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.

Patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence to glaucoma case management clinic in China

AIM:To assess glaucoma patient satisfaction and follow-up adherence in case management and identify associated predictors to improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.METHODS:In this cross-sectional study,a total of 119 patients completed a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 and a sociodemographic questionnaire.Clinical data was obtained from the case management system.Follow-up adherence was defined as completing each follow-up within±30d of the scheduled time set by ophthalmologists during the study period.RESULTS:Average satisfaction scored 78.65±7,with an average of 4.39±0.58 across the seven dimensions.Age negatively correlated with satisfaction(P=0.008),whilst patients with follow-up duration of 2 or more years reported higher satisfaction(P=0.045).Multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed that longer follow-up durations were associated with lower follow-up adherence(OR=0.97,95%CI,0.95-1.00,P=0.044).Additionally,patients with suspected glaucoma(OR=2.72,95%CI,1.03-7.20,P=0.044)and those with an annual income over 100000 Chinese yuan demonstrated higher adherence(OR=5.57,95%CI,1.00-30.89,P=0.049).CONCLUSION:The case management model proves effective for glaucoma patients,with positive adherence rates.The implementation of this model can be optimized in the future based on the identified factors and extended to glaucoma patients in more hospitals.

Loss to Specialized Cardiology Follow-Up in Adults Living with Congenital Heart Disease

Background:Much has been written about the loss to follow-up in the transition between pediatric and adult Congenital Heart Disease(CHD)care centers.Much less is understood about the loss to follow-up(LTF)after a successful transition.This is critical too,as patients lost to specialised care are more likely to experience mor-bidity and premature mortality.Aims:To understand the prevalence and reasons for loss to follow-up(LTF)at a large Australian Adult Congenital Heart Disease(ACHD)centre.Methods:Patients with moderate or highly complex CHD and gaps in care of>3 years(defined as LTF)were identified from a comprehensive ACHD data-base.Structured telephone interviews examined current care and barriers to clinic attendance.Results:Overall,407(22%)of ACHD patients(n=1842)were LTF.The mean age at LTF was 31(SD 11.5)years and 54%were male;311(76%)were uncontactable.Compared to adults seen regularly,lost patients were younger,with a greater socio-economic disadvantage,and had less complex CHD(p<0.05 for all).We interviewed 59 patients(14%).The top 3 responses for care absences were“feeling well”(61%),losing track of time(36%),and not needing fol-low-up care(25%).Conclusions:A large proportion of the ACHD population becomes lost to specialised cardiac care,even after a successful transition.This Australian study reports younger age,moderate complexity defects,and socio-economic disadvantage as predictive of loss to follow-up.This study highlights the need for novel approaches to patient-centered service delivery even beyond the age of transition and resources to maintain patient engagement within the ACHD service.

Enhancing landslide hazards survey and management to reduce the loss of human lives and properties

Landslides are pervasive geohazards that pose a serious threat to human lives,property,and crucial engineering constructions.Annually,landslides lead to tens of thousands of fatalities(see the paper of"List of typical catastrophic landslides from March 2004 to February 2024"in this issue,doi:10.31035/cg2024079)and cause economic damages amounting to billions of dollars around the world,as well as disrupting crucial infrastructures such as railways,highways。

Basic Survey Scheduling for the Wide Field Survey Telescope(WFST)

Aiming at improving the survey efficiency of the Wide Field Survey Telescope, we have developed a basic scheduling strategy that takes into account the telescope characteristics, observing conditions, and weather conditions at the Lenghu site. The sky area is divided into rectangular regions, referred to as “tiles,” with a size of2°. 577 × 2°. 634 slightly smaller than the focal area of the mosaic CCDs. These tiles are continuously filled in annulars parallel to the equator. The brightness of the sky background, which varies with the moon phase and distance from the moon, plays a significant role in determining the accessible survey fields. Approximately 50connected tiles are grouped into one block for observation. To optimize the survey schedule, we perform simulations by taking into account the length of exposures, data readout, telescope slewing, and all relevant observing conditions. We utilize the Greedy Algorithm for scheduling optimization. Additionally, we propose a dedicated dithering pattern to cover the gaps between CCDs and the four corners of the mosaic CCD array, which are located outside of the 3° field of view. This dithering pattern helps to achieve relatively uniform exposure maps for the final survey outputs.

Essential role of postoperative follow-up in the management of clear cell sarcoma

Clear cell sarcoma(CCS)is a rare melanocytic soft tissue sarcoma known for itspropensity to metastasize to the lymph nodes and typically has an unfavorableprognosis.Currently,surgical resection is the primary treatment for localizedCCS,while radiotherapy and chemotherapy are preferred for metastatic cases.The roles of adjuvant chemotherapy,radiotherapy,and lymph node dissection arecontroversial.Although immunotherapy has emerged as a promising avenue inCCS treatment research,there are no established clinical standards for postoperativefollow-up.This editorial discusses a recent article by Liu et al,with afocus on current diagnostic modalities,treatment approaches,and the challengingprognosis associated with CCS.Our aim is to underscore the importance of longtermpatient follow-up in CCS management.

Spatial structural characteristics of the Deda ancient landslide in the eastern Tibetan Plateau:Insights from Audio-frequency Magnetotellurics and the Microtremor Survey Method

It is of crucial importance to investigate the spatial structures of ancient landslides in the eastern Tibetan Plateau’s alpine canyons as they could provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of the landslides and indicate the potential for future reactivation.This study examines the Deda ancient landslide,situated in the Chalong-ranbu fault zone,where creep deformation suggests a complex underground structure.By integrating remote sensing,field surveys,Audio-frequency Magnetotellurics(AMT),and Microtremor Survey Method(MSM)techniques,along with engineering geological drilling for validation,to uncover the landslide’s spatial feature s.The research indicates that a fault is developed in the upper part of the Deda ancient landslide,and the gully divides it into Deda landslide accumulation zoneⅠand Deda landslide accumulation zoneⅡin space.The distinctive geological characteristics detectable by MSM in the shallow subsurface and by AMT in deeper layers.The findings include the identification of two sliding zones in the Deda I landslide,the shallow sliding zone(DD-I-S1)depth is approximately 20 m,and the deep sliding zone(DD-I-S2)depth is 36.2-49.9 m.The sliding zone(DD-Ⅱ-S1)depth of the DedaⅡlandslide is 37.6-43.1 m.A novel MSM-based method for sliding zone identification is proposed,achieving less than 5%discrepancy in depth determination when compared with drilling data.These results provide a valuable reference for the spatial structural analysis of large-deepseated landslides in geologically complex regions like the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Field survey and analysis on near-fault severely damaged high-speed railway bridge in 2022 M6.9 Menyuan earthquake

The 2022 M6.9 Menyuan earthquake caused severe damage to a high-speed railway bridge,which was designed for high-speed trains running at speeds of above 250 km/h and is located right next to the fault.Bridges of this type have been widely used for rapidly constructing the high-speed railway network,but few bridges have been tested by near-fault devastating earthquakes.The potential severe impact of the earthquake on the high-speed railway is not only the safety of the infrastructure,trains and passengers,but also economic loss due to interrupted railway use.Therefore,a field survey was carried out immediately after the earthquake to collect time-sensitive data.The damage to the bridge was carefully investigated,and quantitative analyses were conducted to better understand the mechanism of the bridge failure.It was found that seismic action perpendicular to the bridge’s longitudinal direction caused severe damage to the girders and rails,while none of the piers showed obvious deformation or cracking.The maximum values of transverse displacement,out-of-plane rotation and twisting angle of girders reached 212.6 cm,3.1 degrees and 19.9 degrees,respectively,causing severe damage to the bearing supports and anti-seismic retaining blocks.These observations provide a basis for improving the seismic design of high-speed railway bridges located in near-fault areas.

Long-term assessment of collagenase treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture:A 10-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND Enzymatic fasciotomy with collagenase clostridium histolyticum(CCH)has revolutionized the treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture(DC).Despite its benefits,the long-term outcomes remain unclear.This study presented a comprehensive 10-year follow-up assessment of the enduring effects of CCH on patients with DC.AIM To compare the short-term(12 wk)and long-term(10 years)outcomes on CCH treatment in patients with DC.METHODS A cohort of 45 patients was treated with CCH at the metacarpophalangeal(MCP)joint and the proximal interphalangeal(PIP)joint and underwent systematic reevaluation.The study adhered to multicenter trial protocols,and assessments were conducted at 12 wk,7 years,and 10 years post-surgery.RESULTS Thirty-seven patients completed the 10-year follow-up.At 10 years,patients treated at the PIP joint exhibited a 100%recurrence.However,patients treated at the MCP joint only showed a 50%recurrence.Patient satisfaction varied,with a lower satisfaction reported in PIP joint cases.Recurrence exceeding 20 degrees on the total passive extension deficit was observed,indicating a challenge for sustained efficacy.Significant differences were noted between outcomes at the 7-year and 10-year intervals.CONCLUSION CCH demonstrated sustained efficacy when applied to the MCP joint.However,caution is warranted for CCH treatment at the PIP joint due to a high level of recurrence and low patient satisfaction.Re-intervention is needed within a decade of treatment.

Survey on performance of vertical slot and nature-like fishways at Angu hydropower station, Southwest China

To restore dam-blocked natural fish migratory passages,a growing number of artificial fishways have been built in water conservancy and hydropower projects in China.The Angu hydropower station involved diverse important fish habitats in the lower reaches of the Daduhe River in Southwest China.Therefore,a vertical slot fishway(VSF)and a nature-like fishway(NLF)were built near the backwater area of the reservoir to connect the upstream and downstream habitats.Hydrodynamic and aquatic ecological surveys were conducted after the completion of the project to estimate the fish passing effect of the two fishways.The results indicated that both fishways were in effective operation and could maintain the desired hydrodynamic conditions and be used by several local fish species.During the survey,149 fish from 15 species and 111 fish from 17 species were captured by the traps in the VSF and NLF,respectively,while 1263 fish from 27 species were found in the downstream area.Some species captured in the VSF were not found in the NLF,and vice versa,which implied the different preferences of fish.Meanwhile,3789 signals including 2099 upward ones and 1690 downward ones were monitored with an ultrasonic fish detector at the inlet of the VSF.These findings revealed the characteristics of fish species observed in and near the fishways and provided valuable insights into the different fish passing capabilities of VSFandNLF.

Nationwide questionnaire survey on pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan

BACKGROUND Pediatric pancreatic tumors are rare and account for<0.1%of all childhood cancers.The primary treatment for pancreatic tumors is surgical resection.However,because of the lack of knowledge regarding pediatric pancreatic tumors,no comprehensive treatment plans for pediatric pancreatic tumors have been developed.AIM To compared the clinical features,treatment methods,and prognosis of pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan with those in other countries.METHODS Questionnaires were sent to 213 pediatric surgical units in Japan.Pancreatic tumors that were not surgically treated were excluded from the survey.The primary survey investigated the number of patients aged 0-18 years who underwent pancreatic tumor surgery and the type of tumors managed during the 22-year study period(from January 1,2000 to December 31,2021)by post card.The secondary survey assessed the clinical images,treatment methods,and tumor outcomes via email.RESULTS The primary survey enrolled 228 patients.In the secondary survey,213 patients were eventually enrolled.The most common type of pancreatic tumor was solid pseudopapillary neoplasm(SPN)[n=164(77.0%)],followed by pancreatoblastoma[n=16(7.5%)],pancreatic endocrine tumor[n=14(6.6%)],non-epithelial tumor[n=9(4.2%)],pancreatic tumor[n=7(3.3%)],and metastatic pancreatic tumor[n=3(1.4%)].Overall,123(57.7%)patients underwent distal pancreatectomy,of whom 49 underwent laparoscopic surgery.Forty-four(20.7%)patients underwent enucleation,of whom eight underwent laparoscopic surgery.Thirty-two(15.0%)patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy,of whom one underwent laparoscopic surgery.All patients with SPN,including those with distant metastases and recurrent disease,survived.CONCLUSION SPN was more common in Japan than in other countries.Regardless of the histological type,resection is the most effective treatment for pediatric pancreatic tumors.

Research surveys and their evolution:Past,current and future uses in healthcare

Research surveys are believed to have originated in antiquity with evidence of them being performed in ancient Egypt and Greece.In the past century,their use has grown significantly and they are now one of the most frequently employed research methods including in the field of healthcare.Modern validation techniques and processes have allowed researchers to broaden the scope of qualitative data they can gather through these surveys such as an individual’s views on service quality to nationwide surveys that are undertaken regularly to follow healthcare trends.This article focuses on the evolution and current utility of research surveys,different methodologies employed in their creation,the advantages and disadvantages of different forms and their future use in healthcare research.We also review the role artificial intelligence and the importance of increased patient participation in the development of these surveys in order to obtain more accurate and clinically relevant data.

Diagnostic values of questionnaires of Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey and College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life in the screening of convergence insufficiency

AIM:To compare and analyse the diagnostic efficacy of the College of Optometrists Vision Development Quality of Life Questionnaire(COVD-QOL)and the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey(CISS)in detecting convergence insufficiency and to compare their diagnostic value in clinical applications.METHODS:Using the diagnostic test method,62 adult patients with convergence insufficiency(age:24.74±3.75y)and 62 normal participants(age:23.61±3.13y)who visited the Optometry Clinic of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from April 2021 to January 2023 were included.All subjects completed the CISS and COVD-QOL.Statistical analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the CISS and COVD-QOL and comparison and joint experimental analysis of their diagnostic efficacy were performed.RESULTS:The sensitivity of the CISS and COVD-QOL for convergence insufficiency was 64.5%and 71.0%,respectively,while the specificity was 96.8%and 67.7%,respectively.Compared to the CISS alone,the combination of the CISS and COVD-QOL demonstrated lower sensitivity and specificity.The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of CISS,COVD-QOL and CISS combined with COVD-QOL were 0.806,0.694 and 0.782,respectively.CONCLUSION:Considering the low sensitivity of the CISS and the low specificity of the COVD-QOL,it is recommended to supplement these questionnaires with other screening tests for the detection of convergence insufficiency.

油茶象甲Curculio chinensis基因组Survey测序分析

油茶象甲Curculio chinensis Chevrolat是危害中国特有木本油料树种——油茶的专性蛀果害虫,也是中国林业危险性有害生物之一,在中国不同油茶产区均有分布,对油茶的为害呈加重趋势。为了深入研究其遗传基础和寄主适应性,确定适合鞘翅目象甲科基因组测序研究策略,首先采取Survey测序,之后做深度基因组测序和大规模种群测序。研究采用二代高通量测序技术(MGISEQ-2000),测定了油茶象甲基因组大小,并估计该物种基因组的杂合度、重复率和GC含量。结果显示:油茶象甲基因组大小约为1356.82 Mb,测序深度达到50×;K-mer分析油茶象甲基因组虽然具有杂合峰,但杂合率较低,为1.20%;基因组重复序列含量约为77%。该研究结果对于揭示油茶象甲适应性进化具有重要意义,可为后续构建完整基因组和多种群基因组测序提供策略选择依据。

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and its related determinants in Nigeria:An online survey

BACKGROUND Vaccine hesitancy is a major challenge in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Identifying the sociodemographic factors associated with vaccine acceptance among Nigerians is crucial for improving vaccine uptake.AIM To assess the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccine and its related determinants among Nigerians.METHODS An online cross-sectional survey(observational study)was conducted between February 2021 and May 2021,using a questionnaire hosted on SurveyMonkey.The invitation to take part in the poll was sent out to participants through social networking platforms.A logistic regression was used to determine which sociodemographic factors were associated with vaccine acceptance constructs.RESULTS A total of 1800 persons responded to the survey,a larger proportion of whom were males(53.9%)and within the age group of 21-30 years(29.4%)and earned an average income of less than$500 per month(43.3%).Only 0.56%of participants had a high perceived risk of COVID-19 infection,while only 1.11%had a perceived risk of dying from COVID-19.The perception rate of the COVID-19 vaccine among participants was 51.1%,while the acceptance rate was 63.9%.There was no significant association between the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate and related determinants assessed,particularly age(χ²=3.049,P=0.550),sex(χ²=0.102,P=0.749),average income(χ²=3.802,P=0.875),and religion(χ²=2.819,P=0.420).Participants with chronic conditions demonstrated a higher acceptance rate compared to the general population.CONCLUSION Despite the positive perception observed and substantial vaccine acceptance rate among the study participants,more public health interventions are still needed to enhance vaccine acceptability in Nigeria.

Intelligent pavement condition survey:Overview of current researches and practices

Automated pavement condition survey is of critical importance to road network management.There are three primary tasks involved in pavement condition surveys,namely data collection,data processing and condition evaluation.Artificial intelligence(AI)has achieved many breakthroughs in almost every aspect of modern technology over the past decade,and undoubtedly offers a more robust approach to automated pavement condition survey.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on data collection systems,data processing algorithms and condition evaluation methods proposed between 2010 and 2023 for intelligent pavement condition survey.In particular,the data collection system includes AI-driven hardware devices and automated pavement data collection vehicles.The AI-driven hardware devices including right-of-way(ROW)cameras,ground penetrating radar(GPR)devices,light detection and ranging(LiDAR)devices,and advanced laser imaging systems,etc.These different hardware components can be selectively mounted on a vehicle to simultaneously collect multimedia information about the pavement.In addition,this article pays close attention to the application of artificial intelligence methods in detecting pavement distresses,measuring pavement roughness,identifying pavement rutting,analyzing skid resistance and evaluating structural strength of pavements.Based upon the analysis of a variety of the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methodologies,remaining challenges and future needs with respect to intelligent pavement condition survey are discussed eventually.

Functional Confirmation Using a Medical X-Ray System of a Semiconductor Survey Meter

In recent years, semiconductor survey meters have been developed and are in increasing demand worldwide. This study determined if it is possible to use the X-ray system installed in each medical facility to calculate the time constant of a semiconductor survey meter and confirm the meter’s function. An additional filter was attached to the medical X-ray system to satisfy the standards of N-60 to N-120, more copper plates were added as needed, and the first and second half-value layers were calculated to enable comparisons of the facility’s X-ray system quality with the N-60 to N-120 quality values. Next, we used a medical X-ray system to measure the leakage dose and calculate the time constant of the survey meter. The functionality of the meter was then checked and compared with the energy characteristics of the meter. The experimental results showed that it was possible to use a medical X-ray system to reproduce the N-60 to N-120 radiation quality values and to calculate the time constant from the measured results, assuming actual leakage dosimetry for that radiation quality. We also found that the calibration factor was equivalent to that of the energy characteristics of the survey meter.

中国龙船花基因组Survey分析

中国龙船花Ixora chinensis是一种兼备药用与观赏价值的传统中药材,解析中国龙船花的基因组特征信息,可为其全基因组测序和药效成分生物合成的分子机制研究奠定理论基础。本研究利用Survey基因组测序技术,使用K-mer分析方法对中国龙船花基因组特征信息展开评估,获得基因组重复度、杂合度以及GC含量等信息。Survey高通量测序获得Raw Data 47.63 Gb,过滤后Clean data 45.62 Gb。K-mer分析表明,基因组大小588.35 Mb,杂合度1.5598%,重复度64.49%,GC含量35.71%,中国龙船花基因组呈现高杂合度、高重复度、基因组庞大的特征。

黄鲫的全基因组survey分析与微卫星分布特征

对黄鲫进行了全基因组测序,并进行了survey分析和微卫星特征研究,旨在评估其基因组基本信息并为进一步研究该物种的遗传多样性和进化提供重要信息。研究表明,黄鲫基因组大小约为815Mb,重复序列比例为39.69%,杂合率为1.77%;通过初步组装,得到的ContigN50为35836bp,ScaffoldN50为107605bp。此外,在全基因组范围内,检测出了14.562379个微卫星位点,相对丰度约1713个·Mb^(-1);其中,二碱基重复最常见(90.64%),其次为单碱基重复(5.52%),6碱基重复较少(0.24%)。微卫星重复拷贝数主要分布在6~15次之间,AC/GT和AG/CT是最常见的2碱基重复类型。这些研究结果为黄鲫的遗传学及进化生物学研究提供了重要的信息,并且为黄鲫的遗传多样性保护提供了有用的分子标记。

鳓鱼全基因组survey分析及微卫星位点分布

为研究鳓鱼(Ilisha elongata)的遗传演化概况,对鳓鱼基因组进行了高通量测序并开展了survey分析和基因组范围内的遗传标记开发。K-mer分析结果显示,鳓鱼基因组大小约为692.8 Mb,杂合率为0.18%,重复序列比例为39.6%。基因组初步组装Scaffold N50为27694 bp,Contig N50为6306 bp。利用MISA软件对鳓鱼基因组的微卫星标记(simple sequence repeat,SSR)进行检索和分析,总共检测到786123个SSR位点,相对丰度为1204个/Mb。在所有类型中,重复最多的是二碱基,占SSR总量的75.94%,其SSR重复频率主要集中在6~28次;其次为单碱基和四碱基,分别占SSR总量的15.31%和4.25%。对二碱基类型而言,AC型具有最多的重复数量,为131732个,单碱基重复数量最多的则是A型,有48775个。研究结果表明,鳓鱼基因组经组装后可得到高质量的全基因组序列,经过筛选的SSR位点可为后续的遗传分子标记开发提供有力支持,研究结果可为鳓鱼种质资源管理和保护、生物进化和群体遗传等研究工作提供基础资料。