Distribution of heavy-metals in the Grand Canal(Hangzhou section)and its contributing factors

The Grand Canal (Hangzhou section), People's Republic of China, has been highly contaminated by heavy metals from both industrial and municipal sources since 1950s. This study investigated the distribution of heavy metals including As, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The results showed that these metals are largely accumulated in the top 0 3 meter layer of the river sediment.Despite the contamination, heavy metal concentrations in solution are increased in some locations only. The only exception is Zn whose concentrations are extremely high both in solution and in the top layer sediment. The top layer sediment appears to have reached almost its sorption capacity with respect to aqueous Zn. The extent of contamination is in the sequence of Zn>Cu>Pb>As>Cd. It is speculated that Cu distribution has been significantly affected by its binding to organic matter in the top layer sediment. Based on Pb distribution in both water and sediment, it is suggested that Pb transport in the canal is associated with colloids or particles suspended in water. The study showed that the top layer sediment in the Grand Canal serves as a sink to anthropogenic contaminants consisting of heavy metals as well as organic compounds.

Factors contributing to clinical picture and progression of Huntington's disease

Huntington’s disease（HD）is an autosomal dominant,monogenic,progressive,neurodegenerative and rare disease with a frequency of10 per 100,000 in the Caucasian population and occurring more rarely in other races（Squitieri et al.,1994）.HD is,nevertheless,one of the most frequently and extensively studied diseases of those caused by a dynamic mutation.The HD mutation is located on the short arm of the 4th chromosome within the HTT gene.

Maternal Mortality in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of Regional Hospital Center of Ouahigouya: Epidemiological, Etiological Aspects and Contributing Factors—About 151 Cases Collected in Three Years from 1st January 2013 to 31 December 2015

The objective of our study was to study the epidemiological, etiological and contributory factors of maternal deaths in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the regional hospital center (RHC) of Ouahigouya from 2013 to 2015. We carried out a descriptive and analytical study on maternal deaths in maternity of the RHC of Ouahigouya, including all patients who died in the obstetrics and gynecology department of the RHC of Ouahigouya from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015, which meets WHO’s definition of maternal death. We recorded 151 maternal deaths and 5481 live births, a maternal mortality ratio of 2755 per 100,000 live births. The most affected women were women aged 20 - 24 years (27.8%), multiparous (25.5%), married women (88.7%) and those without income-generating activities (85.4%). The main causes of death from direct obstetrical complications were hemorrhage (38.3%), infections (21.5%), abortions (16.8%) and complications of hypertension disorders (15.8%) and for indirect obstetrical complications, malaria (36.6%), anemia (29.5%), and HIV/AIDS (9.1%). Contributing factors to maternal deaths prior to admission were delay in referral (33.3%) and delay in transfer (31.5%) and delay in admission (32.8%) and delay in diagnosis (23.4). From our study, it appears elsewhere as well as that most maternal deaths are preventable, hence the need for coordinated actions to effectively fight against maternal mortality.

The audit expectation gap： A review of the contributing factors

The audit expectation gap is critical to the auditing profession because the greater the unfulfilled expectations from the public, the lower is the credibility, earning potential and prestige associated with the work of auditors. The aim of this paper is to uncover the causes of an audit expectation gap. It is revealed that the existence of an audit expectation gap is due to complicated nature of an audit function; conflicting role of auditors; retrospective evaluation of auditors＇ performance; time lag in responding to changing expectation; and self-regulation process of the auditing profession.

Understanding the Contributing Factors to Nighttime Crashes at Freeway Mainline Segments

This study investigated the crash contributing factors to the injury outcomes and the characteristics of the night time crashes at freeway mainline segments. Multinomial logit model (MNL) was selected to estimate the explanatory variables at a 95% confidence level. The six-year crash data (2005-2010) were obtained in the State of Florida, USA and five injury level outcomes, no injury, possible injury, non-incapacitating injury, capacitating injury, and fatal injury, were considered. The no injury level was selected as the baseline category.

Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Orthostatic Hypotension in the Cardiology Department of the CHU Ignace Deen in Conakry

Introduction: Orthostatic Hypotension (OH) is a frequent situation during consultation in hypertensive patients. The prevalence in the general population increases with age and it is recommended to systematically search for it in patients with multiple comorbidities. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension;describe their socio- demographic profile, the various clinical and paraclinical aspects and the predisposing factors of orthostatic hypotension in treated hypertensives, controlled or not. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, from January 2 to June 30, 2022 in the cardiology department of the Ignace Deen National Hospital. Included in this study were all patients who presented with orthostatic hypotension under antihypertensive treatment, regardless of age and sex, and who agreed to participate in the study. The non-inclusion criteria were hypertensive patients without OH and those who had not agreed to participate in the study. Each patient had blood pressure and heart rate measured in the supine position at room temperature and with an empty bladder. Then the measurement is taken again three (3) minutes after the switch to orthostatism. We retained the diagnosis of OH if the SBP drops by at least 20 mmHg and/or the PAD by at least 10 mmHg three (3) min after the transition to orthostatism. Our data obtained were analyzed in the Epi-info 7.4.0 software. Results: During our study period, we investigated 385 presented with OH, 12.2%. The mean age of the patients was 60.83 years ± 10.01 years and hypertensive patients, 47 of whom the M/F sex ratio was 0.81. In our study, blood pressure was not controlled in 36.2% of our patients with a predominance of grade 3 hypertension, a rate of 55.32%. Renal failure, anemia, heart failure and stroke were the main comorbidities associated with the occurrence of HO. The most incriminated factors were age with a frequency of 74.47%, followed by obesity at 44.68% and diabetes at 27.66%. BP was normally controlled with a rate of 68.8% in treated hypertensive patients with OH. It is found much more in patients using triple therapy, a rate of 61.71%. Conclusion: The prevalence of OH is high in our department. It is found much more in patients using triple therapy. The most incriminated factors were age followed by obesity and diabetes.

Vascular dysfunctions and platelet activations by arsenic: two major contributing factors to cardiovascular disease

Arsenic in drinking water is a worldwide health problem that is associated with cardiovascular disease, but the cause is currently unknown. In order to examine whether arsenic affects vasomotor tone in blood vessels, we investigated the effect of arsenic on agonist-induced vasorelaxation and vasoconstriction using the isolated rat aortic rings in in vitro organ bath system. Treatment with inorganic arsenite (AsⅢ) inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation of aortic rings by inhibiting production of nitric oxide in endothelium.

Magnitude and Factors Contributing to Erectile Dysfunction among Diabetic Men Attending the Diabetic Clinic at Debre Tabor Comprehensive and Specialized, Hospital in North West, Ethiopia 2020, Institutional Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Erectile dysfunction, which is defined as difficult to attain and maintain an erectile function enough to permit sufficient sexual performance, is accepted to be a big problem especially among diabetic patients. Objective To assess the Magnitude and factors contributing to Erectile Dysfunction Among Diabetic men attending the diabetic clinic in Debre Tabor Comprehensive and Specialized hospital, North West Ethiopia. Methods: Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted on 362 participants in Debre Tabor Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital from August - December 2020 using systematic random sampling technique. Data were analyzed with SPSS Version 23. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify factors which were contributing to erectile dysfunction. P-value < 0.05 and the corresponding 95% CI of odds ratios were considered to declare the result as statistically significant. Results: Three hundred sixty-two diabetes patients participating in the study with the mean age being 44.4 ± 14.47 (range: 18 - 78) years were interviewed. The majority (59.7% with CI: 54.4:64.6) of the diabetes patients suffered from erectile dysfunction and 13.3% (95% CI 17.8% - 26.8%) were found to have severe erectile dysfunction. Bi-variable analysis showed duration of diabetes (>10 years), type of diabetes (type II), physical exercise, drinking alcohol, BMI, blood glucose, and blood pressure were associated with erectile dysfunction at 5% level (p ≤ 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that duration of diabetes 10 years (AOR = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.78 - 13.85, p = 0.001), co-existing hypertension (AOR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.58 - 8.19, p = 0.002), physically inactive (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.53 - 8.31, p = 0.003), unsafe level alcohol intake (AOR: 3.09;95% CI 1.45 - 6.59*, p = 0.003) and raised blood glucose (AOR: 15.26, 95% CI: 7.82 - 29.77, p = 0.004) were independent risk factors but no association was found with other variables. Conclusion: The magnitude of erectile dysfunction in this study population was 59.7% and associated with the type of diabetes;duration of diabetic, physical exercise, alcohol drinking, increase in blood pressure, and elevated blood glucose level were independently correlated with erectile dysfunction.

A Study of New Consumption from the Perspective of Mediatization:Essence, Contributing Factors, and Reinvention of Rules

Most of the existing literature on the emergence of new consumption and its essence is based on the discussion of micro consumption phenomena. This paper takes new consumption phenomena in the digital media-dominated polymedia environment as the object of study to review the theoretical history of “mediatization,” and explores new consumption’s emergence, essence, and related issues systematically through deductive reasoning. More specifically, this paper is to first interpret the mediatization theory and then analyze two dimensions(i.e., the formation of mediatized consumption and the resultant reinvention of practice rules) from the perspective of media affordances. On this basis, we conclude mediatized consumption’s essence, forms, and practice rules. This study indicates that new consumption is essentially mediatized consumption, which concerns “media-shaped consumption” and “consumption-shaped media,” and that new consumption has two representations;consumption-oriented media and banal consumption. Media affordances make new consumption fields human-oriented, connecting “people” and “things,” and are becoming a major contributor to the formation of mediatized consumption. Thus, the practice rules concerning “people, goods, and fields” in the new consumption sector are reinvented;the social interactions in the “middle region” are highlighted;the imaginative, narrative, and social characteristics of goods are emphasized;and the cross-field integration of consumption is realized.

Factors contributing to myasthenic crisis after thymectomy-a multivariate analysis study

Objective To evaluate the risk factors of myasthenic crisis (MC) after thymectomy for myasthenia gravis (MG) . Methods A retrospective study was conducted in 84 patients with MG from July 1995 to December 2009. The following factors were evaluated: sex,age,history of preoperative myasthenic crisis,Ossermen classification, steroid hormones use and anticholinesterase drugs before operation,operation methods,operation time,thymoma,

Agricultural Development of Nanjing Suburban Counties based on Contribution Models of Production Factors

According to data in Nanjing Statistical Yearbook, contribution made by agricultural production factors was analyzed with contribution models of agricultural factors and the results showed that with restriction of labor force and land, Nanjing suburban counties have entered into a stage of ＂high input-high output＂, considering no matter from agricultural total value of output or from agricultural added value. In future, structure configuration of agricultural input factors should be optimized in Nanjing suburban counties by technology input to improve agricultural technology and technical efficiency in order to further achieve sustainable development of agriculture.

Estimation of Acentric Factor of Organic Compounds with Corresponding States Group Contribution Method

A new estimation method was proposed by combining the corresponding state principle with the group contribution method through introducing the concept of assumed-critical properties. Combining it with the Reidel equation, a new acentric factor correlation equation (CSGC-Reidel) was developed. Contribution values of 70 groups were obtained by correlating acentric factor data of 228 organic compounds of 14 type substances including saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated hydrocarbons, cyclanes, aromatics, oxygen compounds, nitrogen compounds,halohydrocarbons, etc. The average error of acentric factor is 3.52% between the literature data and the predicated with the new estimation method.

Contribution Rate of Agricultural Informationization to Growth of Agricultural Economy in Hubei Province and Its Influencing Factors

Agricultural informationization is the objective demand for transforming the traditional agriculture and promoting the development of agricultural modernization. Using the statistical data of the gross agricultural output value of Hubei Province in 2005-2014,based on the C-D production function,it calculated the average contribution rate(2. 48%) of agricultural informationization to the growth of agricultural economy in Hubei Province,indicating that agricultural informationization can promote growth of agricultural economy. This is basically consistent with previous findings. In addition,investment in agricultural informationization and broadband access rate also influenced the growth of agricultural economy in Hubei Province. Therefore,government should further improve the infrastructure of agricultural informationization,strengthen training of farmers’ information skills,establish auxiliary mechanism for achievement feedback of information-based agricultural production,increase the contribution rate of informationization to agricultural operation and management,promote the contribution of informationization to the growth of agricultural economy,so as to increase agricultural income of farmers.

The Contribution Margin due to a Limiting Factor in the Presence of Several Sales Options: Actuality Is Not Always As It Appears at the Beginning of the Analysis

The analysis of company data useful for economic decisions,if not interpreted in an overall view of the company situation,can lead to wrong conclusions.This is the case when a company has to choose between several sales options for one or more products in the presence of a limiting factor.The continuation of the investigation often denies the initial analysis.Not everything is as it appears,therefore,at the beginning of the deepening of the data useful for economic decisions.As it is well known,the choices of profitability concerning the planning of the sale of company products take place,at least in the majority of cases,through the determination of the contribution margin,i.e.the profitability margin connected to the individual goods/services sold by the companies(selling price net of variable costs).The contribution margin can be determined with four objectives:(1)Determination of the yield of the single product,net of variable costs only.In this case,the margin defines unitary,from net product yield to unitary contribution margin.(2)Determination of the return on total sales of an individual product,net of variable costs.In this hypothesis,reference is made to the first level(or gross)contribution margin.(3)Determination of the ability of the individual product to contribute to the coverage of fixed costs common to the company.This margin is determined net of special product variable and fixed costs.This aggregate is defined as a Level II(or semi-gross)margin.(4)Determination of the useful value in the planning choices in case of presence of scarce productive factors.In this case,it must identify the so-called unitary margin for low factor.Here we will only deal with the problem of the use of the contribution margin in the presence of rare factors.To complete the analysis,below are some very brief considerations regarding,respectively,the unitary,level I,and level II contribution margin in order to better understand where the problem of the most convenient choice of income is located in the event of the presence of rare production factors,especially in an environment characterized by a plurality of sales options.

Factors influencing knowledge contribution:An empirical investigation of social networking website users

Purpose: In the Web 2.0 era,leveraging the collective power of user knowledge contributions has become an important part of the study of collective intelligence. This research aims to investigate the factors which influence knowledge contribution behavior of social networking sites(SNS) users.Design/methodology/approach: The data were obtained from an online survey of 251 social networking sites users. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to validate the proposed model.Findings: Our survey shows that the individuals' motivation for knowledge contribution,their capability of contributing knowledge,interpersonal trust and their own habits positively influence their knowledge contribution behavior,but reward does not significantly influence knowledge contribution in the online virtual community.Research limitations: Respondents of our online survey are mainly undergraduate and graduate students. A limited sample group cannot represent all of the population. A larger survey involving more SNS users may be useful.Practical implications: The results have provided some theoretical basis for promoting knowledge contribution and user viscosity.Originality/value: Few studies have investigated the impact of social influence and user habits on knowledge contribution behavior of SNS users. This study can make a theoretical contribution by examining how the social influence processes and habits affect one's knowledge contribution behavior using online communities.

泰顺县中华穿山甲栖息地适宜性评价

通过构建中华穿山甲在泰顺县的潜在分布预测模型,评估模型的预测精度,识别影响中华穿山甲分布的关键环境因子,预测泰顺县内中华穿山甲的潜在适宜分布区域.采用最大熵模型(MaxEnt)构建中华穿山甲的潜在分布预测模型,利用AUC值评估模型的预测精度以分析环境变量的贡献率和重要性排序,并识别关键影响因子;基于响应曲线分析中华穿山甲的生境偏好,根据MaxEnt模型的预测结果,确定泰顺县内的潜在适宜分布区域.结果表明:训练集AUC值为0.838,模型预测结果达到“好”的标准,可信度较高,坡度、距道路距离和距居民点距离是影响中华穿山甲分布的前三大关键因子,累计贡献率高达84.8%;中华穿山甲最适宜的生境条件为:海拔低于600 m、距离居民点和道路超过100 m、距离水源100~800 m、坡度大于30°、南坡及西南坡方向;泰顺县内中华穿山甲的高中适宜分布区总面积约为459.5 km^(2),占县域面积的28.5%;中华穿山甲偏好相对封闭、远离人类干扰活动的生境,具体为较低海拔、地形平缓、不受人为干扰的常绿阔叶林或针阔混交林.研究为中华穿山甲的保护管理提供了科学依据,如优先保护高中适宜区域、限制人类活动干扰等,未来可进一步开展穿山甲种群动态监测,了解其实际分布状况,并采取针对性的保护措施.

Positive Research on China’s Economic Growth Quality——Analyze the Fluctuating Situation of the Factor Input and Aggregative Productivity

To analyze China’s fluctuating situation of the factor input and aggregative productivity is not only the main method to seek the source of the economic growth but also the main way to weigh the level of economic growth quality.As to economic growth ofa country,the improvementofthe productivity is extremely important.The growth of the output can be realized through two kinds of ways: increasing the quantity of factor input of or improving the efficiency of the input and output.There fore, the level of economic growth quality does not mainly depend on the amount of invested factor,but the importance of improving the productivity since resources are rare. The relative improvement of efficiency in use of the invested factor marks the economic growing quality.So,in order to understand the economic growth quality of China to some extent, it must analyze Chinese factor input and aggregative productivity. This is the main topic that this text will be probed into.

Risk Factor for Malnutrition in Children Aged 6 to 59 Months Hospitalized in a Pediatric Ward in the South of the Sahara

Malnutrition is a major public health problem in Mali, along with the country’s political and security instability. We initiated this work with the objective of determining the frequency as well as the risk factors favoring the occurrence of malnutrition in children aged 6 - 59 months hospitalized in the pediatrics department of the Gabriel Touré University Hospital in Bamako, country reference service to identify potential interventions to plan. A cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of 4 months. A bivariate logistic regression analysis allowed us to identify risk factors with degree of significance if p < 0.05. During the study period, 2888 children were hospitalized, including 348 aged 6 to 59 months, or a frequency of 12.04%. One in two children was malnourished, i.e. a frequency of 50%. It more frequently affected infants aged between 6 and 23 months with a frequency of 33.7%, with a hospital frequency of growth retardation which was 23% including 14.7% of severe form. The emaciation was 27% of which 18.7% were severe form. The underweight was 42.2% with 31% in severe form. We found the diet inequality in all malnourished and non-malnourished children. A bivariate analysis showed that children with an out-of-school mother have a 2.4-fold risk of being malnourished (OR = 2.425;CI = 1.9 - 4.2;p < 0.03). Also children from households with no stable income (non-salaried father) have twice the risk of children from a household with stable income (OR = 2.120;IC = 1.1 - 4.1;p < 0.002). Finally, inappropriate nutrients (early introduction of food and early weaning) have been strongly associated with the occurrence of malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition reflects the way children eat. Emphasis should be placed on nutritional education and financial stability in households.

Selenium-Enriching Contributors to Fujiang Valley in Sichuan Province,China

Selenium is one of essential elements for humans, animals and some kinds of plants.The biological function of selenium shows dual characteristics.The range of selenium content is very narrow between toxic and deficient concentration.Typical Kashin-Beck endemic areas intimately link with selenium deficiency.In one area,selenium levels

Quantitative Assessment of Impacts of Climate and Economic-technical Factors on Grain Yield in Jilin Province from 1980 to 2008

Climate change is one of the most important challenges threatening agricultural grain yield and food security. Determining the factors influencing grain yield in Jilin Province and the weights of their contribution are a very important task, because Jilin Province is an important agriculture base in China. In this study, the accumulation factor sequence evaluating data method was used to analyze the climate and economic-technical factor contribution weights to grain yield and grain yield changes in each city of Jilin Province. Climate yield was also estimated to study the climate effect on the grain yield, and it was calculated in two ways： an improved algorithm and a traditional quadratic method. The results show that the climate and economicechnical factors have different contribution weights to grain yield in different cities in Jilin Province. The contribution weight of the climate factor to grain yield was 0.212-0.349, while that the economic-technical factor was 0.651-0.788. Furthermore, the changes of the climate factor contributing to grain yield changes accounted for 0.296-0.546, and the changes of the economic-technical factor accounted for 0.454-0.704. The weights of climate and economic-technical factor contributing to grain yield are very different between the eastern and western cities in Jilin Province, but their weights contributing to the grain yield change are similar in these cities. In general, the amount of fertilizer used per hectare （FUPH） is the main factor affecting grain yields and yield changes from 1980 to 2008. It is noted that when the FUPH growth rate stabilized after 1995, the effects of the climate factor on the grain yield become more obvious than before. The improved algorithm is effective for esti- mating climate yield in Jilin Province, and the climate yields were mostly between -500 kg/ha and 500 kg/ha, and showed a slightly rising trend in most cities.