Changing trends and influencing factors of the quality of life of chemotherapy patients with breast cancer

Objective： To understand the changing trajectory of quality of life（QOL） during the treatment courses of breast cancer patients during chemotherapy and to investigate the factors in each treatment course that affect QOL.Methods： The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale（HADS）, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast（FACT-B） scale were used to perform a survey on 174 breast cancer patients who received the TAC（docetaxel, Adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide） chemotherapy regimen before postoperative chemotherapy and 5-7 days after each chemotherapy course.Results： The QOL scores of the breast cancer patients were the lowest before the postoperative chemotherapy（81.2 ± 19.6） and the highest after the second chemotherapy course（94.5 ± 14.4）. After the fourth and fifth chemotherapy courses, the scores were much lower again, with values of 82.7 ± 13.9and 82.6 ± 13.1, respectively. The scores improved again after the sixth chemotherapy course（93.9 ± 18.7）. Furthermore, each treatment course had different related symptoms that affected the QOL of the patients.Conclusions： More attention should be paid to the changing trajectory of QOL of patients in all treatment courses and to the influence of treatment-related symptoms on the QOL of patients; moreover, interventions should be adopted by medical care personnel to increase QOL in cancer patients.

Changes in Climate Factors and Extreme Climate Events in South China during 1961-2010

Daily climate data at 110 stations during 1961-2010 were selected to examine the changing characteristics of climate factors and extreme climate events in South China. The annual mean surface air temperature has increased significantly by 0.16℃ per decade, most notably in the Pearl River Delta and in winter. The increase rate of the annual extreme minimum temperature (0.48℃ per decade) is over twice that of the annual extreme maximum temperature (0.20℃ per decade), and the increase of the mean temperature is mainly the result of the increase of the extreme minimum temperature. The increase rate of high-temperature days (1.1 d per decade) is close to the decrease rate of low-temperature days (-1.3 d per decade). The rainfall has not shown any significant trend, but the number of rainy days has decreased and the rain intensity has increased. The regional mean sunshine duration has a significant decreasing trend of -40.9 h per decade, and the number of hazy days has a significant increasing trend of 6.3 d per decade. The decrease of sunshine duration is mainly caused by the increase of total cloud, not by the increase of hazy days in South China. Both the regional mean pan evaporation and mean wind speed have significant decreasing trends of -65.9 mm per decade and -0.11 m s-1 per decade, respectively. The decrease of both sunshine duration and mean wind speed plays an important role in the decrease of pan evaporation. The number of landing tropical cyclones has an insignificant decreasing trend of -0.6 per decade, but their intensities show a weak increasing trend. The formation location of tropical cyclones landing in South China has converged towards 10-19°N, and the landing position has shown a northward trend. The date of the first landfall tropical cyclone postpones 1.8 d per decade, and the date of the last landfall advances 3.6 d per decade, resulting in reduction of the typhoon season by 5.4 d per decade.

Assessing the vulnerability of changing coasts,Hainan Island,China

Knowledge of coastline changes and vulnerability is of great importance to local government departments that are responsible for the management and development of coastal zones.To study the nature of change and vulnerability along the coasts of the Hainan Island,we collected a large number of sediment samples through the last few years,and reconstructed the changes of the coastline by combining the data of sediment grain-size analysis and the nautical charts/TM RS imaginary.Contrary to being almost free from erosion（as expected from the findings that the coastlines are in a relatively stable state）,four major cities in Hainan（i.e.,Haikou,Wenchang,Sanya and Changjiang） turned out to be suffered from a moderate coastal vulnerability primarily because of the large populations that impose considerable pressure on the coastlines.Thus,the assessment methodology utilized in this study,including both anthropogenic and natural factors,serves as a useful tool to obtain a comprehensive understanding of coastline vulnerability for local government,in terms of coastal management and adaptation.

Temporal Variations in Sea of Clouds and Their Relation with Meteorological Factors in Yandang Mountains

Based on data of meteorological elements in the meteorological station in North Yandang Mountains during 1960- 2013,temporal variations in days of sea of clouds over Yandang Mountains in nearly 50 years and their relation with air temperature,precipitation,relative humidity and wind speed were analyzed. The results showed that annual average days of sea of clouds over Yandang Mountains were 164. 92 d,and the maximum and minimum were 215 and 58 d,so there was a big difference between various years. The days of sea of clouds were the most in spring,and average days of sea of clouds（ average days of sea of clouds with low cloud cover ≥80%） were 50. 89 d（ 32. 77 d）,while they were the least in autumn. There was an obvious positive correlation between the days of sea of clouds and relative humidity. Precipitation occurred the day before or on the day when sea of clouds with low cloud cover ≥80% formed. On the day when sea of clouds with low cloud cover ≥80% appeared,average relative humidity was ≥80%,and average wind speed was ≤4. 5 m/s.

Trends and Factors Associated with Changes in Early Initiation of Breastfeeding: Analysis of the Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys 2004-2016

Background: Despite WHO recommendations on the benefits of early initiation of breastfeeding for both the mother and child, only 53.5% of newborns in Tanzania are breastfed within the first hour of life. The trend for early initiation of breastfeeding shows little progress and Tanzania is still far behind reaching the global recommended rate of 70% of early initiation of breastfeeding. This study aims to determine trends and factors associated with changes in the early initiation of breastfeeding in Tanzania from 2004-2016. Methodology: This was an analytical cross-sectional study utilizing secondary data from the Tanzania Demographic and Health Surveys (TDHS) for the years 2004-2005, 2010, and 2015-2016. Data analysis was performed using Stata 15. Frequencies and proportions were used to summarize categorical variables. A Modified Poisson regression model was used to determine factors associated with the early initiation of breastfeeding. Multivariable Poisson decomposition analysis was used to assess factors associated with changes in the early initiation of breastfeeding across surveys. Results: Trends in early initiation of breastfeeding decreased from 59.53% in 2004/2005 to 46.72% in 2010, and then increased to 51.94% in 2015/2016. Only 5.9% of the overall change in early initiation of breastfeeding was contributed by the difference in characteristics such as mode of delivery and working status. The difference in coefficients contributed to a 94% decrease in early initiation of breastfeeding mostly due to a decrease in early initiation of breastfeeding among caesarean section delivery patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in Tanzania decreased between 2004 and 2016, then increased from 2010-2016. Interventions and health policies need to target factors that had significant effects on the early initiation of breastfeeding such as increasing health facility delivery and promoting the initiation of breastfeeding soon after caesarean section delivery.

A New Method Based on Association Rules Mining and Geo-filter for Mining Spatial Association Knowledge

Association rule mining methods, as a set of important data mining tools, could be used for mining spatial association rules of spatial data. However, applications of these methods are limited for mining results containing large number of redundant rules. In this paper, a new method named Geo-Filtered Association Rules Mining(GFARM) is proposed to effectively eliminate the redundant rules. An application of GFARM is performed as a case study in which association rules are discovered between building land distribution and potential driving factors in Wuhan, China from 1995 to 2015. Ten sets of regular sampling grids with different sizes are used for detecting the influence of multi-scales on GFARM. Results show that the proposed method can filter 50%–70% of redundant rules. GFARM is also successful in discovering spatial association pattern between building land distribution and driving factors.

Effects of changing cognitive factors on the quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia

Objective To explore the effects of cognitive intervention on the quality of life in patients with functional dyspepsia(FD).Methods From May 2013 to February2015,a total of 412 patients with FD were enrolled,cognition of the disease and the quality of life were assessed by disease cognitive simple questionnaire(B-IPQ)and Nepean dyspepsia index(NDI).The patients also re-

Analysis on Change Characteristics of Diurnal Temperature Range in Benxi County from 1958 to 2010

Based on annual mean maximum and minimum temperatures,diurnal temperature range,precipitation,sunshine,total cloud cover and water barometric pressure data in Benxi County from 1958 to 2010,using statistical analysis,the results show that the annual and seasonal diurnal temperature ranges present significant decreasing tendencies,and the reducing tendency is the most remarkable in winter. Autumn reducing tendency is stronger than that in spring,and it is the weakest in summer. Annual and seasonal average temperatures,average maximum and minimum temperatures all present the remarkable rising trends. Rising trend of the minimum temperature is more significant than that of the maximum temperature. The monthly mean diurnal temperature range also presents reducing tendency,and the most reducing scope appear in January and February. Annual and season diurnal temperature range changes are related to sunshine,mean minimum temperature,mean maximum temperature,precipitation,total cloud cover and water barometric pressure,but various essential factors are different in each season. Annual mean temperature,annual mean minimum temperature,annual mean maximum temperature and annual diurnal temperature range all have sudden changes,but the age is inconsistent.

Changes of norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor in submandibular gland of rats with sympathetic nerve injury and the protective effect of 17 beta-estradiol

BACKGROUND： Recent researches have indicated that estrogen has extensive neuroprotective effects. So some studies designed ovariectomized animal models and administrated with estrogen, so as to verify its neuroprotective effects. OBJECTIVE： To observe the effect of 17 beta-estradiol on the content of norepinephrine （NE） and level of tumor necrosis factor （TNF） in submandibular glands of rats with sympathetic nerve injury, and analyze the dose-dependence and pathway of action. DESIGN： A randomized control animal study SETTINGS： Department of Hand Surgery, the 252 Hospital of Chinese PLA; Department of Hand Surgery Union Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. MATERIALS： Fifty healthy female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 10 rats in each group： sham-operated group, ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group, ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋17β-estradiol 50, 200 and 500 μg/kg groups. METHODS： The experiments were carried out in Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between October 2005 and March 2006. Bilateral ovaries were only exposed but not resected for the rats in the sham-operated group, but bilateral ovaries were resected in all the other groups. In the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋176-estradiol 50, 200 and 500 μg/kg groups, the rats were administrated with intraperitoneal injection of 6-OHDA （8 mg/kg）, and then immediately given 176-estradiol of corresponding dosages respectively, once a day for 10 days continuously. Rats in the sham-operated group and ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group were administrated with saline of the same volume. After administration, 5 rats in each group were killed to determine the NE contents in bilateral submandibular glands with high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector （HPLC-ECD）, and the other 5 rats were used to determine the TNF levels in submandibular glands with enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The NE contents and TNF levels in submandibular glands of rats in each group were observed. RESULTS： All the 50 rats were involved in the analysis of results. （1） The NE content was obviously lower in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group than in the sham-operated group [（1 035±196）, （1 823±314） ng/g, P 〈 0.05], there were no significant differences between the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋17β-estradiol 50 μg/kg group and ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group [（1 004±253）, （1 035±196） ng/g, P 〉 0.05], but obviously higher in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋17β-estradiol 200 and 500 μg/kg groups than in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group [（1 487±268）, （1 939±274）, （1 035±196） ng/g, P 〈 0.05]. （2） The TNF level was obviously higher in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group than in the sham-operated group [（3.498±0.792）, （1.893±0.533） ng/g, P 〈 0.05], there were no significant differences between the ovariectomy＋ 6-OHDA＋17β-estradiol 50 μg/kg group and ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group [（3.328 ±0.712）, （3.498±0,792） ng/g, P 〉 0.05], but obviously lower in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋17β-estradiol 200 and 500 μg/kg groups than in the ovariectomy＋6-OHDA＋saline group [（2.639±0.438）, （2.016±0.619）, （3.498＋0.792） ng/g, P 〈 0.05]. CONCLUSION： Estrogen has obvious protective effect dose-dependently on 6-OHDA induced chemical sympathetic nerve terminal injury in rats, and it may play its protective role by reducing TNF level and ameliorating inflammatory reaction.

Analysis of Dynamic Variations of Crustal Density in the Longmenshan Area before the Wenchuan M_S8.0 Earthquake

Based on the repeated gravity observation data from 1996 to 2007 from the Longmenshan gravity network, which has been dealt with by adjustment processing, the benchmark interference removal and impact of elevation changes removal, and by using the 3-D inversion method to reflect underground density, we analyze the characteristics of Longmenshan regional dynamic crustal density at depths of 25km, 20km and 15kin. The results show that in the Wenchuan earthquake preparation process, the regional density field showed marked characteristics both in time and space distribution. From the point of time process, the density change trend in the ten years before the earthquake presents a periodic change pattern： steady phase, dramatic stage, slow reducing phase and slow increase phase. The degree of density changes is from large to small, which means that earthquake gestation has reached the final stage. From the point of space distribution, density change distribution has a tendency of ＂dispersion--relative concentration＂, this shows that before the earthquake, the entropy of the underground density field was decreased. In addition, dramatic density changes often occur in the Longmenshan fault zone and western Sichuan plateau. Also, with the increase of depth, the trend of density change is more and more obvious. Through comparative analysis, the influence of density change on gravity is much bigger than that from height change.

Assessment of land use change and its effect on soil carbon stock using multitemporal satellite data in semiarid region of Rajasthan, India

Background:Land use change plays a vital role in global carbon dynamics.Understanding land use change impact on soil carbon stock is crucial for implementing land use management to increase carbon stock and reducing carbon emission.Therefore,the objective of our study was to determine land use change and to assess its effect on soil carbon stock in semi-arid part of Rajasthan,India.Landsat temporal satellite data of Pushkar valley region of Rajasthan acquired on 1993,2003,and 2014 were analyzed to assess land use change.Internal trading of land use was depicted throughmatrices.Soil organic carbon(SOC)stock was calculated for soil to a depth of 30 cm in each land use type in 2014 using field data collection.The SOC stock for previous years was estimated using stock change factor.The effect of land use change on SOC stock was determined by calculating change in SOC stock(t/ha)by deducting the base-year SOC stock from the final year stock of a particular land use conversion.Results:The total area under agricultural lands was increased by 32.14%while that under forest was decreased by 23.14%during the time period of 1993–2014.Overall land use change shows that in both the periods(1993–2003 and 2003–2014),7%of forest area was converted to agricultural land and about 15%changes occurred among agricultural land.In 1993–2003,changes among agricultural land led to maximum loss of soil carbon,i.e.,4.88 Mt C and during 2003–2014,conversion of forest to agricultural land led to loss in 3.16 Mt C.Conclusion:There was a continuous decrease in forest area and increase in cultivated area in each time period.Land use change led to alteration in carbon equity in soil due to change or loss in vegetation.Overall,we can conclude that the internal trading of land use area during the 10-year period(1993–2003)led to net loss of SOC stock by 8.29 Mt C.Similarly,land use change during 11-year period(2003–2014)caused net loss of SOC by 2.76 Mt C.Efforts should be made to implement proper land use management practices to enhance the SOC content.

ENDOTOXIN-INDUCED LIVER INJURY AND CHANGES IN THE LEVELS OF PLASMA TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-α AND INTERLEUKIN-6 IN RABBITS

ELISA was employed to detect changes in plasma TNF-α and IL-6 level in rabbits having endotoxin-induced generalized Shwartzman reaction. Liver injury was assessed by the increase of serum ALT and hepatic histopathologic changes. The results showed that plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels increased remarkably 12h after intravenous injection of endotoxin twice at a 24h interval, and these changes corresponded with the degree of liver injury. Coinjection of dexamethasone and endotoxin partly prevented the elevation of TNF-α and IL-6 levels and reduced liver injury. These results indicated that TNF-α and IL-6 were involved in endotoxin-induced liver injury.

Study of ZrO_2 nanopowders based stearic acid phase change materials

ZrO2 nanopowders based stearic acid phase change materials （PCMS） were prepareo oy mgn-energy milling. The concept of heat capacity factor （HCF） was used to analyze the thermal properties of the materials. The heat storage property of PCMs, containing the same content of stearic acid （23~ by mass） in the starting materials but synthesized by different technical processes, was investigated by using HCE It was found that there were vast influences of different dispersants on the heat capacity. The samples orelaared with chloroform provided the best heat storage ability in all samples tested.

Evaluation of a multi-site weather generator in simulating precipitation in the Qiantang River Basin, East China

Recent years have seen a surge in assessment of potential impacts of climate change. As one of the most important tools for generating synthetic hydrological model inputs, weather generators have played an important role in climate change impact analysis of water management. However, most weather generators like statistical downscaling model （SDSM） and long Ashton research station weather generator （LARS-WG） are designed for single site data generation. Considering the significance of spatial correlations of hydro-meteorological data, multi-site weather data generation becomes a necessity. In this study we aim to evaluate the performance of a new multi-site stochastic model, geo-spatial temporal weather generator （GIST）, in simulating precipitation in the Qiantang River Basin, East China. The correlation matrix, precipitation amount and occurrence of observed and GiST-generated data are first compared for the evaluation process. Then we use the GiST model combined with the change factor method （CFM） to investigate future changes of precipitation （2071 2100） in the study area using one global climate model, Hadgem2 ES, and an extreme emission scenario RCP 8.5, The final results show that the simulated precipitation amount and occurrence by GiST matched their historical counterparts reasonably. The correlation coefficients between simulated and his- torical precipitations show good consistence as well. Compared with the baseline period （1961 1990）, precipitation in the future time period （2071-2100） at high elevation stations will probably increase while at other stations decreases will occur. This study implies potential application of the GiST stochastic model in investigating the impact of climate change on hydrology and water resources.