Home Monitoring of Estrone-3-Glucuronide (E1-3G) Levels in Two Different Ovarian Stimulation Protocols: A Pilot Study

Background: Studies have shown a strong correlation between the growth of E2 in serum and estrone-3-glucuronide (E1-3G) in urine during ovarian stimulation. Thus, we developed theoretical models for using urinary E1-3G in ovarian stimulation and focused on their experimental verification and analysis. Methods: A prospective, observational pilot study was conducted involving 54 patients who underwent 54 cycles of ovarian stimulation. The goal was to establish the growth rate of urinary E1-3G during the course of stimulation and to determine the daily upper and lower limits of growth rates at which stimulation is appropriate and safe. Controlled ovarian stimulation was performed using two different stimulation protocols—an antagonist protocol in 25 cases and a progestin-primed ovarian stimulation protocol (PPOS) in 29 cases, with fixed doses of gonadotropins. From the second day of stimulation, patients self-measured their daily urine E1-3G levels at home using a portable analyzer. In parallel, a standard ultrasound follow-up protocol accompanied by a determination of E2, LH, and P levels was applied to optimally control stimulation. Results: The average daily growth rates in both groups were about 50%. The daily increase in E1-3G for the antagonist protocol ranged from 14% to 79%, while they were 28% to 79% for the PPOS protocol. Conclusion: This is the first study to analyze the dynamics of E1-3G in two different protocols and to estimate the limits of its increase during the entire course of the stimulation. The results confirm our theoretical model for the viability of using urinary E1-3G for monitoring ovarian stimulation.

Application of multi-criteria decision-making methods to identification of soil moisture monitoring sites in an urban catchment in South Australia

When choosing sites for monitoring of soil moisture for hydrological purposes,a suitable process that considers the factors influencing soil moisture level should be followed.In this study,two multi-criteria decision-making(MCDM)methods,the multi-influencing factor(MIF)method and the analytical hierarchy process(AHP)method,were used to identify the optimal soil moisture monitoring(SMM)sites in the Dry Creek Catchment in South Australia.The most representative areas for nine SMM sites were obtained using the MIF method,considering the factors of rainfall,soil type,land use,catchment slope,elevation,and upslope accumulated area(UAA).The AHP method was used to select the optimal sites using the site-specific criteria.30.3%of the catchment area in the Australian Water Resources Assessment Landscape(AWRA-L)Grid_DC2 can be considered acceptable as representative area with the MIF method.Four potential sites were evaluated for each AWRA-L grid using the relative weights of the site-specific criteria with the AHP method.The Grid_DC2 required two sites that had the highest overall weight chosen with the AHP analysis.The procedure was repeated for the remaining four AWRA-L grids within the study area to select the required SMM sites.

Aerosol composition at a coastal monitoring site in Hong Kong-initial results

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Stability monitoring and evaluation of the modeled test square for prehistoric earthen sites during excavation period

In order to explore the stability of test square during archaeological excavation for prehistoric earthen sites in Hangzhou, a modeled test square with 2. 3 min depth, inplane dimensions of 5 min width by 5 m in length, and an archaeological column in the middle was excavated by means of a top-down excavation technique. To investigate the stability performance of the modeled test square and the associated effect on the adjacent area, a real-time comprehensive instrumentation program was conducted during the excavation. Field observations included ground settlements, lateral displacement, pore pressure and underground water level. Monitoring data indicates that the ground settlement induced by dewatering and unloading action basically decreases with the increase of the distance away from the pit edge, and the lateral displacements at four sides showa nonlinear variation along the depth. The maximum value is far below the acceptable value regulated by the related standard,which validates the stability of the modeled test square during excavation. Variations of pore pressure and water level suggest that long-term stability should be paid more attention due to the slowconsolidation of soft soil. Meanwhile, it is proved that the step shape of the wall can resist lateral displacement more effectively than the vertical shape of wall. This case study provides insights into the real archaeological excavation in Hangzhou, in particular Liangzhu prehistoric earthen sites.

Astronomical Site Monitoring System at Lijiang Observatory

We installed two sets of Astronomical Site Monitoring Systems(ASMSs)at Lijiang Observatory(GMG),for the running of the 2.4-meter Lijiang optical telescope(LJT)and the 1.6-meter Multi-channel Photometric Survey Telescope(Mephisto).The Mephisto is under construction.The ASMS has been running on robotic mode since 2017.The core instruments:Cloud Sensor,All-Sky Camera and AutonomousDIMM that are developed by our group,together with the commercial Meteorological Station and Sky Quality Meter,are combined into the astronomical optical site monitoring system.The new Cloud Sensor's Cloud-Clear Relationship is presented for the first time,which is used to calculate the All-Sky cloud cover.We designed the Autonomous-DIMM located on a tower,with the same height as LJT.The seeing data have been observed for a full year.ASMS's data for the year 2019 are also analysed in detail,which are valuable to observers.

Mechanism of rock deformation and failure and monitoring analysis in water-rich soft rock roadway of western China

Aiming to get the strata behavior and stability rules of surrounding rock of the main return airway of Yushujing Coal Mine, convergence deformation of two sides and force of U-shaped steel yieldable support and bolt were monitored, and deformation of surrounding rock and mechanical characteristics of support structure were timely obtained to guide the informa- tion construction and optimize supporting parameters in water-rich soft rock roadway. The field monitoring results indicate the following. （1） Convergence displacement of rock surface increases with time continuity and shows surrounding rock＇s intense theological behavior. The original support scheme cannot control the large deformation and strongly theological behavior; （2） Without backfilling, the U-shaped steel support begins to bear load after erecting for 4-7 days and increases rapidly in the first 30 days. The U-shaped steel support at the right shoulder and top of roadway bears a larger force and the left side and shoulder bears a smaller force; （3） The stress of bolt increasing over time and at the right shoulder of roadway has larger growth and value. The mechanism of rock deformation and the failure and strata behavior in water-rich soft rock roadway are revealed based on the results of the measured relaxation zone of surrounding rock, measured stresses, and the rock mechanics tests.

The Impact of the Numbers of Monitoring Stations on the National and Regional Air Quality Assessment in China During 2013-18

China national air quality monitoring network has become the core data source for air quality assessment and management in China.However,during network construction,the significant change in numbers of monitoring sites with time is easily ignored,which brings uncertainty to air quality assessments.This study aims to analyze the impact of change in numbers of stations on national and regional air quality assessments in China during 2013-18.The results indicate that the change in numbers of stations has different impacts on fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5))and ozone concentration assessments.The increasing number of sites makes the estimated national and regional PM_(2.5) concentration slightly lower by 0.6−2.2μg m^(−3) and 1.4−6.0μg m^(−3) respectively from 2013 to 2018.The main reason is that over time,the monitoring network expands from the urban centers to the suburban areas with low population densities and pollutant emissions.For ozone,the increasing number of stations affects the long-term trends of the estimated concentration,especially the national trends,which changed from a slight upward trend to a downward trend in 2014−15.Besides,the impact of the increasing number of sites on ozone assessment exhibits a seasonal difference at the 0.05 significance level in that the added sites make the estimated concentration higher in winter and lower in summer.These results suggest that the change in numbers of monitoring sites is an important uncertainty factor in national and regional air quality assessments,that needs to be considered in long-term concentration assessment,trend analysis,and trend driving force analysis.

Preliminary Hydrogeologic Modeling and Optimal Monitoring Network Design for a Contaminated Abandoned Mine Site Area: Application of Developed Monitoring Network Design Software

In abandoned mine sites, i.e., mine sites where mining operations have ended, wide spread contaminations are often evident, but the potential sources and pathways of contamination especially through the subsurface, are difficult to identify due to inadequate and sparse geochemical measurements available. Therefore, it is essential to design and implement a planned monitoring net-work to obtain essential information required for establishing the potential contamination source locations, i.e., waste dumps, tailing dams, pits and possible pathways through the subsurface, and to design a remediation strategy for rehabilitation. This study presents an illustrative application of modeling the flow and transport processes and monitoring network design in a study area hydrogeologically resembling an abandoned mine site in Queensland, Australia. In this preliminary study, the contaminant transport process modeled does not incorporate the reactive geochemistry of the contaminants. The transport process is modeled considering a generic conservative contaminant for the illustrative purpose of showing the potential application of an optimal monitoring design methodology. This study aims to design optimal monitoring network to: 1) minimize the contaminant solute mass estimation error;2) locate the plume boundary;3) select the monitoring locations with (potentially) high concentrations. A linked simulation optimization based methodology is utilized for optimal monitoring network design. The methodology is applied utilizing a recently developed software package CARE-GWMND, developed at James Cook University for optimal monitoring network design. Given the complexity of the groundwater systems and the sparsity of pollutant concentration observation data from the field, this software is capable of simulating the groundwater flow and solute transport with spatial interpolation of data from a sparse set of available data, and it utilizes the optimization algorithm to determine optimum locations for implementing monitoring wells.

Monitoring of Soil Bulk Density in Context with Its Small-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity

The main aim of soil monitoring system is to obtain the knowledge of the most current state and development of soil properties according to concrete threats to soil. To determine the significant changes of soil properties in time, it is important to know spatial variability of concrete soil parameter for concrete site. Only those time changes of the soil parameter are significant, which exceed its spatial variability at the site. The main aim of the study has been focused on the evaluation of small-scale site heterogeneity of equilibrium soil bulk density and the integration of impact of this heterogeneity in evaluation of degradation process of soil compaction in time. As site variation coefficients have considerably varied at standard sampling with five repetitions during monitoring period, one-time detail spatial variability mapping of soil bulk density was realized at 17 repetitions on five selected monitoring sites with different soil type, texture and use. This increase in the number of sampling points helped us to specify and stabilize the values of variation coefficients (between minimum and maximum by standard sampling) as well as the extent of confidence intervals. Standard deviations at the chosen monitoring sites moved from 0.039 to 0.118 g·cm-3 in topsoil and from 0.031 to 0.067 g·cm-3 in subsoil and expressed as variation coefficient 2.9% - 9.2% and 2.0% - 4.9%, respectively. The intervals of significant time changes of soil bulk density for the sites and depths were determined on the base of its site confidence interval (95%) and uncertainty rate of its measure methodology. The time changes of bulk density values between single year-to-year sampling were overlapped by this interval of significant changes to obtain significant bulk density changes in time. This method allowed us to distinguish significant time changes in soil bulk density from insignificant ones. The bulk density value changes on the monitoring sites were significant in the range of six to nine years within observed period 2002-2014 in both depths.

Optimization of Shanghai marine environment monitoring sites by integrating spatial correlation and stratified heterogeneity

The water quality grades of phosphate（PO4-P） and dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN） are integrated by spatial partitioning to fit the global and local semi-variograms of these nutrients. Leave-one-out cross validation is used to determine the statistical inference method. To minimize absolute average errors and error mean squares,stratified Kriging（SK） interpolation is applied to DIN and ordinary Kriging（OK） interpolation is applied to PO4-P.Ten percent of the sites is adjusted by considering their impact on the change in deviations in DIN and PO4-P interpolation and the resultant effect on areas with different water quality grades. Thus, seven redundant historical sites are removed. Seven historical sites are distributed in areas with water quality poorer than Grade IV at the north and south branches of the Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary and at the coastal region north of the Hangzhou Bay. Numerous sites are installed in these regions. The contents of various elements in the waters are not remarkably changed, and the waters are mixed well. Seven sites that have been optimized and removed are set to water with quality Grades III and IV. Optimization and adjustment of unrestricted areas show that the optimized and adjusted sites are mainly distributed in regions where the water quality grade undergoes transition.Therefore, key sites for adjustment and optimization are located at the boundaries of areas with different water quality grades and seawater.

A Multi-Interface Remote Monitoring and Control System Architecture Based on Embedded Server

This paper presents a multi-interface embedded server architecture for remote real-time monitoring system and distributed monitoring applications. In the scheme,an embedded microprocessor( LPC3250 from NXP) is chosen as the CPU of the embedded server with a linux operation system( OS) environment. The embedded server provides multiple interfaces for supporting various application scenarios. The whole network is based on local area network and adopts the Browser / Server( B / S) model. The monitoring and control node is as a browser endpoint and the remote node with an embedded server is as a server endpoint. Users can easily acquire various sensors information through writing Internet protocol address of remote node on the computer browser. Compared with client / server( C / S) mode,B / S model needs less maintain and can be applicable to large user group. In addition,a simple network management protocol( SNMP) is used for management of devices in Internet protocol( IP) networks. The results of the demonstration experiment show that the proposed system gives good support to manage the network from different user terminals and allows the users to better interact with the ambient environment.

Analysis on the noises from continuously monitoring GPS sites

In this paper, we analyze the time series of site coordinates of 27 continuously monitoring GPS sites covered by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China over the whole country. The data are obtained in the period from the beginning of the observation to the November of 2005. On the basis of data processing, we analyze the power spectrum density of coordinate component noise at each site and calculate the spectral indexes manifesting the noise property of each component. The spectral indexes indicate that for most sites, the noise of time series of each coordinate component can be addressed by the model of white noise ＋ flicker noise; and for a small amount of sites, it can be described by the model of white noise ＋ flicker noise ＋ random walk noise. We also quantitatively estimate each noise component in the model by using the criterion of maximum likelihood estimation. The result shows that the white noise in the time series of GPS site coordinates does not constitute the main part of noise. Therefore, the error estimation of site movement parameters is usually too small, or too optimistic if we consider the white noise only. Correspondingly, if this factor is not fully considered in explaining these movement parameters, it might mislead the readers.

Research on Wireless Monitoring Technology of the Well Site Environment

Based on the characteristics of wireless communication technology and Wireless Sensor Network, this paper studies the well site environmental monitoring system. The relevant hardware and software of the system are designed to monitor the well site environment, thus preventing downhole accidents. The system uses the wireless ZigBee technology as the transmission mode, and combines the virtual instrument technology to design the upper machine interface. The test results show that the system can monitor the outdoor environment in real time. When the environmental parameters exceed the set value, the corresponding location of the LabVIEW interface will send an alarm.

Deep-sea Pollen Record during 3.0-2.0 Ma B.P. from ODP Site 1143 and Its Response to Global Climate Changes

In order to study vegetation evolution and environmental changes around 2.5 Ma B.P., a total of 146 pollen samples with an average time resolution of 7 000 years were analyzed in the deep-sea record at the depth of 135 - 95 m （in composition depth） from ODP Site 1143 （9° 22＇ N, 113° 17＇ E） in the southern South China Sea. The results show that the pollen influx has a distinct change. During 2.6 - 2.0 Ma B.P., the average value of pollen influx increased evidently compared with that of 3.0 - 2.6 Ma B.P. It shows that the sea level of SCS dropped dramatically around 2.6 Ma B.P., corresponding to the formation of the Northern Hemisphere ice-sheets and the enhancement of the East Asian Monsoon. The pollen influx variations reflect the glacial-interglacial cycles corresponding with the deep-sea oxygen isotope curve and indicate that the sea level of SCS rose and dropped many times after 2.6 Ma B.P. The spectrum analysis results of pollen influx show that there are cycles at 0.1Ma （eccentricity） and 46.9 ka （obliquity） during 3.0 - 2.0 Ma B.P.

Comprehensive Overview on Computational Intelligence Techniques for Machinery Condition Monitoring and Fault Diagnosis

Computational intelligence is one of the most powerful data processing tools to solve complex nonlinear problems, and thus plays a significant role in intelligent fault diagnosis and prediction. However, only few com- prehensive reviews have summarized the ongoing efforts of computational intelligence in machinery condition moni- toring and fault diagnosis. The recent research and devel- opment of computational intelligence techniques in fault diagnosis, prediction and optimal sensor placement are reviewed. The advantages and limitations of computational intelligence techniques in practical applications are dis- cussed. The characteristics of different algorithms are compared, and application situations of these methods are summarized. Computational intelligence methods need to be further studied in deep understanding algorithm mech- anism, improving algorithm efficiency and enhancing engineering application. This review may be considered as a useful guidance for researchers in selecting a suit- able method for a specific situation and pointing out potential research directions.

Environmental archaeology on Longshan Culture （4500-4000 aBP） at Yuhuicun Site in Bengbu, Anhui Province

Based on the samples collected from the west wall of the ABYT2004 at Yuhuicun Site in Bengbu, Anhui Province, the multi-environmental substitute indexes such as the grain-size, Rb/Sr, zircon crystal morphology and magnetic susceptibility were analyzed. The age of archaeological strata was determined by AMS^14C dating. According to the results, combined with the information of the ancient human activities and the cultural heritage data obtained from the Longshan cultural archaeological strata, it can be concluded that （1） Before 4500 aBP, the climate was humid and water level was high in the Huaihe River and its tributaries, the drainage basin and its surrounding areas were even flooded, so the site area was submerged and there were no human activities around the site. （2） About 4500 aBP, the climate began to become drier and water level of the Huaihe River and its tributaries began to decline, thus floodplain gradually appeared, Yuhuicun Site and Longshan Culture began to appear. （3） Around 4100 aBP, the climate was humid and rainfall was abundant, which resulted in frequent flood disasters in the whole Huaihe River Basin. （4） After 4100 aBP, the climate gradually transited to be cold and dry, agricultural production was constrained to reduce the food source, Yuhuicun Site was almost abandoned. （5） The environmental information in sedimentary strata and historical records based on ancient books agree with each other. In addition, Yuhuicun Site was related to Dayu Zhishui （Yu the Great in taming the floods） in ancient books.

Online Condition Monitoring of Gripper Cylinder in TBM Based on EMD Method

The gripper cylinder that provides braced force for Tunnel Boring Machine （TBM） might fail due to severe vibration when the TBM excavates in the tunnel. Early fault diagnosis of the gripper cylinder is important for the safety and efficiency of the whole tunneling project. In this paper, an online condition monitoring system based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition （EMD） method is estab- lished for fault diagnosis of the gripper cylinder while TBM is working. Firstly, the lumped mass parameter model of the gripper cylinder is established considering the influence of the variable stiffness at the rock interface, the equivalent stiffness of the oil, the seals, and the copper guide sleeve. The dynamic performance of the gripper cylinder is investigated to provide basis for its health condition evaluation. Then, the EMD method is applied to identify the characteristic frequencies of the gripper cylinder for fault diagnosis and a field test is used to verify the accuracy of the EMD method for detection of the characteristic frequencies. Furthermore, the contact stiff- ness at the interface between the barrel and the rod is calculated with Hertz theory and the relationship between the natural frequency and the stiffness varying with the health condition of the cylinder is simulated based on the dynamic model. The simulation shows that the character- istic frequencies decrease with the increasing clearance between the barrel and the rod, thus the defects could be indicated by monitoring the natural frequency. Finally, a health condition management system of the gripper cylin- der based on the vibration signal and the EMD method is established, which could ensure the safety of TBM.

A Comparative Study of Acute Hemodynamic Effects of Multi -site Cardiac Pacing in patients with cardiac function NYHA class ⅠtoⅡ without bundle branch block

Objective To compare the acute hemodynamic effects of five different pacing modes in patients with cardiac function NYHA class Ⅰ to Ⅱ without bundle branch block (BBB). Methods This study included 12 patients (SSS 7, Ⅲ°AVB 5) undergoing pacemaker implantation. Right ventricular apex (RVA), right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), right ventricular bifocal (RV-Bi), left ventricular base (LVB) and bi -ventricular (Bi-Ⅴ) pacing at 60 -80 ppm were done in VVI mode prior to implantation of DDD pacemaker. The cardiac index (CI), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were measured with Swan - Ganz thermodilution catheter after 5 minutes of each pacing mode. Results (1) Comparing to pacing at RVA (CI: 2. 41± 0. 38 L/min per m2, PCWP: 16. 7 ±3.3 mmHg), the CI increased and the PCWP decreased significantly in pacing at RVOT(CI: 2. 63 ± 0.46, PCWP: 13. 8±2. 3), LVB(CI: 2. 78±0.52, PCWP: 14. 4±3.1), RV-Bi(CI: 2. 83±0.57, PCWP: 12. 8± 2. 5) and Bi -Ⅴ pacing (CI: 2. 94± 0.60, PCWP: 12. 7±2. 5), P < 0. 01, respectively. (2) The CI of RV-Bi and Bi-Ⅴ pacing was higher than that of RVOT and LVB pacing, the PCWP was lower, P < 0. 05, respectively. (3) There was no significant difference between RV - Bi pacing and Bi-Ⅴ pacing in CI and PCWP. Conclusion There is no significant difference between RV - Bi pacing and Bi -V pacing in the acute hemodynamic effects; however,dual - site pacing is much better than single site pacing in that aspect for patients with cardiac function NYHA class Ⅰ to Ⅱ without BBB. Among single site pacing, the RVOT and LVB pacing is better than RVA pacing in cardiac function.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System: A Review of Research and Monitoring Initiatives

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is an integrated network of 29 protected and coordinated estuarine reserve sites in 23 states and one territory (Puerto Rico) covering more than 525,000 ha of estuarine habitat, adjoining wetlands, and uplands that encompass 19 biogeographical regions along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific coasts, as well as the Caribbean Sea and Great Lakes. NERRS is an ecosystem-based research and monitoring network of sites serving as platforms to develop quantitative databases of value to coastal management programs in identifying and tracking short-term variability and long-term changes in the integrity and biodiversity of estuarine systems nationwide due to natural perturbations and anthropogenic disturbances. The reserve sites also play a vital role in assessing coastal issues of local, regional, and national significance for the purpose of sustaining estuarine systems and coastal lands, such as evaluating their responses to climate change and other major stressors to inform coastal decision-making and public awareness for the protection and resilience of natural resources and coastal communities. Over the past four decades, NERRS sites have collected large volumes of research and monitoring data of great utility in characterizing estuarine environments and addressing an array of resource-management concerns, including degraded water quality, loss and alteration of essential habitat, impacted fisheries, invasive species, and conservation.

基于EMD-VMD-LSTM预测算法的高桩码头结构安全预警方法

基于高桩码头健康监测数据,针对存在复杂环境因素影响监测精度问题,提出EMD-VMD-LSTM组合算法处理并预测高桩码头结构中的监测信息,通过对比分析验证在高桩码头结构现场监测大数据的预测预警分析中采用EMD-VMD-LSTM组合算法的可行性。同时,基于EMD-VMD-LSTM方法和固定预警阈值,提出动态预警阈值的确定方法,设计动静态预警结合的高桩码头结构预警方法,构建多指标、多层次的高桩码头结构安全预警体系以及相应的预警流程。研究成果可以提升高桩码头结构安全预警的准确性和效率,也可为类似工程结构的安全预警管理提供一定的参考。