Regional carrying capacity: case studies of Bohai Rim area

Carrying capacity research has been carried out for a long time. However, synthesized carrying capacity researches based on systematic views began only in the 1970s. There is even less work done in China. This paper tries to address both synthesized carrying capacity research and its utilization in China. State spaces method from the systematic science was borrowed to construct the conceptual model of regional carrying capacity. Based on the conceptual model and the surveys in the Bohai Rim area, we construct a representative indicators system for quantifying regional carrying capacity in the Bohai Rim. While employing system dynamic models we simulated the evolving trend of both the regional carrying states and regional carrying capacity from 1999 to 2015. The results proved the statement that Bohai Rim is overall over-capacity for a long time and will be over-capacity in the foreseeable future. Among all the restriction factors, water shortage and environmental pollution stand out to be the two primary obstacles for Bohai Rims sustainable development. Regional differentiation analysis further indicates that coastal areas of the Bohai Rim burden more than its overall level. However, Shandong province shows some good signs in addressing the regional carrying capacity issues. The research is successful in addressing the quantification of regional carrying capacity issues, but nonetheless it needs further refinery and more information.

Promoting East-West Interaction Exclusive interview with Dr.Cao Yushu,Deputy Director of the Office of the Leading Group for Western Region Development at the State Council

Economic growth and environmental "friendliness" are the dual missions of China's grand western development. In the past eight years,China has seen the gap between eastern and western regions still widening while also taking on the arduous task of protecting nature,ecology and environment in the western region. How has western development fared in the past eight years? What difficulties and challenges are being encountered? The development of the western region poses the single greatest difficulty facing China's regional economic development,but how can we advance along a "sound and fast" development path? The establishment of economic zones in Chengdu and Chongqing,Guanzhong and North Bay has opened up new possibilities and expectations for western China's economic development.

Active trachoma prevalence and its associated factors among children aged 1-9 years in rural residents of Lare District, Southwest Ethiopia

AIM:To determine the prevalence of active trachoma and its associated factors among children in Lare District,Southwest Ethiopia,2019.METHODS:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted.A total of 620 participants were recruited using a multi-stage sampling technique.A structured questionnaire,torch,and magnifying loupes were used for data collection.The data was entered into epidemiological information and exported to statistical package for social science version 20 for analysis.The bi-variable and multivariable Logistic regression analysis model was fitted to identify factors associated with active trachoma.Odds ratio with a 95%CI was used to show the direction and strength of association between independent and outcome variables.RESULTS:A total of 610 children participated in this study with a response rate of 98.39%.The prevalence of active trachoma was 132(21.60%;95%CI:18.40-24.70).Family size being 6-9(AOR=2.34;95%CI:1.14-5.02),presence of more than two preschool children in a house(AOR=2.04;95%CI:1.12-3.70),open field waste disposal system(AOR=2.62;95%CI:1.00-6.80)and type of latrine being uncovered(AOR=4.12;95%CI:2.00-8.51)were positively associated with active trachoma.On the other side,water consumption being 40-60 liters per day was a protective factor for active trachoma.CONCLUSION:The prevalence of active trachoma is high among children aged 1-9 y in Lare District.Uncovered latrine,open field waste disposal system,family sizes of 6-9,and the presence of more than two preschool children in a house are associated with the occurrence of active trachoma.On the other side,water consumption of 40-60 liters is a protective factor.

Carrying Capacity of Marine Region in Liaoning Province

Carrying capacity is one of important studies on coordinating development of population,resources,and environment.At present,the researches on it mainly concentrate on the carrying capacity for population and economy,such as the water resources carrying capacity,the land resources carrying capacity,the environment carrying capacity,etc.Based on the related theories and methods,this paper creatively proposed the concept and meaning of carrying capacity of marine region,and formed the appraisal system.According to the developing situation of marine economy of Liaoning Province in recent years,and by employing the method of the state space,this paper also measured the carrying capacity and carrying state of marine region and discussed the sustainable problems of marine economy of Liaoning.The research results show that the carrying state of marine region of Liaoning is in the state of overloading at present,but taking a favorable turn.

Altered regional homogeneity in spontaneous cluster headache attacks： a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background Functional neuroimaging study has opened an avenue for exploring the pathophysiology of cluster headache （CH）.The aim of our study was to assess the changes in brain activity in CH patients by the regional homogeneity method using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging technique.Methods The functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained for 12 male CH patients with spontaneous right-sided headache attacks during “in attack” and “out of attack” periods and 12 age- and sex-matched normal controls.The data were analyzed to detect the altered brain activity by the regional homogeneity method using statistical parametric mapping software.Results Altered regional homogeneity was detected in the anterior cingulate cortex,the posterior cingulate cortex,the prefrontal cortex,insular cortex,and other brain regions involved in pain processing and modulation among different groups.Conclusion It is referred that these brain regions with altered regional homogeneity might be related to the pain processing and modulation of CH.

Local synchronization and amplitude of the fluctuation of spontaneous brain activity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:a resting-state fMRI study

Regional homogeneity（ReHo）and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation（ALFF）are two approaches to depicting different regional characteristics of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging（RS-fMRI）data.Whether they can complementarily reveal brain regional functional abnormalities in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder（ADHD）remains unknown.In this study,we applied ReHo and ALFF to 23 medication-na ve boys diagnosed with ADHD and 25 age-matched healthy male controls using whole-brain voxel-wise analysis.Correlation analyses were conducted in the ADHD group to investigate the relationship between the regional spontaneous brain activity measured by the two approaches and the clinical symptoms of ADHD.We found that the ReHo method showed widely-distributed differences between the two groups in the fronto-cingulo-occipitocerebellar circuitry,while the ALFF method showed a difference only in the right occipital area.When a larger smoothing kernel and a more lenient threshold were used for ALFF,more overlapped regions were found between ALFF and ReHo,and ALFF even found some new regions with group differences.The ADHD symptom scores were correlated with the ReHo values in the right cerebellum,dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and left lingual gyrus in the ADHD group,while no correlation was detected between ALFF and ADHD symptoms.In conclusion,ReHo may be more sensitive to regional abnormalities,at least in boys with ADHD,than ALFF.And ALFF may be complementary to ReHo in measuring local spontaneous activity.Combination of the two may yield a more comprehensive pathophy-siological framework for ADHD.

Assessment of naked mole-rat distribution and threats in Eastern Ethiopia

Objective:To identify the distribution,threats and community attitudes towards naked mole-rat in Eastern Ethiopia.Methods:Data were collected through direct observation and interview and Chi-square at 95%confidence interval was used for significance test.Results:Naked mole-rat was identified in Fafan,City/Shinele,Eastern Hararghe Zone and Dire Dawa Administrative.The main threats of naked mole-rat identified were agricultural expansion,human killing and lack of awareness.From a total of 100 respondents,92%of them considered naked mole-rat as pest as a result that 46%of them participated in direct killing.Literacy rate significantly affects the willingness to participate in the conservation of naked mole-rat(χ^(2)=7.478,df=1,P<0.05).From a total of 26%respondents who did not show the willingness to participate in the conservation,80.8%of them were illiterate.Conclusions:Naked mole-rat is fairly common in many of the study sites.However,rapid shift from nomadic life style to cultivation of crops and lacks of awareness were the main threats of naked mole-rat.Therefore,since there is no conservation action currently,further comprehensive study is required to design conservation plan for this species.