Effects of Different Seed Stem Sizes on the Changes of Available Elements in Rhizosphere Soil of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq.

[Objectives]This study was conducted to screen suitable seed stems of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq.from different provenances and to provide a theoretical basis for the high-yielding and high-efficiency cultivation of F.thunbergii Miq.introduced to different places.[Methods]F.thunbergii Miq.from four different provenances including Zhejiang,Nantong and Chongqing were introduced and cultivated in Wanzhou of Chongqing.The contents of available Zn,Fe,Mn,Cu,Mo,N,P,K,Ca and Mg in rhizosphere soil of F.thunbergii Miq.during five growing stages were determined after selecting different stem sizes for field cultivation.[Results]Small stems of Pan an and Ningbo provenances(SSG3,121-160/kg)and middle stems of Nantong and Fengjie provenances(SSG2,81-120/kg)showed higher soil availability.[Conclusions]In the process of introduction and cultivation of F.thunbergii Miq.,high yield and high efficiency can be achieved by selecting smaller seed stems of F.thunbergii Miq.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization Amount on the Prophase Yield of Phaseolus vulgaris and Available Nitrogen Content of Soil

[Objective] This study aimed to provide certain scientific basis for reasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer in the pollution-free cultivation of Phaseolus vulgaris. [Method] A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different nitrogen fertilization amounts on the prophase yield and economic efficiency of P. vulgaris and available nitrogen content of soil. [Result] With the increased application amount of nitrogen fertilizer, the prophase yield and economic efficiency of P. vulgaris reached the peaks in the Treatment 3 （8 690.48 kg/ hm^2 and 32 222 yuan/hm^2）, and significant differences were found among different treatment groups. With the increased nitrogen fertilization amount, the soil available nitrogen content increased, showing a positive correlation with correlation coefficient of 0.856 5. Excess nitrogen fertilizer reduced the prophase yield and economic efficiency of P. vulgaris. For the open field cultivation of P. vulgaris, the optimum application amount of nitrogen fertilizer was 178 kg/hm^2. [Conclusion] Application of nitrogen fertilizer could effectively increase the soil available nitrogen content.

A two-step method to detect broadcast ephemeris unavailable periods caused by BeiDou satellite orbital maneuvers

The space constellation of the BeiDou navigation satellite system(BDS) is a hybrid constellation containing medium earth orbit(MEO) satellites, geostationary earth orbit(GEO) satellites, and inclined geosynchronous orbit(IGSO) satellites. Due to the geosynchronous characteristics of GEO and IGSO, GEO satellites and IGSO satellites often need to perform orbital maneuvers, which can affect the signal-inspace(SIS) availability performance of BeiDou satellites. A two-step detection method for BeiDou satellite orbital maneuvers has been proposed in this paper. The first step is to identify orbital maneuvers based on time series analysis of broadcast ephemeris, and the second step is to verify orbital maneuvers based on bidirectional orbit prediction. The two-step detection method was used to detect the orbital maneuvers of BeiDou satellites in 2019. Through the double guarantees of identification and verification,the detection accuracy of BeiDou satellite orbital maneuvers has been effectively improved. And the orbital maneuver detection results are continued to be used to assess the SIS availability of BeiDou satellites. The results show that the availability loss of GEO satellite orbital maneuvers is about 0.45%-1.07%, and the availability loss of IGSO satellite orbital maneuvers is about 0.12%-0.19%.

Assessment of Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) on Plant Available Water (PAW) in Dry Lands

One of the ways of overcoming the cost of irrigation is through in-situ water harvesting at the plant roots. Super absorbent polymer (SAP) can facilitate water harvesting at the plant roots. This study attempted to assess the effect of SAP on plant available water (PAW) of different soils. In this study, SAP was sequentially added at the rate of 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.5% of the soil weight and its impact assessed in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. The moisture retention characteristics of the original and SAP treated soils were studied using soil water retention curves (SWRC) and results modelled using Gardner model. PAW was estimated from SWRC as the difference between moisture content at 1.5 and 3 bar in all soils. The difference in PAW between original and treated soils was assessed at 5% level of significance. The WRC of all the samples was adequately found to be described by the Gardner model (Coefficient of determination R2 ≥ 98% and residual standard error (RSE) ≤ 0.04). SWRC changed with increase in SAP percentage in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. Clay had a higher change in water retention then sandy clay and lastly sandy loam. Plant available water content (PAW) in all soils increased. In clay soil it increased with increase in SAP from 0.3291 at zero SAP to 0.6223 at 0.5% SAP. Sandy clay soil increased in PAW from 0.2721 at zero SAP to 0.5335 at 0.5% SAP and Sandy loam soils from 0.1691 at zero SAP to 0.3461 at 0.5% SAP. Hence, from the study SAP can be used to conserve irrigation water in the plant roots and therefore reducing the cost since PAW has been increased.

Available parking space occupancy change characteristics and short-term forecasting model

Based on an available parking space occupancy （APSO） survey conducted in Nanjing, China, an APSO forecasting model is proposed. The APSO survey results indicate that the time series of APSO with different time-sections are periodical and self-similar, and the fluctuation of the APSO increases with the decrease in time-sections. Taking the short-time change behavior into account, an APSO forecasting model combined wavelet analysis and a weighted Markov chain is presented. In this model, an original APSO time series is first decomposed by wavelet analysis, and the results include low frequency signals representing the basic trends of APSO and several high frequency signals representing disturbances of the APSO. Then different Markov models are used to forecast the changes of low and high frequency signals, respectively. Finally, integrating the predicted results induces the final forecasted APSO. A case study verifies the applicability of the proposed model. The comparisons between measured and forecasted results show that the model is a competent model and its accuracy relies on real-time update of the APSO database.

Future changes in precipitation and water availability over the Tibetan Plateau projected by CMIP6 models constrained by climate sensitivity

Precipitation projections over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)show diversity among existing studies,partly due to model uncertainty.How to develop a reliable projection remains inconclusive.Here,based on the IPCC AR6–assessed likely range of equilibrium climate sensitivity(ECS)and the climatological precipitation performance,the authors constrain the CMIP6(phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project)model projection of summer precipitation and water availability over the TP.The best estimates of precipitation changes are 0.24,0.25,and 0.45 mm d^(−1)(5.9%,6.1%,and 11.2%)under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway(SSP)scenarios of SSP1–2.6,SSP2–4.5,and SSP5–8.5 from 2050–2099 relative to 1965–2014,respectively.The corresponding constrained projections of water availability measured by precipitation minus evaporation(P–E)are 0.10,0.09,and 0.22 mm d^(−1)(5.7%,4.9%,and 13.2%),respectively.The increase of precipitation and P–E projected by the high-ECS models,whose ECS values are higher than the upper limit of the likely range,are about 1.7 times larger than those estimated by constrained projections.Spatially,there is a larger increase in precipitation and P–E over the eastern TP,while the western part shows a relatively weak difference in precipitation and a drier trend in P–E.The wetter TP projected by the high-ECS models resulted from both an approximately 1.2–1.4 times stronger hydrological sensitivity and additional warming of 0.6℃–1.2℃ under all three scenarios during 2050–2099.This study emphasizes that selecting climate models with climate sensitivity within the likely range is crucial to reducing the uncertainty in the projection of TP precipitation and water availability changes.

Available Contents of Trace Nutrient Element and Factors Affecting Their Availability in Western Jilin

Based on the assay of the total content and available content of the trace nutrient elements and the soil pH and organic matter of the soil samples,the characteristic of the available content of the trace nutrient elements and their affecting factors are studied. The results show that the available B in western Jilin is in a middle level,the content in Nong'an is higher than that in the others; the available Mn is extremely abundant; the available Cu in Nong'an is obviously higher than other areas,and the content in Da'an differs greatly; the available Zn is in a middle level; the severe shortage of available Mo differs between different areas; and the available Fe is extremely abundant. The available Mn,Cu and Fe have significantly positive correlation with their total content; the available B has significantly positive correlation with pH,and Zn has obviously negative correlation with pH; the available Mn and Fe had significantly positive correlation with soil organic matter.

A model to estimate available timber and forest biomass and reforestation expenses in a mountainous region in Japan

We developed a model to estimate supply potentials and available amounts of timber and forest biomass resources from profitable sub-compartments of thinning and final felling operations. Economic balances were estimated while considering not only harvesting expenses but also reforestation expenses after final felling, which should be considered for sustainable forest management. Harvesting expenses were estimated based on two types of timber harvesting systems and three types of forest biomass harvesting systems in each sub-compartment. Then, the model was applied to Nasushiobara city of Tochigi prefecture, Japan. Reforestation expenses had large negative impacts on the financial balances of final felling operations. Few sub-compartments were profitable after considering reforestation expenses. Most profitable sub-compartments were those with mechanized operation systems and landing sales. These accounted for 17.19% of all sub-compartments, while only 5.75% of the sub-compartments were profitable based on their current operation systems and landing sales. Although the overall supply potentials of timber and forest biomass resources were 380,000 m3 and 210,000 Mg, respectively, and 15 times the planned harvest of coniferous tree volume of 25,000 m3year-1 and 50 times the annual demand for the woody gasification power generation of 4,000 Mg year-1 in Nasushiobara, available amounts of timber and forest biomass resources were only49,429 m3 and 33,333 Mg, which were 13.0% and 15.7% of supply potentials for landing sales with mechanized operation systems.

Spatial Variation Characteristics of Soil Available Plumbum (Pb) in Vegetable Bases in Urumqi City

[Objective] The paper was to study the spatial variation characteristics of soil available plumbum （Pb） in vegetable bases of Urumqi City. [Method] With the vegetable base in northern suburb of Urumqi city as a typical area, the structure feature of soil available Pb content in suburb of oasis city in the arid area was ana- lyzed to get the spatial distribution pattern of available Pb, the origin and pollution source of this distribution pattern were also revealed. [Result] The available Pb in vegetable base of northern suburb in Urumqi City belonged to moderate variation. Semivariance model fitting showed that available Pb content could be fit with expo- nential function, which had spatial correlation within a certain range. The spatial dis- tribution pattern of available Pb content was obtained by using optimal Kriging inter- polation, and indicated that soil available Pb content was closely related to industrial activities, sewage irrigation and atmospheric dust. [Conclusion] The study provided the scientific basis for recognition, pollution risk assessment and pollution control of Pb pollution sources in the region, which have great significance on creating safe and clean production environment and selecting reasonable vegetable planting districts.

New perspectives on the therapeutic potential of quercetin in non-communicable diseases:Targeting Nrf2 to counteract oxidative stress and inflammation

Non-communicable diseases(NCDs),including cardiovascular diseases,cancer,metabolic diseases,and skeletal diseases,pose significant challenges to public health worldwide.The complex pathogenesis of these diseases is closely linked to oxidative stress and inflammatory damage.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),a critical transcription factor,plays an important role in regulating antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses to protect the cells from oxidative damage and inflammation-mediated injury.Therefore,Nrf2-targeting therapies hold promise for preventing and treating NCDs.Quercetin(Que)is a widely available flavonoid that has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.It modulates the Nrf2 signaling pathway to ameliorate oxidative stress and inflammation.Que modulates mitochondrial function,apoptosis,autophagy,and cell damage biomarkers to regulate oxidative stress and inflammation,highlighting its efficacy as a therapeutic agent against NCDs.Here,we discussed,for the first time,the close association between NCD pathogenesis and the Nrf2 signaling pathway,involved in neurodegenerative diseases(NDDs),cardiovascular disease,cancers,organ damage,and bone damage.Furthermore,we reviewed the availability,pharmacokinetics,pharmaceutics,and therapeutic applications of Que in treating NCDs.In addition,we focused on the challenges and prospects for its clinical use.Que represents a promising candidate for the treatment of NCDs due to its Nrf2-targeting properties.

Examining the Quality Metrics of a Communication Network with Distributed Software-Defined Networking Architecture

Software-Defined Networking(SDN),with segregated data and control planes,provides faster data routing,stability,and enhanced quality metrics,such as throughput(Th),maximum available bandwidth(Bd(max)),data transfer(DTransfer),and reduction in end-to-end delay(D(E-E)).This paper explores the critical work of deploying SDN in large-scale Data Center Networks(DCNs)to enhance its Quality of Service(QoS)parameters,using logically distributed control configurations.There is a noticeable increase in Delay(E-E)when adopting SDN with a unified(single)control structure in big DCNs to handle Hypertext Transfer Protocol(HTTP)requests causing a reduction in network quality parameters(Bd(max),Th,DTransfer,D(E-E),etc.).This article examines the network performance in terms of quality matrices(bandwidth,throughput,data transfer,etc.),by establishing a large-scale SDN-based virtual network in the Mininet environment.The SDN network is simulated in three stages:(1)An SDN network with unitary controller-POX to manage the data traffic flow of the network without the server load management algorithm.(2)An SDN network with only one controller to manage the data traffic flow of the network with a server load management algorithm.(3)Deployment of SDN in proposed control arrangement(logically distributed controlled framework)with multiple controllers managing data traffic flow under the proposed Intelligent Sensing Server Load Management(ISSLM)algorithm.As a result of this approach,the network quality parameters in large-scale networks are enhanced.

Combining field data and modeling to better understand maize growth response to phosphorus(P) fertilizer application and soil P dynamics in calcareous soils

We used field experimental data to evaluate the ability of the agricultural production system model (APSIM) to simulate soil P availability,maize biomass and grain yield in response to P fertilizer applications on a fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain.Crop and soil data from a 2-year experiment with three P fertilizer application rates(0,75 and 300 kg P_(2)O_(5) ha^(–1)) were used to calibrate the model.Sensitivity analysis was carried out to investigate the influence of APSIM SoilP parameters on the simulated P availability in soil and maize growth.Crop and soil P parameters were then derived by matching or relating the simulation results to observed crop biomass,yield,P uptake and Olsen-P in soil.The re-parameterized model was further validated against 2 years of independent data at the same sites.The re-parameterized model enabled good simulation of the maize leaf area index (LAI),biomass,grain yield,P uptake,and grain P content in response to different levels of P additions against both the calibration and validation datasets.Our results showed that APSIM needs to be re-parameterized for simulation of maize LAI dynamics through modification of leaf size curve and a reduction in the rate of leaf senescence for modern staygreen maize cultivars in China.The P concentration limits (maximum and minimum P concentrations in organs)at different stages also need to be adjusted.Our results further showed a curvilinear relationship between the measured Olsen-P concentration and simulated labile P content,which could facilitate the initialization of APSIM P pools in the NCP with Olsen-P measurements in future studies.It remains difficult to parameterize the APSIM SoilP module due to the conceptual nature of the pools and simplified conceptualization of key P transformation processes.A fundamental understanding still needs to be developed for modelling and predicting the fate of applied P fertilizers in soils with contrasting physical and chemical characteristics.

Herbivore and native plant diversity synergistically resist alien plant invasion regardless of nutrient conditions

Alien plant invasion success can be inhibited by two key biotic factors:native herbivores and plant diversity.However,few studies have experimentally tested whether these factors interact to synergistically resist invasion success,especially factoring in changing global environments(e.g.nutrient enrichment).Here we tested how the synergy between native herbivores and plant diversity affects alien plant invasion success in various nutrient conditions.For this purpose,we exposed alien plant species in potmesocosms to different levels of native plant diversity(4 vs.8 species),native generalist herbivores,and high and low soil nutrient levels.We found that generalist herbivores preferred alien plants to native plants,inhibiting invasion success in a native community.This inhibition was amplified by highly diverse native communities.Further,the amplified effect between herbivory and native plant diversity was independent of nutrient conditions.Our results suggest that a higher diversity of native communities can strengthen the resistance of native generalist herbivores to alien plant invasions by enhancing herbivory tolerance.The synergistic effect remains in force in nutrient-enriched habitats that are always invaded by alien plant species.Our results shed light on the effective control of plant invasions using multi-trophic means,even in the face of future global changes.

Improving Network Availability through Optimized Multipath Routing and Incremental Deployment Strategies

Currently,distributed routing protocols are constrained by offering a single path between any pair of nodes,thereby limiting the potential throughput and overall network performance.This approach not only restricts the flow of data but also makes the network susceptible to failures in case the primary path is disrupted.In contrast,routing protocols that leverage multiple paths within the network offer a more resilient and efficient solution.Multipath routing,as a fundamental concept,surpasses the limitations of traditional shortest path first protocols.It not only redirects traffic to unused resources,effectively mitigating network congestion,but also ensures load balancing across the network.This optimization significantly improves network utilization and boosts the overall performance,making it a widely recognized efficient method for enhancing network reliability.To further strengthen network resilience against failures,we introduce a routing scheme known as Multiple Nodes with at least Two Choices(MNTC).This innovative approach aims to significantly enhance network availability by providing each node with at least two routing choices.By doing so,it not only reduces the dependency on a single path but also creates redundant paths that can be utilized in case of failures,thereby enhancing the overall resilience of the network.To ensure the optimal placement of nodes,we propose three incremental deployment algorithms.These algorithms carefully select the most suitable set of nodes for deployment,taking into account various factors such as node connectivity,traffic patterns,and network topology.By deployingMNTCon a carefully chosen set of nodes,we can significantly enhance network reliability without the need for a complete overhaul of the existing infrastructure.We have conducted extensive evaluations of MNTC in diverse topological spaces,demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining high network availability with minimal path stretch.The results are impressive,showing that even when implemented on just 60%of nodes,our incremental deployment method significantly boosts network availability.This underscores the potential of MNTC in enhancing network resilience and performance,making it a viable solution for modern networks facing increasing demands and complexities.The algorithms OSPF,TBFH,DC and LFC perform fast rerouting based on strict conditions,while MNTC is not restricted by these conditions.In five real network topologies,the average network availability ofMNTCis improved by 14.68%,6.28%,4.76%and 2.84%,respectively,compared with OSPF,TBFH,DC and LFC.

Effects of Growing of Different Types of Crops on Constitution of Soil Available Nitrogen and Conversion and Utilization of Nitrogen Fertilizer

The soybean, cotton, maize and sorghum were planted in pot under low nitrogen, high nitrogen treatments, the soil available nitrogen constitution and con- version and utilization of nitrogen fertilizer were determined, so as to provide techni- cal guidance for reasonable use and improving use efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer for different types of crops. Compared with the control with nitrogen but unplanted crop, growing soybean, cotton, maize, sorghum significantly decreased the soil available N contents by 53. 48%, 51.54%, 33.10%, 55.03%,and influenced the constitution of soil available N. Thereinto, growing soybean, cotton, maize and sorghum significantly decreased soil inorganic N contents by 85.41%, 83.09%, 70.89% and 83.35%,but increased soil hydrolysable organic N contents by 1.41, 1.53, 2.11 and 1.28 times, respectively; growing soybean, cotton, maize and sorghum significantly decreased the rate of soil inorganic N to available N by 68.61%, 65.09%, 56.47% and 63.00%, but increased the rate of soil hydrolysable organic N to available N by 4.18, 4.21, 3.66 and 4.08 times, respectively. Compared with the control, growing soybean, cotton, maize and sorghum significantly increased the transform rate of ammonium nitrogen fertilizer by 93.66%, 38.19%, 32.58% and 38.31% respectively, and growing soybean treatment had the highest increasing range; the nitrification rates of ammo- nium nitrogen fertilizer of growing soybean, cotton, maize and sorghum treatments were negative values, and growing soybean treatment had the highest decreasing amplitude. The ammonium nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of growing soybean, cot- ton, maize and sorghum treatments were 52.01%, 28.31%, 24.16% and 28.40% re- spectively and growing soybean treatment had the highest value. In conclusion, growing crops suppressed the soil nitrification and accelerated the development of soil hydrolysable organic nitrogen by the utilization of soil available nitrogen and the alteration of soil environment, and hence impacted the constitution of soil available nitrogen and the transform and use of ammonium nitrogen applied in soil. Legumi- nous crops had stronger ability of suppressing nitrification, making use of ammonium compared with non-Leguminous crops.

Belowground Bud Bank Is Insensitive to Short-Term Nutrient Addition in the Meadow Steppe of Inner Mongolia

Human activities and industrialization have significantly increased soil nutrients,such as nitrogen(N)and phos-phorus(P),profoundly impacting the composition and structure of plant community,as well as the ecosystem functions,especially in nutrient-limited ecosystems.However,as the key propagule pool of perennial grasslands,how belowground bud bank and its relationship with aboveground vegetation respond to short-term changes in soil nutrients was still unclear.In this study,we conducted a short-term(2021–2022)soil fertilization experiment with N addition(10 g N m^(-2) yr^(-1))and P addition(5 g N m^(-2) yr^(-1))in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia,China,to explore the responses of belowground bud bank,aboveground shoot population and their relationships(represented by the ratio of bud to shoot density-meristem limitation index(MLI))for the whole community and three plant functional groups(perennial rhizomatous grasses-PR,perennial bunchgrasses-PB,and perennial forbs-PF)to nutrient addition.The short-term nutrient addition had no significant influences on belowground bud density,aboveground shoot density,and MLI of the whole plant community.Plant functional groups showed different responses to soil fertilization.Specifically,N addition significantly increased the bud density and shoot density of PR,especially in combination with P addition.N addition reduced the shoot density of PF but had no influence on its bud density and MLI.Nutrient addition had significant effects on the three indicators of PB.Our study indicates that the belowground bud bank and its relationship with aboveground vegetation in temperate meadow steppe are insensitive to short-term soil fertilization,but plant functional groups exhibit specific responses in terms of population regeneration,which implies that plant community composition and ecosystem functions will be changed under the ongoing global change.

Effects of Biochar and Soil Organic Matter Levels on Physicochemical Properties of Mollisol and Soybean's Biomass

Long term tillage in mollisol of Northeast China has led to an inhomogeneous distribution of soil organic matter content.Biochar,a carbon material,changes the soil carbon pool and physical-chemical characteristics after adding to the soil.However,the mechanism remains unclear for the relation between the soil organic matter level and biochar amount.So,the soil physical and chemical properties and soybean growth in a two-year pot experiment were detected at three levels of soil organic matter and three biochar additions(0,1%and 10%).The difference was found in two biochar application rates.The 1%biochar addition had no positive effect on the soil chemical properties based the two-year experiment.However,10%biochar application significantly increased the soil water content(8.0%-39.7%),the total porosity(9.7%-21.3%),pH(0.26-0.84 unit),organic matter content(89.0%-261.2%),and the available potassium content(29.0%-109.1%).The biomass of soybean increased by 19.4%-78.1%after biochar addition,yet,the soil bulk density reduced at the range of 12.6%-26.0%by 10%biochar addition.Only the 100-grain weight was correlated to the interaction of biochar and the native soil organic matter.All the indicators showed that the interaction between biochar and soil organic matter level was weak in mollisol.The effects of biochar on the physical-chemical properties relied on its amount.When biochar is applied to the soil,the amount of biochar should be considered rather than the native soil organic matter level.

Influence of Phosphorus Fertilizer Application on Available Phosphorus and Easy-loss Phosphorus Content in Red Soil

[Objective] This study was to investigate the influence of phosphorus （P） fertilizer application on available P and easy-loss P content in red soil under aerobic incubating condition, with the aim to provide theoretical basis for the management of elemental P and evaluation of elemental P loss potential. [Method] Totally six treat- ments were set to the soil samples. The Olsen-P, Bray-1 P and CaCl2-P contents of each soil sample were measured after indoor aerobic incubation. [Result] In the red soil of different P fertilizer application rates, the Olsen-P content decreased with the increasing of incubation time, while the content of Bray-1 P increased and CaCI2-P content was first increased then decreased. CaCl2-P content was linear correlated with Olsen-P content and Bray-1 P content. About 62% P fertilizers were transformed into Bray-1 P pool, and 14% into Olsen-P pool, but only 0.12% transformed into CaCl2-P pool. [Conclusion] There is little risk of P loss caused by P fertilizer application under aerobic condition, but it would increase with the increasing application dose, and the most serious time is the primeval period after P fertilizer application.

Reliability-BasedModel for Incomplete Preventive ReplacementMaintenance of Photovoltaic Power Systems

At present,the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic power generation systems mainly comprise regular maintenance,breakdown maintenance,and condition-based maintenance,which is very likely to lead to over-or under-repair of equipment.Therefore,a preventive maintenance and replacement strategy for PV power generation systems based on reliability as a constraint is proposed.First,a hybrid failure function with a decreasing service age factor and an increasing failure rate factor is introduced to describe the deterioration of PV power generation equipment,and the equipment is replaced when its reliability drops to the replacement threshold in the last cycle.Then,based on the reliability as a constraint,the average maintenance cost and availability of the equipment are considered,and the non-periodic incomplete maintenance model of the PV power generation system is established to obtain the optimal number of repairs,each maintenance cycle and the replacement cycle of the PV power generation system components.Next,the inverter of a PV power plant is used as a research object.The model in this paper is compared and analyzed with the equal cycle maintenance model without considering reliability and the maintenance model without considering the equipment replacement threshold,Through model comparison,when the optimal maintenance strategy is(0.80,4),the average maintenance cost of this paper’s model are decreased by 20.3%and 5.54%and the availability is increased by 0.2395% and 0.0337%,respectively,compared with the equal-cycle maintenance model without considering the reliability constraint and the maintenance model without considering the equipment replacement threshold.Therefore,this maintenance model can ensure the high reliability of PV plant operation while increasing the equipment availability to improve the system economy.

Toilet Availability and Use in Public Places in Buea: Implications for Public Health

Toilet facilities in public places are a necessity and are supposed to be present in any public place where people visit. Despite the importance of toilet facilities in public places, there is limited access to toilet facilities in public places in Sub-Saharan Africa and this has been a persistent issue. Given that limited studies have been done on availability and use of toilets in public places, this study aimed to fill this research gap. To achieve the objective of the study, a cross-sectional study was used to select participants from the study site. The sample size was 400 after adjustment for non-response. Results from the study showed promising as 95% of public places had a toilet and water for hand washing. However, most of the toilet facilities lacked soap. Toilets in offices and hospitals were perceived to be cleaner and of good quality compared to those in markets and travel agencies. Results also showed that participants hardly used toilets in markets and travel agencies. Toilet facilities in offices and churches were most used, as office toilets were rated clean and of good quality by the participants. The study recommends the need for routine checks by the council to ensure the presence of toilet facilities in public places and the need to sensitise business owners on the importance of having and maintaining toilet facilities in their business establishments.