Triglyceride-glucose related indices as predictors for major adverse cardiovascular events and overall mortality in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients

BACKGROUND Recent studies have indicated that triglyceride glucose(TyG)-waist height ratio(WHtR)and TyG-waist circumference(TyG-WC)are effective indicators for evaluating insulin resistance.However,research on the association in TyG-WHtR,TyG-WC,and the risk and prognosis of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACEs)in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)cases are limited.AIM To clarify the relation in TyG-WHtR,TyG-WC,and the risk of MACEs and overall mortality in T2DM patients.METHODS Information for this investigation was obtained from Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes(ACCORD)/ACCORD Follow-On(ACCORDION)study database.The Cox regression model was applied to assess the relation among TyG-WHtR,TyG-WC and future MACEs risk and overall mortality in T2DM cases.The RCS analysis was utilized to explore the nonlinear correlation.Subgroup and interaction analyses were conducted to prove the robustness.The receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to analysis the additional predicting value of TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC.RESULTS After full adjustment for confounding variables,the highest baseline TyG-WHtR cohort respectively exhibited a 1.353-fold and 1.420-fold higher risk for MACEs and overall mortality,than the lowest quartile group.Similarly,the highest baseline TyG-WC cohort showed a 1.314-fold and 1.480-fold higher risk for MACEs and overall mortality,respectively.Each 1 SD increase in TyG-WHtR was significantly related to an 11.7%increase in MACEs and a 14.9%enhance in overall mortality.Each 1 SD increase in TyG-WC corresponded to an 11.5%in MACEs and a 16.6%increase in overall mortality.Including these two indexes in conventional models significantly improved the predictive power for MACEs and overall mortality.CONCLUSION TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC were promising predictors of MACEs and overall mortality risk in T2DM cases.

Comparison of different preoperative objective nutritional indices for evaluating 30-d mortality and complications after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND The nutritional status is closely related to the prognosis of liver transplant re-cipients,but few studies have reported the role of preoperative objective nutri-tional indices in predicting liver transplant outcomes.AIM To compare the predictive value of various preoperative objective nutritional indicators for determining 30-d mortality and complications following liver transplantation(LT).METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 162 recipients who underwent LT at our institution from December 2019 to June 2022.RESULTS This study identified several independent risk factors associated with 30-d mor-tality,including blood loss,the prognostic nutritional index(PNI),the nutritional risk index(NRI),and the control nutritional status.The 30-d mortality rate was 8.6%.Blood loss,the NRI,and the PNI were found to be independent risk factors for the occurrence of severe postoperative complications.The NRI achieved the highest prediction values for 30-d mortality[area under the curve(AUC)=0.861,P<0.001]and severe complications(AUC=0.643,P=0.011).Compared to those in the high NRI group,the low patients in the NRI group had lower preoperative body mass index and prealbumin and albumin levels,as well as higher alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels,Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores and prothrombin time(P<0.05).Furthermore,the group with a low NRI exhibited significantly greater incidences of intraabdominal bleeding,primary graft nonfunction,and mortality.CONCLUSION The NRI has good predictive value for 30-d mortality and severe complications following LT.The NRI could be an effective tool for transplant surgeons to evaluate perioperative nutritional risk and develop relevant nutritional therapy.

Practical Identifiability of Plant Growth Models:A Unifying Framework and Its Specification for Three Local Indices

Amid the rise of machine learning models,a substantial portion of plant growth models remains mechanistic,seeking to capture an in-depth understanding of the underlying phenomena governing the system's dynamics.The development of these models typically involves parameter estimation from experimental data.Ensuring that the estimated parameters align closely with their respective"true"values is crucial since they hold biological interpretation,leading to the challenge of uniqueness in the solutions.Structural identifiability analysis addresses this issue under the assumption of perfect observations of system dynamics,whereas practical identifiability considers limited measurements and the accompanying noise.In the literature,definitions for structural identifiability vary only slightly among authors,whereas the concept and quantification of practical identifiability lack consensus,with several indices coexisting.In this work,we provide a unified framework for studying identifiability,accommodating different definitions that need to be instantiated depending on each application case.In a more applicative second step,we focus on three widely used methods for quantifying practical identifiability:collinearity indices,profile likelihood,and average relative error.We show the limitations of their local versions,and we propose a new risk index built on the profile likelihood-based confidence intervals.We illustrate the usefulness of these concepts for plant growth modeling using a discrete-time individual plant growth model,LNAS,and a continuous-time plant population epidemics model.Through this work,we aim to underline the significance of identifiability analysis as a complement to any parameter estimation study and offer guidance to the modeler.

Evaluation of Ear and Facial Indices of Ibibio and Efik Female Children of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, Nigeria

Background: The ear and face are indispensable and distinctive features for hearing and identification. Objectives: This study was designed to generate anthropometric data of the ear and facial indices of females of Efik and Ibibio children in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, show morphological and aesthetic differences and ethnicity. Methods: A total of 600 female children (300 Efiks and 300 Ibibios) aged 2 to 10 years that met the inclusion criteria were chosen from selected primary schools in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South of Cross River State and from Uyo, Itu of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Standardized measurements of face length, face width, ear length, and ear width were taken with a spreading caliper;the facial (proscopic) and ear (auricular) indices were determined. Results: Efik subjects presented a mean face length of 8.36 ± 0.06 cm, face width of 11.04 ± 0.04 cm, ear length of 4.92 ± 0.02 cm, and ear width of 3.06 ± 0.01 cm. Ibibio subjects had mean values for face length, face width, ear length, and ear width as 8.17 ± 0.05 cm, 10.75 ± 0.05 cm, 4.77 ± 0.03 cm, and 2.94 ± 0.02 cm respectively. The mean facial index and ear index for Efik subjects were 75.68 ± 0.31 and 62.16 ± 0.27 respectively;while the mean facial and ear indices for Ibibio subjects were 74.79 ± 0.36 and 61.80 ± 0.34 respectively. Statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences in face length, ear length, ear width and facial index, with the Efik subjects having higher values than Ibibio subjects (p Conclusion: The results showed hypereuryproscopic face as the prevalent face type among females of both ethnic groups, therefore can be of importance in sex, ethnic, and racial differentiation, and in clinical practice, aesthetics and forensic medicine.

Overweight/Obesity in University Students from Mexico: Comparison Using Different Indices

The goal was to compare body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), and relative fat mas (RFM), to identify the best predictor of overweight and obesity in university students from Mexico. This is a cross-sectional survey with 697 university students from northern and central Mexico (448 women, and 249 men aged 18 - 19 years). Data was collected during 2018. Overweight and obesity were calculated from those indices and for both, female and male students, the order of correlation between a pair of indices were WHtR vs. RFM > WHtR vs. WC > RFM vs. WC > WHtR vs. BMI > BMI vs. WC > RFM vs. BMI. It is concluded to use the WHtR and the RFM to better predict overweight and obesity in young Mexican university students.

Extreme value theory applied to the auroral electrojet indices

The study of extreme weather and space events has gained paramount importance in modern society owing to rapid advances in high technology.Understanding and describing exceptional occurrences plays a crucial role in making decisive assessments of their potential impact on technical,economic,and social aspects in various fields.This research focuses on analyzing the hourly values of the auroral electrojet(AE)geomagnetic index from 1957 to 2019 by using the peak over threshold method in extreme value theory.By fitting the generalized Pareto distribution to extreme AE values,shape parameter indices were derived,revealing negative values that establish an upper bound for this time series.Consequently,it became evident that the AE values had reached a plateau,suggesting that extreme events exceeding the established upper limit are rare.As a result,although the need for diligent precautions to mitigate the consequences of such extreme events persists,surpassing the upper limit of AE values becomes increasingly challenging.It is also possible to observe an aurora in the middle-and low-latitude regions during the maximum period of the AE index.

Estimating wheat spike-leaf composite indicator(SLI)dynamics by coupling spectral indices and machine learning

The contribution of spike photosynthesis to grain yield(GY)has been overlooked in the accurate spectral prediction of yield.Thus,it’s essential to construct and estimate a yield-related phenotypic trait considering spike photosynthesis.Based on field and spectral reflectance data from 19 wheat cultivars under two nitrogen fertilization conditions in two years,our objectives were to(i)construct a yield-related phenotypic trait(spike–leaf composite indicator,SLI)accounting for the contribution of the spike to photosynthesis,(ii)develop a novel spectral index(enhanced triangle vegetation index,ETVI3)sensitive to SLI,and(iii)establish and evaluate SLI estimation models by integrating spectral indices and machine learning algorithms.The results showed that SLI was sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer and wheat cultivar variation as well as a better predictor of yield than the leaf area index.ETVI3 maintained a strong correlation with SLI throughout the growth stage,whereas the correlations of other spectral indices with SLI were poor after spike emergence.Integrating spectral indices and machine learning algorithms improved the estimation accuracy of SLI,with the most accurate estimates of SLI showing coefficient of determination,root mean square error(RMSE),and relative RMSE values of 0.71,0.047,and 26.93%,respectively.These results provide new insights into the role of fruiting organs for the accurate spectral prediction of GY.This high-throughput SLI estimation approach can be applied for wheat yield prediction at whole growth stages and may be assisted with agronomical practices and variety selection.

Platelet indices as predictors of poor glucoregulation in type 2 diabetes mellitus adults at Bishoftu General Hospital,Ethiopia

BACKGROUND Diabetes is a chronic metabolic syndrome that has become a global public health problem with significant morbidity and mortality.It is a pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic condition characterized by increased platelet activation and alterations in platelet indices.However,the use of platelet indices as predictors of poor glucoregulation has not been fully evaluated in this context,and evidence for their role as predictors of poor glycemic status in diabetic patients is limited.AIM To evaluate platelet indices and determine their prognostic significance in relation to inadequate glucoregulation among individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at Bishoftu General Hospital in Ethiopia,from June 15 to August 12,2022.METHODS A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 261 participants including 174 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and 87 non-diabetic controls.The systematic random sampling technique was used to select participants.Data were collected using structured questionnaires,physical measurements,checklists,and laboratory tests.Platelet parameters and fasting blood glucose levels were determined from blood samples using Sysmex-XN550 and CobasC311 analyzers,respectively.The hematology analyzer output was checked and participants were also screened for malaria parasites using a prepared blood smear.Collected data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis.Theχ^(2) test,Mann-Whitney U test,Kruskal-Wallis test,post hoc test,Spearman correlation,and receiver operating characteristic curve were used for analysis.A P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS The results of our study indicate that diabetic patients have significantly higher levels of platelet distribution width(PDW),mean platelet volume(MPV),platelet large cell ratio(PLCR),and plateletcrit(PCT)compared to healthy individuals(P<0.001).Furthermore,these indices were found to be significantly elevated in individuals with poor glycemic control in T2DM compared to those with good glycemic control and healthy controls.We also observed significant correlations between these indices and various anthropometric and clinical variables.Our findings suggest that PDW,with a cut-off value of 15.75 fL and an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.803,MPV,with a cut-off value of 12.25 fL and an AUC of 0.774,PLCR,with a cut-off value of 36.3%and an AUC of 0.775,and PCT,with a cut-off value of 0.24%and an AUC of 0.761,can serve as predictors of poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus.CONCLUSION The observed correlation between diabetic patients and a significant increase in platelet indices has highlighted their potential as predictors of poor glycemic control in diabetes.Therefore,regular screening and profiling of platelet indices is recommended as part of the follow-up process for individuals with diabetes mellitus.

Analysis on characteristics of extreme precipitation indices and atmospheric circulation in Northern Shanxi

This article utilizes daily precipitation data from 28 national meteorological stations in northern Shanxi Province spanning from 1972 to 2020,and the US NCEP/NCAR monthly average reanalysis and ERA5 monthly average reanalysis data.The study employs techniques such as empirical orthogonal function(EOF)decomposition,MannKendall mutation and other methods to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of extreme precipitation index in northern Shanxi and their correlation with atmospheric circulation.The research results show that:the absolute index,relative index,intensity index and sustained dry period index(CDD)in the continuous index appear from southwest to northeast.The spatial distribution characteristics of the central region decrease,while the continuous wet period(CWD)decreases from the central to the east and west.The three indices Rx1day,Rx5day,and CWD mutated in 1978,1975,and 1983 respectively,and other extreme precipitation indices all appeared in a sudden change from a low-value period to a high-value period occurred around 2010.In the high-value years of the summer extreme precipitation index,there is a significant negative anomaly in the height field in the mid-high latitude regions of Eurasia.Northern Shanxi is controlled by a broad low-pressure trough in the Lake Baikal area.Water vapor transported via the east,west,and south routes converges in the northern Shanxi region and encounters cold air from the north.There is a strong upward motion anomaly at 500 hPa in the troposphere,and the dynamic conditions of upper-level divergence and lower-level convergence lead to more summer extreme precipitation in the northern Shanxi region.Conversely,in the low-value years of the summer extreme precipitation index,northern Shanxi is affected by a strong high-pressure ridge north of Lake Baikal.There is a downward motion anomaly at 500 hPa,and the northern Shanxi region lacks water vapor.The cold and warm air cannot converge,and both the water vapor conditions and dynamic conditions are poor,which is not conducive to the production of extreme precipitation in northern Shanxi.

Effects of Fermented Puffed Feather Meal on Growth Performance,Serum Biochemical Indices,Meat Quality,and Intestinal Microbiota in Broilers

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented puffed feather meal(FPFM)on growth performance,serum biochemical indices,meat quality,and intestinal microbiota in Arbor Acres(AA)broilers.A single-factor design was adopted,and four treatments were administered with five replicates to 240 one-day-old AA broilers.The control group(group A)received a basal diet,while the experimental groups received a basal diet plus 33%(group B),67%(group C)and 100%(group D)FPFM,respectively.Compared with group A,(1)the average daily gain(ADG)in group C decreased(P<0.05),and the feed conversion ratio(FCR)in group D increased(P<0.05);(2)the level of serum urea nitrogen in treatment groups decreased(P<0.05),and the levels of triglyceride,high density lipoprotein,low density lipoprotein,cholesterol,and glucose contents in group D increased(P<0.05)at day 21;(3)the serum immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G in group B and the immunoglobulin A in group C increased(P<0.05)at day 21,and the serum immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G in group D decreased(P<0.05)at day 42;(4)the share force of breast muscle and thigh muscle in group D increased(P<0.05);(5)the villus height to crypt depth ratio in the jejunum of group B increased(P<0.05)at day 21,and the villus height in group C and D increased(P<0.05)at day 42;(6)the proteobacteria counts in the cecum digesta in treatment groups decreased(P<0.05)at day 21.The basal diet supplemented with 33%FPFM promoted protein metabolism,enhanced immunity and improved meat quality,promoted the digestion and absorption of nutrients,increased intestinal microbial diversity,and improved the content of beneficial bacteria without affecting the growth performance,it was possible to be used as a good substitute for fish meal.

Detection of Burned Areas through Spectral Indices Analysis of Sentinel-2A Satellite Images in the Abokouamékro Wildlife Reserve (Central, Côte D’Ivoire)

In Côte d’Ivoire, the recurring and unregulated use of bushfires, which cause ecological damage, presents a pressing concern for the custodians of protected areas. This study aims to enhance our comprehension of the dynamics of burnt areas within the Abokouamékro Wildlife Reserve (AWR) by employing the analysis of spectral indices derived from satellite imagery. The research methodology began with the calculation of mean indices and their corresponding spectral sub-indices, including NDVI, SAVI, NDWI, NDMI, BAI, NBR, TCW, TCG, and TCB, utilizing data from the Sentinel-2A satellite image dated January 17, 2022. Subsequently, a fuzzy classification model was applied to these various indices and sub-indices, guided by the degree of membership α, with the goal of effectively distinguishing between burned and unburned areas. Following the classification, the accuracies of the classified indices and sub-indices were validated using the coordinates of 100 data points collected within the AWR through GPS technology. The results revealed that the overall accuracy of all indices and sub-indices declines as the degree of membership α decreases from 1 to 0. Among the mean spectral indices, NDVI-mean, SAVI-mean, NDMI-mean exhibited the highest overall accuracies, achieving 97%, 95%, and 90%, respectively. These results closely mirrored those obtained by sub-indices using band 8 (NDVI-B8, SAVI-B8, and NDMI-B8), which yield respective overall accuracies of 93%, 92%, and 89%. At a degree of membership α = 1, the estimated burned areas for the most effective indices encompassed 2144.38 hectares for NDVI-mean, 1932.14 hectares for mean SAVI-mean, and 4947.13 hectares for mean NDMI-mean. A prospective approach involving the amalgamation of these three indices could have the potential to yield improved outcomes. This study could be a substantial contribution to the discrimination of bushfires in Côte d’Ivoire.

Geographical Indications and Regional Public Brands of the Whole Rice Industry Chain in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

The Yangtze River Economic Belt is the main rice producing area in China.The rice industry chain is the agricultural pillar industry chain of this economic belt and it is the key to ensuring national food security and promoting comprehensive rural revitalization.This study discusses the entire rice industry chain in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from the national rice production functional zones,agricultural product quality and safety,national famous and excellent new agricultural products,national specialty agricultural products,"China s good grain and oil"products,and national advantageous characteristic industrial clusters.Then,it discusses the geographical indications of rice and its products in this economic belt from geographical indication products,geographical indication trademarks,agricultural geographical indications,geographical indication standards,geographical indication special indications,national geographical indication product protection demonstration zones,and Chinese geographical indication products protected by the European Union.In addition,it analyzes the five main problems between geographical indications and public brands,such as the limited use of geographical indication specific signs and the imperfect intellectual property protection system for geographical indications.Finally,it proposes eight strategies,including promoting the high-quality development of the entire rice industry chain,creating a geographical indication regional public brand for rice and its products,and implementing geographical indication protection projects.

Critical quality indicators of high-performance polyetherimide(ULTEM)over the MEX 3D printing key generic control parameters:Prospects for personalized equipment in the defense industry

Additive Manufacturing(AM)can provide customized parts that conventional techniques fail to deliver.One important parameter in AM is the quality of the parts,as a result of the material extrusion 3D printing(3D-P)procedure.This can be very important in defense-related applications,where optimum performance needs to be guaranteed.The quality of the Polyetherimide 3D-P specimens was examined by considering six control parameters,namely,infill percentage,layer height,deposition angle,travel speed,nozzle,and bed temperature.The quality indicators were the root mean square(Rq)and average(Ra)roughness,porosity,and the actual to nominal dimensional deviation.The examination was performed with optical profilometry,optical microscopy,and micro-computed tomography scanning.The Taguchi design of experiments was applied,with twenty-five runs,five levels for each control parameter,on five replicas.Two additional confirmation runs were conducted,to ensure reliability.Prediction equations were constructed to express the quality indicators in terms of the control parameters.Three modeling approaches were applied to the experimental data,to compare their efficiency,i.e.,Linear Regression Model(LRM),Reduced Quadratic Regression Model,and Quadratic Regression Model(QRM).QRM was the most accurate one,still the differences were not high even considering the simpler LRM model.

Effects of Milk Replacer on the Performance and Blood Biochemical Indices in Lambs

[Objective] In this study, the performance and blood biochemical indices in lamps fed on milk replacer were researched, the feasibility of early weaned in lamps was discussed. [Method] 37 of 10 days lambs of Suffolk（♂） x XiaoWeiHanYang（ ♀ ） were randomly divided into group A, B, C, D for this experiment. Group A, B, C were fed by 3 milk-replacers containing milk for different protein source respectively, and ten Iambs in each group; group D （seven lambs） were fed by ewes as the control. The performance and blood biochemical indices of the lamps were determined. [ Result] The results showed that the average daily gains of 10 - 15 days of age was not significantly different between group A and D （ P 〉 O. 05 ）, the control were higher significandy than the group B,C （P 〈0.05）. The average daily gains of 16 -25, 26 -35 days of age were not significantly different in group A, B, C, D. The daily weight gains of Group A, B, C in 45 - 55 days of age were higher significantly than the control （P〈0.05 ）. Plasma urea nitrogen （PUN） of group B and C were higher than group A significantly （P〈0.05 ） ;Total protein （ TP）, Plasma albumin （ALB） and Plasma total amino acid were no significant difference among the other 3 groups （P〉0.05 ）. [Conclusion] So, the milk-replacers were available for early-weaned lamb.

Winter Wheat Salt Tolerance Appraisal Indices with Varied Mineral Content of Saline Water

[Objective] The aim was to study wheat salt resistance appraisal indicators under the condition of saline water irrigation.[Method] A trial was conducted with five varieties irrigated with saline water at 1,2,4,6,and 8 g/L during 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 in the research station of Dry-land Farming Institute of Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences.With standardized indicators for measuring treatment,the response relations among different salt stress levels and winter wheat growth index were analyzed in this study.[Result] Under the condition of different salinity of irrigation,relative plant height after jointing stage,relative leaf area index,relative dry matter weight,relative ear number per unit area showed significant differences among treatments and yield showed significant correlation,which can be taken as salt-resistance examination index of wheat.[Conclusion] The results showed that the relative height after jointing stage was recommended as the most practical salt-tolerance appraisal indices,because it was easy to be observed and sensitive to salt stress.

Comparative Study on the Dwarfing Pre-selected Indices of Pear Germplasms with Different Growth Potentials

[ Objective] The aim of this study was to provide a theoretical basis for breeding selection, matching parents and the identification of traits during early period. [ Method ] With Shanli （ Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim） , S2 × Shanli （vigorous）, S2 x ShanU （dwarfing）, S2, super-dwarfing germplasm as the matedais, the dwarfing traits of each germplasm were identified by indices including leaf stomata density, branch-cortex ratio, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, paisade-spongy ratio and vessel density. [Result] Among five kinds of pear germplasms, Shanli with strong growth potential had the smallest branch-cortex ratio, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness and palisade-spengy ratio, but the largest stomata density and vessel density. On the contrary, super-dwarfing germplasm with weak growth potential had the largest branch-cortex ratio, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness and palisade-spongy ratio, but the smallest stomata density and vessel density. There was a difference in stomata density, branch-cortex ratio, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, palisade-spongy ratio and vessel density for every germplasm. [ Conclusion] Stomata density, branch-cortex ratio, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, palisade-spongy ratio and vessel density can be used as indices of identification for pear growth potential in early period.

Spatial Characteristics of Temperature Indices of Climate Change in China

Based on the temperature indices established by expert group on the detection,monitoring and indices of climate change,spatial characteristics of temperature indices from 278 meteorological stations in China during 1961-2008 were studied.The results showed that day number of freezing point went down gradually from northwest to southeast,as well as the most regions of China.Day number of summer was mostly over 50 d in China and over 100 d in Eastern China except for the most part of Northeast China,while there was an increase trend in the most regions of China.Growth period was generally above 150 d in China and increased with the decrease of latitude from north to south,while the trend coefficient of growth period in 236 stations was positive.

Evaluation Model of Carrying Capacity of Water Resources Based on Standardized Indices of Radial Basis Function

[Objective] The aim was to study on RBF model about evaluation on carrying capacity of water resources based on standardized indices. [Method] The indices were transformed and the averages of standard values in different levels were taken as the standardized values of components of central vectors for basic functions of RBF hidden nodes. Hence, the basic functions are suitable for most indices, simplifying expression and calculation of basic functions. [Result] RBF models concluded through Monkey-king Genetic Algorithm with weights optimization are used in evaluation on water carrying capacity in three districts in Changwu County in Shaanxi Province, which were in consistent with that through fuzzy evaluation. [Conclusion] RBF, simple and practical, is universal and popular.

Measuring urban sprawl in Beijing with geo-spatial indices

Concerning about the rapid urban growth in recent China, this study takes Beijing as a case and puts forward that urban sprawl can be measured from spatial configuration, urban growth efficiency and external impacts, and then develops a geo-spatial indices system for measuring sprawl, a total of 13 indicators. In order to calculate these indices, different sources data are selected, including land use maps, former land use planning, land price and floor-area-ratio samples, digitized map of the highways and city centers, population and GDP statistical data, etc. Various GIS spatial analysis methods are used to spatialize these indices into 100mx100m cells. Besides, an integrated urban sprawl index is calculated by weight sum of these 13 indices. The application result indicates that geo-spatial indices system can capture most of the typical features and interior differentia of urban sprawl. Construction land in Beijing has kept fast growing with large amount, low efficiency and disordered spatial configuration, indicating a typical sprawling tendency. The following specific sprawl features are identified by each indicator： （1） typical spatial configuration of sprawling： obvious fragmentation and irregularity of landscape due to unsuccessful enforcement of land use planning, unadvisable pattern of typical discontinuous development, strip development and leapfrog development; （2） low efficiency of sprawl： low development density, low population density and economic output in newly developed area; and （3） negative impacts on agriculture, environment and city life. According to the integrated sprawl index, the sprawling amount in the northern part is larger than that in the southern, but the sprawling extent is in converse case; most sprawling area include the marginal area of the near suburbs and the area between highways, etc. Four sprawling patterns are identified： randomly expansion at urban fringe, strip development along or between highways, scattered development of industrial land, leapfrog development of urban residence and industrial area.

Indices of the Summertime Western North Pacific Subtropical High

By averaging June-July-August (JJA) mean geopotential height anomalies at 850 hPa over the specified areas, the author proposes two innovative and succinct parameters to objectively define the zonal and meridional displacements of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) in summer, respectively. Thus, these two indices and the present results may provide a basis for validating atmospheric general circulation models simulating the WNPSH. For the zonal index, the specified area is the west edge (110°–150°E, 10°–30°N) of the WNPSH. For the meridional index, the specified area is the northwest edge (120°–150°E, 30°–40°N) of the WNPSH. The interannual variations of these two indices are found to be independent. The results from a composite analysis based on the meridional index are in good agreement with previous studies based on case analyses. The two indices are compared with the existing indices announced by the National Climate Center (NCC) in China, on the interannual timescale. Despite slight differences, the interannual variations of the presented indices are basically similar to those of the NCC indices, and thus the circulation and precipitation associated with the present indices exhibit similar features to those associated with the NCC indices. Furthermore, an analysis of the differences between the associations of the present indices and the NCC indices shows that the presented indices are better than the NCC indices. An important result is that the zonal index is related to a more outstanding anomaly of precipitation, especially in East Asia and the Philippine Sea, both based on the presented indices and the NCC indices. The two indices can also be used to describe the seasonal march of the WNPSH during summer, namely, the poleward and eastward shifts. It is found that climatologically, the WNPSH shifts poleward and eastward rapidly in middle July, but the amplitudes of the poleward and eastward shifts are more remarkable in the summers when the WNPSH is located poleward and eastward in average.