Research on the Ecological Wisdom of Traditional Dwellings of the Liangshan Yi Nationality Based on Regional Climate

As a typical building with ethnic and regional characteristics in southwest Chi-na, its construction skills contain rich local ecological wisdom. The detailed analysis of the climatic and geomorphological features of the Liangshan Yi nationality area shows that the thermal mass effect is the first choice for the passive adjustment strategy of residential dwellings. This study focuses on the typical representatives of traditional dwellings in Meigu County, analyzing the wisdom of ecological construction to improve the thermal mass effects of res-idential buildings at the macro (village), moderate (courtyard), and micro (building unit) levels. Based on this analysis, the study summarizes the “genetic factor library” of the ecological construction mode of traditional Yi residential dwellings. Finally, the measured data of the residential thermal environment and the simulation data of Ecotect software are used to study and judge the logic behind its ecological construction wisdom. The results show that the tradi-tional dwellings of the Yi nationality in Liangshan have six aspects of local en-vironmental knowledge to improve the thermal mass effects performance of buildings. The winter thermal environment of the house is comfortable, and the heat is sufficient;Rammed earth materials in residential buildings have more potent, powerful, and robust thermal mass effects performance than stone slabs and wooden boards.

Characterisation of Human-Wildlife Conflicts around the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The history of mankind contains so many illustrations of well-classified and violent struggles against various animals over crop production in agricultural fields, attacks on human life or competition in order to have access to certain natural resources. The aim of this study is to characterise the human-wildlife conflicts that occur around the KBNP, especially with regard to primates. Surveys were carried out in 260 households selected using the snowball method. The results showed that human-wildlife conflicts around the KBNP are characterised by the destruction of crops in riparian fields by monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas, the destruction of houses, physical attacks and zoonoses. Despite the conservation and protection measures for wildlife and local populations put in place by the Park’s managers, conflicts between local populations and the Park’s wild animals are still visible. These conflicts lead to the detention of wild animals by local people roaming in the villages and to poaching on the Park’s boundaries. The weakness of the community management policy on the part of the park managers and the resentment of the indigenous peoples towards the restriction of their access to natural resources are the major constraints on the sustainable management of conflicts between the local populations and the wild animals in the KBNP. The strategies for the sustainable resolution of human-wildlife conflicts around the KBNP must be geared towards and integrated into a community conservation approach.

An Empirical Study of the Socratic Method in Nongraded English Teaching in Senior High School Under the Background of the New National College Entrance Examination

With the reform of the New National College Entrance Examination(Gaokao),the nongraded education will become an inevitable trend.In senior high school,the traditional test-oriented education is popular.The knowledge is mainly taught by the teachers,and the students passively absorb it.This study examines a problem-oriented Socratic experiment in nongraded English teaching in senior high school.The teachers seek output from students,who respond by interpreting questions,fostering critical thinking,and enhancing problem-solving skills.This teaching experiment indicates that the Socratic method has a significant positive effect on cultivating nongraded senior high English students’critical thinking under the New National College Entrance Examination.

Evaluating the Impacts of Human Activities on Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Large Mammals in Nimule National Park, South Sudan

Globally, human activities have a significant impact on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Protected Areas (PAs). These disturbances increase human pressure on biodiversity and species habitats, highlighting the need for conservation. This study aimed to assess the abundance and distribution of large mammals in different habitat types within Nimule National Park (NNP) and understand the impacts of human activities on them. Data on the abundance and distribution of large mammals and their respective habitat types were collected through line transect surveys. Human activity signs were observed and recorded along the transect lines. To estimate the impacts of human activities on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammal species, as well as to identify any significant differences between them and their habitat types, the study utilized the Kruskal Wallis test, Polynomial multiple regressions, and diversity indices. The findings from the Shannon-Weiner and Simpson indices indicated that large mammal species were more diverse inside the park (H’ = 1.136;D = 0.570) compared to the buffer zone (H’ = 0.413;D = 0.171), with 85% (443 out of 510 samples) recorded within Nimule National Park. The species abundance showed a semi-balanced status (0.58). The diversity results among different habitat types revealed that large mammals were more diverse and highly distributed in both open woodlands (244) and dense woodlands (192), while riverine vegetation had the lowest diversity (8). Statistical tests demonstrated a highly significant difference at a 99% confidence interval (p-value = 0.01) between habitat types and identified species of large mammals. Additionally, the results highlighted the high abundance of Uganda kob (274), baboons (141), and warthog (57) across most habitat types, accounting for at least 75% of their distribution. The most prevalent human activities observed were cattle footprints (27%) and cattle dung (14%). Human footprints and tree cutting combined accounted for 9%, indicating the practice of livestock grazing, poaching, encroachment, and fuelwood collection by local communities. However, these activities did not appear to significantly impact the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Nimule National Park. Therefore, it is crucial to foster shared responsibilities and engage relevant stakeholders in the management and conservation of large wildlife species. Regular community awareness programs should be implemented to cultivate a sense of ownership. Moreover, it is recommended that a comprehensive survey be conducted on the population status of all mammal species in Nimule National Park, including its surrounding Buffer Zone. Monitoring the impact of human activities on their behavior and habitats using satellite images should also be carried out at least every five to ten years.

Post-operative morbidity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and resection for gallbladder cancer: A national surgical quality improvement program analysis

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy in gallbladder cancer.As investigations continue to analyze the regimen and benefit of NACT for ongoing care of gallbladder cancer patients,we examined American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program(NSQIP)database to determine if there was higher morbidity among the neo-adjuvant group within the 30-day post-operative period.We hypothesized patients who underwent NACT were more likely to have higher post-operative morbidity.AIM To investigate the 30-day post-operative morbidity outcomes between patients who received NACT and underwent surgery and patients who only had surgery.METHODS A retrospective analysis of the targeted hepatectomy NSQIP data between 2015 and 2019 was performed to determine if NACT in gallbladder cancer increased the risk for post-operative morbidity(bile leak,infection rate,rate of converting to open surgery,etc.)compared to the group who only had surgery.To calculate the odds ratio for the primary and secondary outcomes,a crude logistic regression was performed.RESULTS Of the 452 patients,52 patients received NACT prior to surgery.There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of morbidity between the two groups,including bile leak[odds ratio(OR),0.69;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.16-2.10;P=0.55],superficial wound infection(OR,0.58;95%CI:0.03-3.02;P=0.61),and organ space wound infection(OR,0.63;95%CI:0.18-1.63;P=0.61).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the risk of 30-day post-operative morbidity between the NACT and surgery group and the surgery only group.

Scientific Advances and Weather Services of the China Meteorological Administration’s National Forecasting Systems during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics was the first Winter Olympics in history held in continental winter monsoon climate conditions across complex terrain areas,there is a deficiency of relevant research,operational techniques,and experience.This made providing meteorological services for this event particularly challenging.The China Meteorological Administration(CMA)Earth System Modeling and Prediction Centre,achieved breakthroughs in research on short-and medium-term deterministic and ensemble numerical predictions.Several key technologies crucial for precise winter weather services during the Winter Olympics were developed.A comprehensive framework,known as the Operational System for High-Precision Weather Forecasting for the Winter Olympics,was established.Some of these advancements represent the highest level of capabilities currently available in China.The meteorological service provided to the Beijing 2022 Games also exceeded previous Winter Olympic Games in both variety and quality.This included achievements such as the“100-meter level,minute level”downscaled spatiotemporal resolution and forecasts spanning 1 to 15 days.Around 30 new technologies and over 60 kinds of products that align with the requirements of the Winter Olympics Organizing Committee were developed,and many of these techniques have since been integrated into the CMA’s operational national forecasting systems.These accomplishments were facilitated by a dedicated weather forecasting and research initiative,in conjunction with the preexisting real-time operational forecasting systems of the CMA.This program represents one of the five subprograms of the WMO’s high-impact weather forecasting demonstration project(SMART2022),and continues to play an important role in their Regional Association(RA)II Research Development Project(Hangzhou RDP).Therefore,the research accomplishments and meteorological service experiences from this program will be carried forward into forthcoming highimpact weather forecasting activities.This article provides an overview and assessment of this program and the operational national forecasting systems.

National Social Investment Programmes in Nigeria:A Descriptive Analysis of the Socio-Economic Contributions of N-Power Programme in Benue State

This study analysed the socio-economic contributions of N-Power programme amongst the beneficiaries of the scheme in Benue State.Prior to the introduction of N-Power programme,successive administrations in Nigeria have made concerted efforts towards improving the standard of living of the citizenry through the execution of various welfare or social intervention programmes,but not much successes were recorded.Learning from the mistakes of the past regimes,and by way of deliberate state policy,the Buhari’s government initiated a multi-pronged social investment policy,one of which is the N-power programme that came onboard in 2016,which also doubles as the subject of this study.To achieve the goal of this study,a combination of desktop research and survey design was employed.Questionnaires were administered to 390 respondents through a combination of stratified and random sampling techniques.The results of the survey were matched with that of the secondary data obtained through online websites and other related sources.The result indicated that N-Power made positive contributions to the socio-economic life of the beneficiaries in Benue State:specifically,the scheme contributed in poverty eradication,employment generation,skills acquisitions and capacity building.However,some aspect of our findings revealed that the programme has a number of challenges such as:inadequate cash support,delay in monthly cash transfer to beneficiaries,distance participants had to move to their work stations,absence of posting in N-Teach scheme,and lack of adequate working tools amongst others.To salvage this problem the paper recommended the following solutions:expansion of the scheme to cover N-Teach and other aspects,increment in the monthly cash transfer to cushion the high rate of inflation,support for the participants/beneficiaries in transportation and logistics,enrolment of more youth into the various schemes,proper monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the schemes amongst others.

National Image Construction from the Perspective of Multimodal Metaphor-A Case Study of the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics

The national image is a comprehensive concept with a distinct political feature,including the international image presented to the outside world,and also encompassing the national identity of the people.With the development of globalization,international cultural communication has become a crucial part of shaping the national image,and the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics has become an important opportunity for China to showcase its national image to the world in the post-pandemic era.Based on Forceville’s multimodal metaphor theory,this paper examines the metaphorical phenomena contained in the performance and their functions,effects,and purposes in the construction of the national image.It is found that there are many scenes,images,and narratives in the opening ceremony,including war metaphor,competition metaphor,personification metaphor,and other conceptual metaphors.The focus of this paper is on multimodal metaphor in a broad sense,mainly encompassing auditory and visual modes.Through the use of these multimodal metaphors,the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics builds an image of a vibrant,peace-loving,and responsible country,which not only demonstrates China’s cultural self-confidence,but also expresses the Chinese people’s beautiful vision for the early reunification of the motherland.

Progress in neurorehabilitation research and the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China from 2010 to 2022

The National Natural Science Foundation of China is one of the major funding agencies for neuro rehabilitation research in China.This study reviews the frontier directions and achievements in the field of neurorehabilitation in China and wo rldwide.We used data from the Web of Science Core Collection(WoSCC) database to analyze the publications and data provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to analyze funding information.In addition,the prospects for neurorehabilitation research in China are discussed.From 2010 to 2022,a total of 74,220 publications in neurorehabilitation were identified,with there being an overall upward tendency.During this period,the National Natural Science Foundation of China has funded 476 research projects with a total funding of 192.38 million RMB to support neuro rehabilitation research in China.With the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,China has made some achievements in neurorehabilitation research.Research related to neurorehabilitation is believed to be making steady and significant progress in China.

Impact of index admission cholecystectomy vs interval cholecystectomy on readmission rate in acute cholangitis: National Readmission Database survey

BACKGROUND Elective cholecystectomy(CCY)is recommended for patients with gallstone-related acute cholangitis(AC)following endoscopic decompression to prevent recurrent biliary events.However,the optimal timing and implications of CCY remain unclear.AIM To examine the impact of same-admission CCY compared to interval CCY on patients with gallstone-related AC using the National Readmission Database(NRD).METHODS We queried the NRD to identify all gallstone-related AC hospitalizations in adult patients with and without the same admission CCY between 2016 and 2020.Our primary outcome was all-cause 30-d readmission rates,and secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality,length of stay(LOS),and hospitalization cost.RESULTS Among the 124964 gallstone-related AC hospitalizations,only 14.67%underwent the same admission CCY.The all-cause 30-d readmissions in the same admission CCY group were almost half that of the non-CCY group(5.56%vs 11.50%).Patients in the same admission CCY group had a longer mean LOS and higher hospitalization costs attrib-utable to surgery.Although the most common reason for readmission was sepsis in both groups,the second most common reason was AC in the interval CCY group.CONCLUSION Our study suggests that patients with gallstone-related AC who do not undergo the same admission CCY have twice the risk of readmission compared to those who undergo CCY during the same admission.These readmis-sions can potentially be prevented by performing same-admission CCY in appropriate patients,which may reduce subsequent hospitalization costs secondary to readmissions.

An Appraisal of the Major National Dialogue as a Panacea to the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

This paper explores the Major National Dialogue organised by Paul Biya from the 30th of September to the 4th of October,2019 as a panacea to the Anglophone.The paper also seeks to find out if this dialogue has been the panacea Cameroonians as a whole and the people of Southern Cameroons in particular have been waiting for to end this conflict.This research uses a qualitative research design.This is because the researcher culled information from Jeune Afrique Economie(2019a),Cameroon Tribune,and from Phoenix.Descriptive analysis was used to analyse the collected data.Descriptive analysis is used to get the views of the public whether the Major National Dialogue was really a panacea to the Anglophone crisis.The analysis revealed that there were two opposing opinions on the holding of this dialogue.The government thinks the dialogue was a panacea to put an end to this crisis because there is ongoing construction work in the war zones,and economic activities have witnessed an increase in the regions as the various production units of the Cameroon Development Corporation(CDC)and Pamol plantations have regained agricultural activities.The Ndawara tea estate now functions without problems.Trans-border trade is on the rise and transportation is fluid,except in the rural areas where the state of the road network is poor to name but these.On the other hand,politicians,political parties like the Social Democratic Front,activists,religious leaders,the affected populations,and Cameroonians at large think that the Major National Dialogue was a monologue and therefore was bound to fail because first,key actors arrested and detained in connection to this crisis were not part of this dialogue.For this reason,they are calling for a genuine and an inclusive dialogue.In addition,they argue that we cannot be talking of peace when fighting is still raging on and people are being killed,houses and schools are being burnt,and people are being kidnapped every day for ransom to mention but these.

Exploration of the Inheritance and Innovation Carrier of National Culture in the Teaching Model of Art Design Major in Higher Vocational Colleges:Integrating Lijiang Baisha Murals into Higher Vocational Art Design Curriculum System

This study aims to further promote the inheritance and innovative development of intangible cultural heritage in Yunnan Province,promote the protection,inheritance,integration,and innovation of ethnic culture in Lijiang,strengthen the protection and inheritance of Baisha murals in Lijiang,and change the teaching of art design majors in vocational colleges in Yunnan.Given the lack of traditional Chinese culture and local ethnic culture,this article focuses on the teaching of art design majors in Yunnan vocational colleges.It explores the construction model of the cultural inheritance and innovation carrier of Lijiang Baisha murals to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the local people,and efforts will be made to promote the high-quality development of the Baisha ethnic area in Lijiang.

The Interrelationship between Culture and Capital Structure:Evidence from International Retailers

The present study investigates the influence of cultural factors in 2022 on the capital structure of global retailers.There are sixteen retailers from eight countries in the sample.In recent times,numerous academicians have taken an interest in examining the capital structure and business model of retailers,owing to their swift and consistent growth.However,the fact that the majority of research originates from the retailers’host country gives rise to debate regarding the applicability of the capital structure of said retailers to countries with distinct cultural environments.Consequently,academics have begun to investigate whether the capital structure of multinational retailers is impacted by the diversity of national cultures.

Research on the Deep Integration Mechanism of National Fitness Campaign and College Physical Education Teaching:Taking Guangdong University of Science and Technology as an Example

By using the methods of literature review,questionnaire survey,and expert interview,this paper discusses and analyzes the deep integration mechanism of national fitness campaign and college physical education teaching,in order to promote the development of college physical education teaching reform,expand ideas,explore new fields,and provide novel development directions.The purpose is to enhance the national physical quality,improve the public service system,enhance the health awareness of the citizens,and provide guidelines for promoting the development of sports.

Influence of Human Activity Intensity on Habitat Quality in Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park,China

Due to long-term human activity interference,the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park(HTRNP)of China has experienced ecological problems such as habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss,and with the expanding scope and intensity of human activity impact,the regional ecological security is facing serious challenges.A scientific assessment of the interrelationship between human activity intensity and habitat quality in the HTRNP is a prerequisite for achieving effective management of ecological disturbances caused by human activities and can also provide scientific strategies for the sustainable development of the region.Based on the land use change data in 2000,2010,and 2020,the spatial and temporal variations and the relationship between habitat quality(HQ)and human activity intensity(HAI)in the HTRNP were explored using the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs(InVEST)model.System dynamics and land use simulation models were also combined to conduct multi-scenario simulations of their relationships.The results showed that during 2000–2020,the habitat quality of the HTRNP improved,the intensity of human activities decreased each year,and there was a negative correlation between the two.Second,the system dynamic model could be well coupled with the land use simulation model by combining socio-economic and natural factors.The simulation scenarios of the coupling model showed that the harmonious development(HD)scenario is effective in curbing the increasing trend of human activity intensity and decreasing trend of habitat quality,with a weaker trade-off between the two compared with the baseline development(BD)and investment priority oriented(IPO)scenarios.To maintain the authenticity and integrity of the HTRNP,effective measures such as ecological corridor construction,ecological restoration,and the implementation of ecological compensation policies need to be strengthened.

Association of Gghrelin Polymorphisms with Metabolic Syndrome in Han Nationality Chinese

Objective To investigate the association of ghrelin gene polymorphisms with metabolic syndrome in Han Nationality Chinese. Methods A total of 240 patients with metabolic syndrome and 427 adults aged above forty years were recruited. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results The allelic frequency of the Leu72Met polymorphism was 17.3% in the patient group and 11.9% in the control group （x^2=7.36, P=0.007）. Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent among carriers of the Met72 variant （43.8 vs 33.1%, age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio=1.57, P=0.01）. No Arg51Gln variants were found in our study subjects. Conclusion Rather than being associated with its individual components, Leu72Met polymorphism is associated with metabolic syndrome in the Han Nationality Chinese. Arg51Gln polymorphism is rare in the Han Nationality Chinese.

Survey on Settlement Forms of Ethnic Groups in Mountainous Regions—A Case Study of Ancient Village of Gelao Nationality in Wuchuan

Taking ancient village of Gelao Nationality in Wuchuan for example,theories of settlement geography were used to analyze settlement landscapes of ethnic groups with cultural peculiarity in certain regions from the perspectives of geographical and humanistic environment,distribution form,internal structure and settlement characteristics. Regional and national cultural characteristics were demonstrated to promote the inheritance,promotion and protection of such old and traditional civilization in terms of landscape,and provide valuable references for relevant researches.

Tropical and Subtropical Urban Landscape Plant Cultivation in Southwest China—A Case Study of Honghe Hani and Yi Nationality Autonomous Prefecture

By studying current seedling production in Honghe Hani and Yi Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, tropical and subtropical urban landscape plant production in southwest China was analyzed. Local nurseries total 6.40 km 2 , accounting for 5.1% of total constructed land area in the prefecture, and only 0.02% of the total land area in the prefecture. Application of local plant species in landscape engineering and green coverage ratio lags far behind the indexes of Chinese livable city and indexes of relieving urban heat island effect. By making proper policies and measures, seedling production can be promoted, rare and endanged wild plant species should be fully used to construct garden city, control PM2.5 and protect the living environment.

The Poverty Alleviation Model for Poor Nationalities in the Mountainous Areas of Western China: A Case Study of “Promotion for the Entire Lisu Nationality” in Naimu Danxia Village Group

In poor minority areas, poor living conditions, single industrial structure and weak public basic services often lead to a deep degree of poverty. This is the most difficult problem to solve in the fight against poverty. Yunlong Township, Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County, which is located in the alpine canyon area of Jinsha River in China, is a semi-closed agricultural township integrating "nationality, mountain area, poverty and backwardness". Located in the Xinshan Village Committee of this township, Naimu Danxia village group is a typical Lisu settlement. It is a key village group with a deep degree of poverty, and the incidence of poverty is 17.00%. In recent years, Naimu Danxia village group has adhered to the direction of unified promotion, internal and external blood creation and resource integration in the poverty alleviation work of the Lisu nationality in Luquan County. It has successfully taken a road of national unity, self-reliance and common poverty alleviation, and formed a unique poverty alleviation model of "promotion for the entire nationality". At the end of 2018, the incidence of poverty dropped to 0, successfully building a "demonstration village of national unity" at the municipal level in Kunming. Based on the field research and interviews, this paper analyzes and summarizes the specific methods, main achievements, practical experience and popularization and application measures regarding the poverty alleviation model of "promotion for the entire Lisu nationality" in the village group. It tries to provide necessary reference for accurate poverty alleviation and poverty eradication in similar minority areas in Yunnan Province and other provinces.