Spatiotemporal Evolution of Ecological Quality in Typical Karst Ecologically Fragile Areas Based on Remote Sensing Ecological Indexes

Fast and effective remote sensing monitoring is an important means for analyzing the spatio-temporal changes in ecological quality in fragile karst regions.This study focuses on Guanling Autonomous County,a national-level demonstration county for comprehensive desertification control.Based on Landsat TM/OLI remote sensing image data from 2005,2010,2015,and 2020,remote sensing ecological indices were used to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in ecological quality in Guanling Autonomous County from 2005 to 2020.The results show that:①the variance contribution rates of the first principal component for the four periods were 66.31%,71.59%,63.18%,and 75.24%,indicating that PC1 integrated most of the characteristics of the four indices,making the RSEI suitable for evaluating ecological quality in karst mountain areas;②the remote sensing ecological index grades have been increasing year by year,with an overall trend of improving ecological quality.The area of higher-grade ecological quality has increased spatially,while fragmented patches have gradually decreased,becoming more concentrated in the low-altitude areas in the northwest and east,and there is a trend of expansion towards higher-altitude areas;③the ecological environment quality in most areas has improved,with the improvement in RSEI spatio-temporal variation becoming more noticeable with increasing slope.Areas of higher-grade quality appeared in 2010,and the range of higher-grade quality expanded with increasing slope.

Systemic Inflammation Response Index and weight loss as prognostic factors in metastatic pancreatic cancer: A concept study from the PANTHEIA-SEOM trial

BACKGROUND The prognostic value of the Systemic Inflammation Response Index(SIRI)in advanced pancreatic cancer is recognized,but its correlation with patients´nutritional status and outcomes remains unexplored.AIM To study the prognostic significance of SIRI and weight loss in metastatic pancreatic cancer.METHODS The PANTHEIA-Spanish Society of Medical Oncology(SEOM)study is a multicentric(16 Spanish hospitals),observational,longitudinal,non-interventional initiative,promoted by the SEOM Real World-Evidence work group.This pilot study sought to analyze the association between weight loss and inflammatory status as defined by SIRI.The cohort stems from a proof-of-concept pilot study conducted at one of the coordinating centers.Patients with pathologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma,treated from January 2020 to January 2023,were included.The index was calculated using the product of neutrophil and monocyte counts,divided by lymphocyte counts,obtained within 15 days before initiation chemotherapy.This study evaluated associations between overall survival(OS),SIRI and weight loss.RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included.66%of these patients were male and the median age was 66 years.Metastasis sites:36%liver,12%peritoneal carcinomatosis,10%lung,and 42%multiple locations.Regarding the first line palliative chemotherapy treatments:50%received gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel;28%,modified fluorouracil,leucovorin,irinotecan and oxaliplatin,and 16%were administered gemcitabine.42%had a weight loss>5%in the three months(mo)preceding diagnosis.21 patients with a SIRI≥2.3×10^(3)/L exhibited a trend towards a lower median OS compared to those with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L(4 vs 18 mo;P<0.000).Among 21 patients with>5%weight loss before diagnosis,the median OS was 6 mo,in contrast to 19 mo for those who did not experience such weight loss(P=0.003).Patients with a weight loss>5%showed higher SIRI levels.This difference was statistically significant(P<0.000).For patients with a SIRI<2.3×10^(3)/L,those who did not lose>5%of their weight had an OS of 20 mo,compared to 11 mo for those who did(P<0.001).No association was found between carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels≥1000 U/mL and weight loss.CONCLUSION A higher SIRI was correlated with decreased survival rates in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer and associated with weight loss.An elevated SIRI is suggested as a predictor of survival,emphasizing the need for prospective validation in the upcoming PANTHEIA-SEOM study.

3D Slicing of Weighted Index for Reservoir Quality of Lower Miocene Rocks, Belayim Marine Oil Field, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

This study aims to have a single coefficient resulting from the integration of all the reservoir parameters through which a decision can be taken to determine the best quality places in the reservoir. The conventional well logging data in nine wells were used to determine the reservoir parameters in the study area. Seven different parameters were calculated, five of them were directly proportional to the quality of the reservoir, while the remaining two parameters which represent shale volume and water saturation were inversely proportional to the reservoir quality. The index of each parameter was calculated. A new value was created from the integration of the seven different parameter indexes called the weighted index for the reservoir quality. The reservoir quality values were sliced in the three dimensions depending on the effect of all reservoir parameters and not on any single parameter. It is clear from the results of this study that horizontal and vertical slicing, as well as cut-off values, illustrates that the middle and upper parts are the best places for the reservoir to explore hydrocarbons, where the values of the weighted index of the reservoir quality range from 0.65 to 0.9. Meanwhile, the quality of the reservoir decreases in its lower parts.

Analysis of the Effects of Maternal Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Twin Pregnancy

Objective:To investigate the effects of maternal body mass index(BMI)and gestational weight gain on maternal and neonatal outcomes in twin pregnancies.Methods:Five hundred cases of twin pregnancies were divided into a low body weight group(68 cases),a normal weight group(355 cases),an overweight group(65 cases),and an obesity group(12 cases)according to the World Health Organization(WHO)Body Mass Index(BMI)classification guidelines Results:Comparison of weight gain during different pregnancies revealed that pregnant women were mainly of low weight and average weight.The higher the BMI before pregnancy,the higher the incidence of excessive weight gain during pregnancy.The incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)and premature rupture of membranes in women with low weight gain were significantly higher than those in women with average weight gain and high weight gain(P<0.05).The incidences of gestational hypertension,preeclampsia,and anemia in women with high weight gain were significantly higher than those in women with low weight gain and average weight gain(P<0.05).The incidence of neonatal birth weight,fetal distress,and macrosomia in the high weight gain group was significantly higher than those in the low weight gain and average weight gain groups(P<0.05).The birth weight of newborns in low-weight gain mothers was significantly lower than that of normal-weight gain mothers(P<0.05).Conclusion:Poor maternal and infant outcomes were common in women with insufficient or excessive weight gain during pregnancy.Therefore,for women with twin pregnancies,weight management is crucial to ensure maternal and infant health.

Development and Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) for the Evaluation of the Physico-Chemical Quality of Groundwater in Gold Mining Areas of Southeastern Senegal

Water is the most essential requirement for life. It provides a variety of purposes such as a source of water supply for drinking, domestic and industrial use, irrigated agriculture, livestock, and mining activities. Evaluating the status of water quality from traditional approaches does not guarantee the whole overview of the water quality situation. Therefore, developing a tool that can convert multiple parameters data into information that is understandable by both technical and non-technical personnel is vital. In this context, the purpose of this paper was to develop, calculate, and apply a water quality index for assessing the suitability (for drinking purposes) of groundwater in the gold mining areas in south-eastern Senegal. The development of this index based on WHO water quality guidelines followed the five standards steps i.e., parameters selection, sub-index formation, parameters weighting and sub-index aggregation and evaluation. Finally, the WQI summarized twelve key water quality parameters into 05 simple terms (excellent, good, medium, poor, and very poor) which is more relevant for reporting to managers and the public in a consistent manner. Thus, it was observed in the study area, that the water quality indexes in artisanal and industrial mining areas are either poor or very poor while in the reference stations (where there are no mining activities) WQI are either good or excellent. This situation was attributed to the effects of mining activities in such zones which contribute to the pollution of groundwater with heavy metals, nitrates, and suspended solids.

Water Quality Evaluation of Chapurson Valley in Hunza Nagar, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, Based on Statistical Analysis and Water Quality Index

Water borne ailments are of serious public health concern in Gilgit Baltistan’s (GB) region of Pakistan. The pollution load on the glacio-fluvial streams and surface water resources of the Chapurson Valley in the Hunza Nagar area of the GB is increasing as a result of anthropogenic activities and tourism. The present study focuses on the public health quality of drinking water of Chapurson valley. The study addressed the fundamental drinking water quality criteria in order to understand the state of the public health in the valley. To ascertain the current status of physico-chemical, metals, and bacteriological parameters, 25 water samples were collected through deterministic sampling strategy and examined accordingly. The physico-chemical parameters of the water samples collected from the valley were found to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines of drinking water. The water samples showed a pattern of mean metal concentrations in order of Arsenic (As) > Lead (Pb) > Iron (Fe) > Zinc (Zn) > Copper (Cu) > Magnesium (Mg) > Calcium (Ca). As, Cu, Zn, Ca and Mg concentration were under the WHO guidelines range. However, results showed that Pb and Fe are present at much higher concentrations than recommended WHO guidelines. Similarly, the results of the bacteriological analysis indicate that the water samples are heavily contaminated with the organisms of public health importance (including total coliforms (TCC), total faecal coliforms (TFC) and total fecal streptococci (TFS) are more than 3 MPN/100mL). Three principal components, accounting for 48.44% of the total variance, were revealed using principal component analysis (PCA). Bacteriological parameters were shown to be the main determinants of the water quality as depicted by the PCA analysis. The dendrogram of Cluster analysis using the Ward’s method validated the same traits of the sampling locations that were found to be contaminated during geospatial analysis using the Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) method. Based on these findings, it is most likely that those anthropogenic activities and essentially the tourism results in pollution load from upstream channels. Metals may be released into surface and groundwater from a few underlying sources as a result of weathering and erosion. This study suggests that the valley water resources are more susceptible to bacteriological contamination and as such no water treatment facilities or protective measure have been taken to encounter the pollution load. People are drinking the contaminated water without questioning about the quality. It is recommended that the water resources of the valley should be monitored using standard protocol so as to protect not only the public health but to safe guard sustainable tourism in the valley.

Spatiotemporal variations in ecological quality of Otindag Sandy Land based on a new modified remote sensing ecological index

Otindag Sandy Land in China is an important ecological barrier to Beijing;the changes in its ecological quality are major concerns for sustainable development and planning of this area.Based on principal component analysis and path analysis,we first generated a modified remote sensing ecological index(MRSEI)coupled with satellite and ground observational data during 2001–2020 that integrated four local indicators(greenness,wetness,and heatness that reflect vegetation status,water,and heat conditions,respectively,as well as soil erosion).Then,we assessed the ecological quality in Otindag Sandy Land during 2001–2020 based on the MRSEI at different time scales(i.e.,the whole year,growing season,and non-growing season).MRSEI generally increased with an upward rate of 0.006/a during 2001–2020,with clear seasonal and spatial variations.Ecological quality was significantly improved in most regions of Otindag Sandy Land but degraded in the southern part.Regions with ecological degradation expanded to 18.64%of the total area in the non-growing season.The area with the worst grade of MRSEI shrunk by 15.83%of the total area from 2001 to 2020,while the area with the best grade of MRSEI increased by 9.77%of the total area.The temporal heterogeneity of ecological conditions indicated that the improvement process of ecological quality in the growing season may be interrupted or deteriorated in the following non-growing season.The implementation of ecological restoration measures in Otindag Sandy Land should not ignore the seasonal characteristics and spatial heterogeneity of local ecological quality.The results can explore the effectiveness of ecological restoration and provide scientific guides on sustainable development measures for drylands.

Relationship of Parental Indica-Japonica Indexes with Yield and Grain Quality Traits of Japonica Hybrid Rice in Northern China

Taking the main parents （10 male sterile lines and 10 restorer lines） and their 100 combinations of japonica hybrid rice in northern China as materials, the relationships of parental indica-japonica indexes determined by the methods of the Cheng’s index as well as simple sequence repeat （SSR） markers with yield and grain quality traits of hybrid rice were studied. For the parents, the Cheng’s index （Chi） ranged from 13.5 to 19.3 and the indica index in SSR markers （ADi） were from 0.12 to 0.38. The classification of parents by Chi was not completely consistent with that by ADi. The Chi of male parent was more closely related to hybrid traits than that of female parent, as contrasted to ADi. At the same time, the difference between parents （PD） in Chi was more closely related to hybrid traits than that in ADi. The indica-japonica indexes of parents and their difference between parents appeared quadratic relationship to hybrid traits with the critical extremum. The directions of the correlation of indica-japonica indexes of parents and their differences with hybrid yield traits were on the opposition to those with hybrid grain quality traits. Therefore, the female parent should match the male parent moderately in indica-japonica index to obtain the optimum of hybrid traits, high yield as well as good quality.

Swelling Index of Glutenin (SIG) Related to Protein Quality, DoughCharacters and Noodle Quality

The swelling index of glutenin (SIG) and the protein fraction of 25 Chinese wheat varieties were studied with new protein fractions extracting method. The protein fractions compose of monomeric protein, soluble glutenin and insoluble glutenin. The relations between other protein index, dough character, and fresh noodle quality were also discussed. The SIG results at different time is positively and highly significantly related to the insoluble glutenin content (r= 0.808 -0.867, P< 0.01). The SIG result can reflect the insoluble glutenin content. The protein content, gluten index, farinograph stability time, extensibility length and extensigram energy were positively and significantly correlated with SIG5 and SIG20 (r= 0.516 - 0.734, P<0.05, 0.01).SIG proved to be applicable in Chinese wheat dough evaluation. Fresh noodle making quality parameters were evaluated by fresh noodle length, thickness, maximum resistance to extension, extension area and extension distance, while cooked noodle texture was determined by cutting firmness, compression recovery, surface firmness and TPA by using a texture analyzer of TA.XT2i. The noodle cooking quality was significantly correlated with SIG value. The surface firmness and cutting firmness were more desirable for predicating the quality difference than TPA test and compression. Cooking loss and water absorption were negatively related to SIG value and insoluble content (r = -0.556 - - 0.787, P < 0.05, 0.01). The results showed that SIG test was also suitable in evaluating noodle making and cooking quality in very small sample size, which was very important in wheat breeding programs. Therefore, SIG test, as a small scale test, is suitable to evaluate dough rheological properties for Chinese wheat varieties, and will be helpful in cereal research and wheat breeding program, especially, in early generations.

Do reproductive hormones explain the association between body mass index and semen quality？

Aim： To examine whether reproductive hormones play a role in the association between body mass index （BMI） and semen quality. Methods： Semen quality and testosterone （T）, luteinizing hormone （LH）, follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH） and estradiol （E2） were evaluated in 990 fertile males with age 38.9 ± 9.7 （mean ＋ SD） years recruited from the Chinese general population in 2001 and 2002. Results： Semen quality was reduced among underweight （BMI 〈 18.5） compared with normal （BMI 18.5-24.9） and overweight （BMI 25.0-29.9）, but the associations were independent of reproductive hormones. After adjustment for the potential confounders, underweight men had reductions in sperm concentration （22.4 × 10^6/mL）, total sperm count （52.9× 10^6） and percentage of normal sperm forms （6.9%） compared with men with normal BMI. Being underweight may be a risk factor for low sperm concentration （OR： 4.68, 95% confidence intervals [CI]： 2.01-10.91）. Otherwise, being overweight may be a protected factor for low sperm concentration （OR： 0.25; 95% CI： 0.08-0.83） and low total sperm count （OR： 0.37, 95% CI： 0.15-0.87）. Conclusion： Low BMI was associated with reduced semen quality. The associations between BMI and semen quality were found statistically significant even after adjustment for reproductive hormones. Reproductive hormones cannot explain the association between BMI and semen quality.

Effects of Compound Herbal Medicine on Serum Biochemical Indexes and Egg Nutritional Quality in Laying Hens

[ Objective] To investigate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine compound preparation on serum biochemical indexes and egg nutri- tional quality of laying hens. [Method] A total of 1 200 chickens at the age of 44 weeks were selected and randomly divided into five groups. After administration with different dosages of astragalus polysaccharides and berberine for 9 weeks, serum biochemical indexes were determined and nu- trient contents of egg were detected. [ ltesultl The contents of total protein, globulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） and alkaline phosphatase （ALP） in all treatment groups were significantly （ P 〈 0.05 or 0.01 ） higher than those in the control group. The cholesterol contents of all treatment groups were significantly （ P 〈 0.05 or 0.01 ） lower than those of the control group. E Conclusion~ The optimal concentrations of as- tragalus polysacchaddes and berberine in basic diets are 200 and 30 mg/kg, respectively.

Prognostic value of preoperative weight loss-adjusted body mass index on survival after esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND The impact of body mass index(BMI)on survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)undergoing surgery remains unclear.Therefore,a definition of clinically significant BMI in patients with ESCC is needed.AIM To explore the impact of preoperative weight loss(PWL)-adjusted BMI on overall survival(OS)in patients undergoing surgery for ESCC.METHODS This retrospective study consisted of 1545 patients who underwent curative resection for ESCC at West China Hospital of Sichuan University between August 2005 and December 2011.The relationship between PWL-adjusted BMI and OS was examined,and a multivariate analysis was performed and adjusted for age,sex,TNM stage and adjuvant therapy.RESULTS Trends of poor survival were observed for patients with increasing PWL and decreasing BMI.Patients with BMI≥20.0 kg/m2 and PWL<8.8%were classified into Group 1 with the longest median OS(45.3 mo).Patients with BMI<20.0 kg/m2 and PWL<8.8%were classified into Group 2 with a median OS of 29.5 mo.Patients with BMI≥20.0 kg/m2 and PWL≥8.8%(HR=1.9,95%CI:1.5-2.5),were combined into Group 3 with a median OS of 20.1 mo.Patients in the three groups were associated with significantly different OS(P<0.05).In multivariate analysis,PWL-adjusted BMI,TNM stage and adjuvant therapy were identified as independent prognostic factors.CONCLUSION PWL-adjusted BMI has an independent prognostic impact on OS in patients with ESCC undergoing surgery.BMI might be an indicator for patients with PWL<8.8%rather than≥8.8%.

Assessment of Agricultural Soil Quality Indices Using Mechanistic Models

Assessing soil quality is a critical strategy for diagnosing soil status and anticipating concerns in land use systems for agricultural sustainability. In this study, two soil quality assessment indices, the Integrated Quality Index (IQI) and Nemoro Quality Index (NQI), were employed using two indicator selection methods: Total Data Set (TDS) and Minimum Data Set (MDS), focusing on agricultural fields in Golestan province, Iran. A total of 89 soil samples were collected and analyzed for particle size distribution, organic carbon, calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and plant-essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and iron. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to extract MDS from TDS, and geostatistical adaptation and correlation analyses were performed to determine the optimal soil quality evaluation index. Our results show that the exponential model better suits the spatial structure of soil quality indicators (IQIMDS: 0.955). Conformity and correlation analyses indicate that the IQI index outperformed the NQI index in estimating soil quality. The superiority of the TDS technique over the MDS technique in terms of accuracy (IQITDSs kappa: 0.155). Linear relationships between different methods showed a higher correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.43) through the application of IQI. This study suggests the use of IQIMDS to provide a reliable measurement that is particularly useful in assessing the quality of agricultural soil.

QTL mapping of grain appearance quality traits and grain weight using a recombinant inbred population in rice(Oryza sativa L.)

supported by a grant from the National High-Tech R＆D Program of China （2014AA10A603, 2014AA10A604）;a grant from the Youth Foundation in Sichuan, China （2011JTD0022）;the special fund for China Agricultural Research System （CARS-01-08）;the Provincial Specialized Funds for Innovation Ability Promotion in Sichuan, China （2013GXJS005）

Spatiotemporal changes of eco-environmental quality based on remote sensing-based ecological index in the Hotan Oasis,Xinjiang

The rapid economic development that the Hotan Oasis in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China has undergone in recent years may face some challenges in its ecological environment.Therefore,an analysis of the spatiotemporal changes in ecological environment of the Hotan Oasis is important for its sustainable development.First,we constructed an improved remote sensing-based ecological index(RSEI)in 1990,1995,2000,2005,2010,2015 and 2020 on the Google Earth Engine(GEE)platform and implemented change detection for their spatial distribution.Second,we performed a spatial autocorrelation analysis on RSEI distribution map and used land-use and land-cover change(LUCC)data to analyze the reasons of RSEI changes.Finally,we investigated the applicability of improved RSEI to arid area.The results showed that mean of RSEI rose from 0.41 to 0.50,showing a slight upward trend.During the 30-a period,2.66% of the regions improved significantly,10.74% improved moderately and 32.21% improved slightly,respectively.The global Moran's I were 0.891,0.889,0.847 and 0.777 for 1990,2000,2010 and 2020,respectively,and the local indicators of spatial autocorrelation(LISA)distribution map showed that the high-high cluster was mainly distributed in the central part of the Hotan Oasis,and the low-low cluster was mainly distributed in the outer edge of the oasis.RSEI at the periphery of the oasis changes from low to high with time,with the fragmentation of RSEI distribution within the oasis increasing.Its distribution and changes are predominantly driven by anthropologic factors,including the expansion of artificial oasis into the desert,the replacement of desert ecosystems by farmland ecosystems,and the increase in the distribution of impervious surfaces.The improved RSEI can reflect the eco-environmental quality effectively of the oasis in arid area with relatively high applicability.The high efficiency exhibited with this approach makes it convenient for rapid,high frequency and macroscopic monitoring of eco-environmental quality in study area.

Application of traditional indexes and adverse events in the ophthalmologic perioperative medical quality evaluation during 2010-2012

AIM: To evaluate the medical quality of ophthalmologic perioperative period during 2010-2012 in our hospital. METHODS: The relevant data of perioperative period were collected in our hospital during 2010-2012, and the medical quality of perioperative period was evaluated by using the traditional evaluation indexes and adverse events. Whereby, the traditional indicators include vision changes, improving of intraocular pressure, diagnostic accordance rate before and after operation, cure improvement rate, successful rescue rate, and incidence of surgical complications, etc Adverse events are associated with ophthalmologic perioperative events including pressure sores, postoperative wound infection, drug adverse events, and equipment related adverse events. RESULTS: There were 1483, 1662 and 1931 ophthalmic operations in our hospital in the year 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. From traditional index analysis, the proportions of vision improvement for each year were 96.43%, 96.76% and 97.32%, respectively; the rates of intraocular pressure improvement were 87.50%, 85.72% and 90.17%, respectively ( P <0.05); the diagnostic accordance rates before and after operation were 99.86%, 99.94% and 99.90%, respectively; cure improvement rates were 99.73%, 99.93% and 99.84%, respectively; the successful rescue rates were 82.98%, 81.46% and 76.66%, respectively; the complications incidence rates were 18.44%, 17.52% and 17.97%, respectively. The negative factor analysis results showed that: among all the patients of ophthalmic surgeries in our hospital during 2010 and 2012, only one case of postoperative wound infection was found in 2011, and also only one case of tumbling in 2010. The adverse drug events for each year were 1 case (0.07%), 2 cases (0.12%), and 4 cases (0.21%), respectively; the medical device adverse events for each year were 3 cases (0.20%), 5 cases (0.30%), and 6 cases (0.31%), respectively. Noticeably, only one case with postoperative infection of endophthalmitis was found in 2011. Moreover, no pulmonary infection or pulmonary embolism occurred during the three years. The perioperative adverse event rates for each year were 0.34% (5/1483), 0.48% (8/1662) and 0.52% (10/1931), respectively. Though incidence was rising during the three years, no statistical significance was observed (P>0.05). It is the same case with drugs and medical devices adverse events (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Traditional indicators reflect an excellent operation of the perioperative ophthalmologic quality, whereas adverse events analysis indicates some underlying problems. Compared with the traditional indexes for medical quality evaluation, the index of adverse events is more reasonable and easier to make an objective evaluation for medical quality of ophthalmologic perioperation, facilitating further refine analysis. Reasonable application of the adverse events indicators helps hospital to make the detailed quality control measures.

Association between pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain and the risk of preeclampsia:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective:To analyze the relationship between body mass index(BMI)before pregnancy and gestational weight gain throughout pregnancy with the incidence of preeclampsia.Methods:This was a systematic review-meta analysis of literature collected from three e-databases:Scopus,PubMed,and Science Direct.Quality assessment was measured with the Effective Public Health Practice Project methods.Meta-analysis was done by calculating the fixed and random-effects of odds ratio(OR)for each BMI category and gestational weight gain as compared with the incidence of preeclampsia.Results:Overweight was associated with a significantly increased risk of preeclampsia(OR=2.152,95%CI 1.363-3.400;P=0.001).Obesity was also associated with a noticeably increased risk of preeclampsia(OR=2.856,95%CI 1.755-4.649;P<0.001).Meanwhile,underweight was associated with a significantly reduced risk of preeclampsia(OR=0.639,95%CI 0.500-0.817;P<0.001)when compared with normal BMI.Pregnant women who gained weight below the standard throughout pregnancy was a protective factor from preeclampsia(OR=0.813,95%CI 0.610-1.083;P=0.157)whereas pregnant women who gained weight above the standard had almost doubled risk of preeclampsia(OR=1.850,95%CI 1.377-2.485;P<0.001).Conclusions:The result of this study affirms the role of overweight-obesity pre-pregnancy,and gestational weight gain above the standard during pregnancy as significant risk factors for developing preeclampsia.

Correlations between quality indexes of chest compression

BACKGROUND:Cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) is a kind of emergency treatment for cardiopulmonary arrest,and chest compression is the most important and necessary part of CPR.The American Heart Association published the new Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care in 2010 and demanded for better performance of chest compression practice,especially in compression depth and rate.The current study was to explore the relationship of quality indexes of chest compression and to identify the key points in chest compression training and practice.METHODS:Totally 219 healthcare workers accepted chest compression training by using Laerdal ACLS advanced life support resuscitation model.The quality indexes of chest compression,including compression hands placement,compression rate,compression depth,and chest wall recoil as well as self-reported fatigue time were monitored by the Laerdal Computer Skills and Reporting System.RESULTS:The quality of chest compression was related to the gender of the compressor.The indexes in males,including self-reported fatigue time,the accuracy of compression depth and the compression rate,the accuracy of compression rate,were higher than those in females.However,the accuracy of chest recoil was higher in females than in males.The quality indexes of chest compression were correlated with each other.The self-reported fatigue time was related to all the indexes except the compression rate.CONCLUSION:It is necessary to offer CPR training courses regularly.In clinical practice,it might be better to change the practitioner before fatigue,especially for females or weak practitioners.In training projects,more attention should be paid to the control of compression rate,in order to delay the fatigue,guarantee enough compression depth and improve the quality of chest compression.

Integrating Lithostratigraphic Units and GIS-Analysis Techniques to Modified Surface Water Quality Index

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of using Bicarbonate and Calcium parameters as alternatives to the lithostratigraphic units covered the catchment area, on water quality index (WQI) values that have been implemented with GIS technique at Wadi Al-Arab Dam. The analyzed results (by WQI method) have been used to depict water quality for the two approaches. Based on physico-chemical parameters, the calculated values for WQI over the 3-year for study period were 169, 168, and 157, respectively. While the WQI values were 184, 183 and 172, respectively, as a result of incorporated Bicarbonate and Calcium parameters in WQI calculations that significantly contributed to increasing the WQI. The elevated values may be attributed to the influence of carbonate stone dissolution and mechanical erosion under weathering conditions that are prevalent during winter season in the catchment area. As a consequence of lithostratigraphic unites product and GIS technique integration and normalization processes, most of water quality ranks are good and only autumn season has poor water quality in the 2012 and 2013, while in 2014 it has good water quality in the same season. The WQI values increase in general trend from winter to autumn seasons during the study period that may be referred to outflow by daily consumption, evaporation rising, and seepage water. The analysis shows that the modified water quality values of the Wadi Al-Arab Dam Reservoir (WADR) vary after using Bicarbonate and Calcium parameters by constant value. Generally, the results signify that the WADR is not polluted based on the physical and chemical characteristics of water.

Effects of Aroclor 1254 on reproductive organ weight,sperm quality and testicular mitochondria oxidative stress of Boleophthalmus pectinirostris

Boleophthalmus pectinirostris is an amphibious economic fish and wildly distributed in the southeast coast of China. In this study, Aroclor 1254 was intraperitoneally injected into B. pectinirostris with 1, 2 and 4 μg/（g · d） for 28 d to assay the reproductive organ weight, the sperm quality （sperm concentration and motility）, and the testicular mitochondrial testicular mitochondria oxidative stress. The results show that the sperm number and motility in seminal vesicles, the absolute weight of testes and seminal vesicles of B. pectinirostris treated with 2 and 4 μg/（g · d） Aroclor 1254 decreased significantly as compared to the controls （p 0.05）, while those treated with 1 μg/（g · d） Aroclor 1254 had no significant effects on these indictors. For the relative weight of reproductive organs, significant reduction （p 0.05） was only observed in the seminal vesicles of B. pectinirostris treated with 4 μg/（g · d）. SOD activities and GSH levels in all the Aroclor 1254 treatments were significantly lower than those of the controls （p 0.05）. The activities of CAT, GPx, GR and the levels of Vit C also decreased significantly in comparison with the controls （p 0.05） at the higher dose of 2 and 4 μg/（g · d） Aroclor 1254 treatments. In addition, both H 2 O 2 level and MDA content in testicular mitochondria of B. pectinirostris had a close correlation with Aroclor 1254 dosage, and were significantly higher than the controls （p 0.05）. Those indicate that Aroclor 1254 can induce the oxidative stress of testicular mitochondria, and impair the reproductive function of male B. pectinirostris.