated by weakly magnetic Proterozoic metamorphic rocks and lacks strongly magnetic Archean crystalline basement of stable continents such as the Tarim and Sichuan blocks.Therefore,it exhibits the characteristics of unstable orogenic basement.(4)The Yarlung-Zangbo suture zone forming due to continent-continent collisions since the Cenozoic shows double aeromagnetic anomaly zones.Therefore,it can be inferred that the Yarlung-Zangbo suture zone formed from the Indian Plate subducting towards and colliding with the Eurasian Plate twice.(5)A huge negative aeromagnetic anomaly in nearly SN trending has been discovered in the middle part of the Plateau,indicating a giant deep thermal-tectonic zone.(6)A dual-layer magnetic structure has been revealed in the Plateau.It consists of shallow magnetic anomaly zones in nearly EW and NW trending and deep magnetic anomaly zones in nearly SN trending.They overlap vertically and cross horizontally,showing the flyover-type geological structure of the Plateau.(7)A group of NW-trending faults occur in eastern Tibet,which is intersected rather than connected by the nearly EW trending that develop in middle-west Tibet.(8)As for the central uplift zone that occurs through the Qiangtang Basin,its metamorphic basement tends to gradually descend from west to east,showing the form of steps.The Qiangtang Basin is divided into the northern and southern part by the central uplift zone in it.The basement in the Qiangtang Basin is deep in the north and west and shallow in the south and west.The basement in the northern Qiangtang Basin is deep and relatively stable and thus is more favorable for the generation and preservation of oil and gas.Up to now,19 favorable tectonic regions of oil and gas have been determined in the Qiangtang Basin.(9)A total of 21 prospecting areas of mineral resources have been delineated and thousands of ore-bearing(or mineralization)anomalies have been discovered.Additionally,the formation and uplift mechanism of the Plateau are briefly discussed in this paper.

Factors Associated with Social Support Needs of Spouses of Patients with Cancer: Online Survey

Background: A means of assessing the social support needs of spouses of patients with cancer is not available in Japan, yet such individuals are at increased risk of developing psychological difficulties. Objectives: The present study aimed (1) to describe the social support needs of spouses of patients with cancer, and (2) to explore factors associated with social support needs of spouses of patients with cancer. Design: Spouses (n = 559) of patients with cancer were recruited by registered agents of an online survey company and completed a self-reporting, online questionnaire. Measurements: The questionnaires included demographic information and a tool to assess social support needs. Results: Factor analysis of social support needs of the spouses of patients with cancer indicated that (1) “social support needs regarding disease and treatment of patient” (54 items) comprised 3 factors (“medical condition and cure”, “daily life and social support”, “intimacy and employment”), and (2) “social support needs of spouse (19 items)” comprised 2 factors (“family psychological issues and social support” and “intimacy, employment and society”). The ANOVA and T tests showed that “younger age”, “under treatment”, and “cancer not cured: treatment stopped”, “PS1” and “PS 2-4”, the presence of “lung cancer”, and “recurrence/metastasis” were significant factors (all

An Alternative Means of Assessing Climate Models

The authors compared two different sets of assessment of the abilities of contemporary climate models. One group is made of experts, and their results are provided in two expert reports, while the other is the subjective assessment made by ＂physical climate scientists＂ in general, sampled in a series of three survey questionnaires. The expert group is considerably more optimistic than the general group; the former suggesting progress, while the perception of the latter group is more or less stationary.

Characteristics, causation, and rehabilitation of Zhouqu extraordinarily serious debris flows in 2010, China

In early morning of Aug 8th, 2010, the rain-triggered tremendous debris flows broke out simultaneously at the Sanyanyu ravine and Luojiayu ravine, which locate in the north part of Zhouqu County town. The debris flow is the most severe event of the same kind of disasters in the past sixty years in China, which caused great losses of people's lives and properties. Based on field investigation, remote sensing image interpretation and analysis of local climatological data, the local topographical conditions, active tectonic movement, massive debris source and torrential rains were the main formation causes which induced the catastrophic debris flows. Moreover, detailed geological surveys were carried out following the disaster, the other geological potential hazard sites were found out, and the geological and seismic hazard assessment has been put into practice. At last, scientific and appropriate countermeasures have been suggested to prevent and mitigate the extraordinarily serious debris flow.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the 10-Item Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measurement in a Community-Based Sample in Southwest China

Community resilience has received growing attention in disaster risk management policies and practices,especially in China.However,few applicable instruments are available as a baseline for profiling and estimating a community’s resiliency in the face of disasters.The purpose of this study is to cross-culturally adapt and validate the original version of the 10-Item Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measurement(CCRAM-10)in China.Our study further investigates if and to what extent community members translate their participation in disaster risk reduction(DRR)activities into perceived community resilience.A Chinese version of CCRAM-10 was generated and applied to 369 participants from a rural and an urban community in southwest China affected by the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake.Internal consistency reliability and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test the assessment instrument’s applicability.The Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit Assessment Survey was used to establish the convergent validity for the Chinese version of CCRAM-10.Multiple linear regression models were used to explore the correlations between respondents’participation in activities and their perception of community resilience,while controlling for basic socio-demographic variables.Analysis results demonstrated good internal consistency reliability(Cronbach’s alpha=0.85)and satisfactory convergent validity for the Chinese version of the CCRAM-10.Construct validity was also confirmed(χ~2/df=2.161;CFI=0.977;GFI=0.971;NFI=0.958;RMSEA=0.056;SRMR=0.030).The regression analysis results indicated that respondents’participation in DRR activities was positively correlated with their perception of community resilience.This study contributes to the wider collection of disaster studies by providing a tested tool for assessing community resilience in the context of China.Community workers and practice researchers may be interested in applying CCRAM-10 to evaluate the effect of specific DRR programmatic activities for improving community resilience.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Head and Neck Information Needs Questionnaire for patients with head and neck cancer and their caregivers

Objectives:This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Head and Neck Information Needs Questionnaire(HaNiQ).Methods:The HaNiQ was translated into a Chinese version using internationally recognized forwardand back-translation procedures.The reliability and validity of the HaNiQ were measured using Cronbach’s a coefficient,split-half reliability,exploratory factor analysis,and Pearson correlation analysis.Results:A total of 207 patients in different head and neck cancer(HNC)stages and 174 caregivers completed the Chinese version of the HaNiQ.Internal consistencies varied between good and very well(Cronbach’s α coefficient 0.74-0.90);the split-half coefficient and the content validity index(CVI)of the questionnaire were 83.5%and 83.33%,respectively.The cumulative contribution rates of the 5 subscales in patients with HNCand their caregivers were 62.41%and 61.19%,respectively.However,there are some differences between the Chinese questionnaire for caregiver and the original questionnaire regarding the attribution of items.Items 22,23,and 27 in the Psychosocial subscale of the English version were assigned to the Survivorship subscale in the Chinese version for caregivers.Conclusions:The results demonstrated that the Chinese version of the HaNiQ is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the information needs of patients with HNC and that of their caregivers.Though the structure of the Chinese versionwas different from the English version for caregivers of HNC patients,the Chinese version of the HaNiQ appears to be reliable and would benefit from further testing.

Groundwater characteristics and climate and ecological evolution in the Badain Jaran Desert in the southwest Mongolian Plateau

The Badain Jaran Desert is the third largest desert in China,covering an area of 50000 km2.It lies in Northwest China,where the arid and rainless natural environment has a great impact on the climate,environment,and human living conditions.Based on the results of 1∶250000 regional hydrogeological surveys and previous researches,this study systematically investigates the circulation characteristics and resource properties of the groundwater as well as the evolution of the climate and ecological environment since the Quaternary in the Badain Jaran Desert by means of geophysical exploration,hydrogeological drilling,hydrogeochemistry,and isotopic tracing.The results are as follows.(1)The groundwater in the Badain Jaran Desert is mainly recharged through the infiltration of local precipitation and has poor renewability.The groundwater recharge in the desert was calculated to be 1.8684×10^(8)m^(3)/a using the water balance method.(2)The Badain Jaran Desert has experienced four humid stages since the Quaternary,namely MIS 13-15,MIS 5,MIS 3,and the Early‒Middle Holocene,but the climate in the desert has shown a trend towards aridity overall.The average annual temperature in the Badain Jaran Desert has significantly increased in the past 50 years.In detail,it has increased by about 2.5℃,with a higher rate in the south than in the north.Meanwhile,the precipitation amount has shown high spatial variability and the climate has shown a warming-drying trend in the past 50 years.(3)The lakes in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert continuously shrank during 1973‒2015.However,the vegetation communities maintained a highly natural distribution during 2000‒2016,with the vegetation cover has increased overall.Accordingly,the Badain Jaran Desert did not show any notable expansion in that period.This study deepens the understanding of groundwater circulation and the climate and ecological evolution in the Badain Jaran Desert.It will provide a scientific basis for the rational exploitation of the groundwater resources and the ecological protection and restoration in the Badain Jaran Desert.

Updates on gastric electrical stimulation to treat obesity: Systematic review and future perspectives

AIM: To evaluate the current state-of-the-art of gastric electrical stimulation to treat obesity. METHODS: Systematic reviews of all studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of different types of gastric electrical stimulation(GES) on obesity.RESULTS: Thirty-one studies consisting of a total of 33 different trials were included in the systematic review for data analysis. Weight loss was achieved in most studies, especially during the first 12 mo, but only very few studies had a follow-up period longer than 1 year. Among those that had a longer follow-up period, many were from the Transcend(Implantable Gastric Stimulation) device group and maintained significant weight loss. Other significant results included changes in appetite/satiety, gastric emptying rate, blood pressure and neurohormone levels or biochemical markers such as ghrelin or HbA1 c respectively. CONCLUSION: GES holds great promises to be an effective obesity treatment. However, stronger evidence is required through more studies with a standardized way of carrying out trials and reporting outcomes, to determine the long-term effect of GES on obesity.

Responses of phreatophyte transpiration to falling water table in hyper-arid and arid regions,Northwest China

Quantitative assessment of the impact of groundwater depletion on phreatophytes in(hyper-)arid regions is key to sustainable groundwater management.However,a parsimonious model for predicting the response of phreatophytes to a decrease of the water table is lacking.A variable saturated flow model,HYDRUS-1D,was used to numerically assess the influences of depth to the water table(DWT)and mean annual precipitation(MAP)on transpiration of groundwater-dependent vegetation in(hyper-)arid regions of northwest China.An exponential relationship is found for the normalized transpiration(a ratio of transpiration at a certain DWT to transpiration at 1 m depth,T_(a)^(*))with increasing DWT,while a positive linear relationship is identified between T_(a)^(*)and annual precipitation.Sensitivity analysis shows that the model is insensitive to parameters,such as saturated soil hydraulic conductivity and water stress parameters,indicated by an insignificant variation(less than 20%in most cases)under±50%changes of these parameters.Based on these two relationships,a universal model has been developed to predict the response of phreatophyte transpiration to groundwater drawdown for(hyper-)arid regions using MAP only.The estimated T_(a)^(*)from the model is reasonable by comparing with published measured values.

Health-related quality of life in patients that have undergone liver resection:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Mortality after hepatectomy has decreased,and the quality of various surgical approaches to hepatectomy have been evaluated.Various assessments of quality of life(QOL)after hepatectomy have been developed and investigated in different clinical settings.AIM To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine two clinical topics:Laparoscopic hepatectomy vs open hepatectomy,and preoperative QOL status vs postoperative QOL status.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and MEDLINE,including the Cochrane Library Central.The following inclusion criteria were set for inclusion in this meta-analysis:(1)Studies comparing preoperative QOL and postoperative QOL;and(2)Studies comparing QOL between laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy.RESULTS A total of 8 articles were included in this meta-analysis.QOL was better after laparoscopic hepatectomy than after open hepatectomy.CONCLUSION The outcomes of evaluations of QOL after hepatectomy can depend on the type of questionnaire used,the timing of the assessment,and the etiology of the hepatic disease.