AIM： To evaluate the effect of three interventional treatments involving transvenous obliteration for the treatment of gastric varices, and to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of these methods, METHODS： From...AIM： To evaluate the effect of three interventional treatments involving transvenous obliteration for the treatment of gastric varices, and to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of these methods, METHODS： From 1995 to 2004, 93 patients with gastric fundal varices underwent interventional radiologic embolotherapy at our hospital. Of the 93 patients, 75 were treated with the balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration （BRTO） procedure; 8 were with the percutaneous transhepatic obliteration （PTO） procedure; and 10 were with the combined BRTO and PTO therapy. A follow-up evaluation examined the rates of survival, recurrence and rebleeding of the gastric varices, worsening of esophageal varices and complications in each group. RESULTS： The BRTO, PTO, and combined therapy were technically successful in 81% （75/93）, 44% （8/18）, and 100% （10/10） patients, respectively. Recurrence of gastric varices was found in 3 patients in the BRTO group and in 3 patients in the PTO group. Rebleeding was observed in 1 patient in the BRTO group and in 1 patient in the PTO group. The 1- and 3-year survival rates were 98% and 87% in the patients without hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） in the BRTO group, 100% and 100% in the PTO group, and 90% and 75% in the combined therapy group, respectively. CONCLUSION： Combined BRTO and PTO therapy may rescue cases with uncontrollable gastric fundal varices that remained even after treatment with BRTO and/or PTO, though there were limitations of our study, including retrospective nature and discrepancy in sample size between the BRTO, PTO and combined therapy groups.展开更多
Background:Natural forests cover approximately 29%of New Zealand’s landmass and represent a large terrestrial carbon pool.In 2002 New Zealand implemented its first representative plot-based natural forest inventory t...Background:Natural forests cover approximately 29%of New Zealand’s landmass and represent a large terrestrial carbon pool.In 2002 New Zealand implemented its first representative plot-based natural forest inventory to assess carbon stocks and stock changes in these mostly undisturbed old-growth forests.Although previous studies have provided estimates of biomass or carbon stocks,these were either not fully representative or lacked data from important pools such as dead wood(coarse woody debris).The current analysis provides the most complete estimates of carbon stocks and stock changes in natural forests in New Zealand.Results:We present estimates of per hectare carbon stocks and stock changes in live and dead organic matter pools excluding soil carbon based on the first two measurement cycles of the New Zealand Natural Forest Inventory carried out from 2002 to 2014.These show that New Zealand’s natural forests are in balance and are neither a carbon source nor a carbon sink.The average total carbon stock was 227.0±14.4 tC·ha^(−1)(95%C.I.)and did not change significantly in the 7.7 years between measurements with the net annual change estimated to be 0.03±0.18 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1).There was a wide variation in carbon stocks between forest groups.Regenerating forest had an averaged carbon stock of only 53.6±9.4 tC·ha^(−1) but had a significant sequestration rate of 0.63±0.25 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1),while tall forest had an average carbon stock of 252.4±15.5 tC·ha^(−1),but its sequestration rate did not differ significantly from zero(−0.06±0.20 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1)).The forest alliance with the largest average carbon stock in above and below ground live and dead organic matter pools was silver beech-red beech-kamahi forest carrying 360.5±34.6 tC·ha^(−1).Dead wood and litter comprised 27%of the total carbon stock.Conclusions:New Zealand’s Natural Forest Inventory provides estimates of carbon stocks including estimates for difficult to measure pools such as dead wood and roots.It also provides estimates of uncertainties including effects of model prediction error and sampling variation between plots.Importantly it shows that on a national level New Zealand’s natural forests are in balance.Nevertheless,this is a nationally important carbon pool that requires continuous monitoring to identify potential negative or positive changes.展开更多
Background:Forest management practices(e.g.choice of stand density,fertilisation)are just as important in carbon(C)forestry as in other types of forestry and will affect the level of C sequestration and profitability....Background:Forest management practices(e.g.choice of stand density,fertilisation)are just as important in carbon(C)forestry as in other types of forestry and will affect the level of C sequestration and profitability.Because C stored in wood is approximately proportional to the product of its volume and density,it is necessary to account for both volume growth and wood density when assessing the effects of fertilisation on C sequestration in pine forests.Methods:The effects of nitrogen(N)input from biosolids application on forest C sequestration were quantified from an intensively monitored biosolids field trial in a Pinus radiata plantation on a sandy soil in New Zealand.The field trial tested the application of three biosolids rates:Control(no application),Standard(300 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),and High(600 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),across three levels of stand density:300,450,and 600 stems⋅ha^(-1).Carbon sequestration was estimated using the C-Change model from annual plot measurements of stand density,stem height and diameter,and annual breast height wood densities obtained from increment cores.Results:By age 24 years,N-fertilised trees had sequestered 40 t C⋅ha^(-1) more than unfertilised trees,an increase of 18%.Fertilisation increased stem volume by 23%but reduced stem wood density by 2.5%.Most of the increased C sequestration occurred between age 6 and age 17 years and the Standard rate gave the same increase in C sequestration as the High rate.On average,there was no significant difference in growth rate between fertilised and unfertilised trees after the 17th growth year,but the increased growth ceased earlier at higher stand densities,and later at lower stand densities.Conclusions:This study indicates that 2–3 applications of the Standard rate would have been sufficient to achieve the increased C sequestration,with an applied N to C conversion ratio of 43–65 kg C⋅kg^(-1) N.Our results highlight that N fertilisation will become more widespread under greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes which en-courages forest management practices that improve C sequestration in young forests in New Zealand in particular and other countries in general.展开更多
Magnetic alumina nano composite (MANC) was prepared for combination of the adsorption features of nano activated alumina with the magnetic properties of iron oxides to produce a nano magnetic adsorbent, which can be s...Magnetic alumina nano composite (MANC) was prepared for combination of the adsorption features of nano activated alumina with the magnetic properties of iron oxides to produce a nano magnetic adsorbent, which can be separated from the medium by a simple magnetic process after adsorption. MANC was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and surface area (BET). Quantum design SQUID magnetometer was used to study the magnetic measurement. The present study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of MANC for the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solutions through batch adsorption technique. The effects of pH, adsorbent dose, temperature, contact time and initial Cd2+ concentration on cadmium ions adsorption were studied. Equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms. The equilibrium data were best represented by the Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic data were fitted to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models, and it was found to follow closely the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated for the Cd2+ ion-MANC system and the positive value of ΔH° showed that the adsorption was endothermic in nature. Furthermore, a single-stage batch adsorber was designed for the removal of Cd2+ ions by MANC based on the equilibrium data obtained.展开更多
Little thought has been given to threats facing plant diversity in this area where many wild plants still exist in their refuge sites in valleys （wadis）, the study area harboring most of the endemic species in the z...Little thought has been given to threats facing plant diversity in this area where many wild plants still exist in their refuge sites in valleys （wadis）, the study area harboring most of the endemic species in the zone, and there are substantial maquis vegetation still remaining. Many plants species in this region have medicinal properties that give them scientific and commercial value. However, the wildlife species are gradually disappearing as a result of damaging and excessive resource exploitation the consistency of the irresponsible and inattentive activities, such as over grazing, ploughing, land reclamation, urbanization, mining, forest fires, over collecting and charcoal production cause damage to several habitats, communities disturbance as a result of that, hundreds of species are threatened with disappearance where many are at the brink of extinction. Also, the anthropogenic pressure accelerates Aeolian soil erosion and destroys the soil seed bank.展开更多
The mathematical basis for the earlier reported spectrum of discrete electromagnetic field (EMF) frequencies that were shown to affect health and disease is substantiated and generalized in the present paper. The part...The mathematical basis for the earlier reported spectrum of discrete electromagnetic field (EMF) frequencies that were shown to affect health and disease is substantiated and generalized in the present paper. The particular EMF pattern was revealed by a meta-analysis of, now, more than 500 biomedical publications that reported life-sustaining as well as life-decaying EMF frequencies. These discrete eigenfrequency values can be related to supposed bio-resonance of solitons or polaron quasi particles in life systems. Bio-solitons are conceived as self-reinforcing solitary waves that are constituting local fields, being involved in intracellular geometric ordering and patterning, as well as in intra- and inter-cellular signalling. Literature search, revealed very similar frequency patterns for wave resonances of nucleotides in aqueous solution, for a candidate RNA-catalyst, as well as for sound-induced vibrations evoked in thin vibrating membranes. This collective evidence points at a generalized biophysical algorithm underlying complexity in nature, evidently manifest in both animate and non-animate modalities. The detected EMF eigenfrequencies could be arithmetically scaled according to an adapted Pythagorean tuning. The mathematical analysis shows that the derived arithmetical scale exhibits a sequence of unique products of integer powers of 2, 3 and a factor .?This generalized semi-harmonic frequency spectrum may reflect a discrete pilot-wave structure that can be interpreted as a, so called, hidden variable in Bohm’s causal interpretation of quantum field theory.展开更多
The role of N2 fixation in structuring plant communities and influencing ecosystem function will be potentially large. In previous study, we investigated nodule biomass and activity, and calculated the amount of N2 fi...The role of N2 fixation in structuring plant communities and influencing ecosystem function will be potentially large. In previous study, we investigated nodule biomass and activity, and calculated the amount of N2 fixation in a naturally established 18-year-old alder (Alnus hirsute (Turcz.) var. sibirica) stand following disturbance by road construction in Takayama, central Japan. In this study, to estimate the facilitation effects by alder on the spatial distribution of the regenerated tree species, we examined the distribution pattern of the regenerated tree species in this naturally established 18-year-old alder stand. The distribution pattern of alder and the regenerated woody species was analyzed in terms of spatial point processes and the regenerated species tended to distribute near the alder site. In particular, bird-dispersed tree species (endozoochory species) with relatively high shade tolerance showed a significant attraction to alder. These results suggest that alder will be used as roost trees and play the role of mother trees for these regenerated species at the degraded site. It was also suggested that the endozoochory species, which occupy 13 of 26 regenerated species in this stand, might regenerate faster than other species at this alder stand.展开更多
A novel biophysical principle: the GM-model was revealed, describing an algorithm for coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) frequencies that either sustain or deteriorate life conditions. The particular frequ...A novel biophysical principle: the GM-model was revealed, describing an algorithm for coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) frequencies that either sustain or deteriorate life conditions. The particular frequency bands could be mathematically positioned on a Pythagorean scale, based on information distribution according to ratios of 2:3 in 1:2. The particular scale exhibits a core pattern of twelve eigenfrequency functions with adjacent self-similar patterns, according to octave hierarchy. In view of the current interest in coherency and entanglement in quantum biology, in the present paper, we report on a meta-analysis of 60 papers in physics that deal with the influence of electromagnetic frequencies on the promotion of entangled states in, so called, EPR experiments. Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen originated the EPR-correlation thought experiment for quantum-entangled particles, in which particles are supposed to react as one body. The meta-analyses of the EPR-experiments learned that entanglement, achieved in the experiments is real, and applied frequencies are located at discrete coherent configurations. Strikingly, all analysed EPR-data of the independent studies fit precisely in the derived scale of coherent frequency data and turned out to be virtually congruent with the above mentioned semi-harmonic EM-scale for living organisms. This implies that the same discrete coherent frequency pattern of EM quantum waves that determine local and non-local states is also applicable to biological order and that quantum entanglement is a prerequisite for life. The study may indicate that the implicate order of pilot-wave steering system, earlier postulated by David Bohm is composed of discrete entangled EM wave modalities, related to a pervading zero-point energy information field.展开更多
The underlying rules for a natural system describing cellular automata are simple, but produce highly complex behavior. A mathematical basis for the spectra of discrete coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) f...The underlying rules for a natural system describing cellular automata are simple, but produce highly complex behavior. A mathematical basis for the spectra of discrete coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) frequencies was derived, in which the algorithm exhibits an information distribution according to ratios of 2:3 in 1:2 at a semi-harmonic manner. This generalized music (GM) model shows that energy both in elementary particles and animate systems is semi-harmonic, quantized and discrete. A support for an ontological basis of the Standard Model was found, and indicates that the GM-model underlies the quantum field theory of subatomic particles. The present theory combines quantum mechanics and classical periodic systems, obeys to locality and solves the “hidden variable theory of Bohm”. The discovered pattern of electromagnetic field eigenvalues, within a broad range of discrete frequencies, points at a de Broglie/Bohm type of causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, implying an integral resonant pilot-wave/particle modality. The model has been substantiated by a meta-analysis of measured discrete energies of: 37 different Elementary Particles, 45 different EPR-measurements, zero-point energies of elements and about 450 electromagnetic wave frequencies of cells with a mean accuracy of 0.58%. It has been shown that the GM-scale is frequency-locked with zero-point oscillations, and thereby evidently implies involvement of entanglement.展开更多
The progresses of marine meteorology studies achieved in China during the four year period from 1999 to 2002 are summarized in six directions: air-sea flux, marine meteorology in high latitudes, marine disasters, conn...The progresses of marine meteorology studies achieved in China during the four year period from 1999 to 2002 are summarized in six directions: air-sea flux, marine meteorology in high latitudes, marine disasters, connection between ocean and weather/climate in China, remote sensing applications and new methodologies in marine meteorology. Compared to the previous ones, these studies adopted much more first-hand datasets, and more scientific issues were involved. As an exciting remark, there were so many contributions done by the young scientists. A brief statement about the research strategy of marine meteorology in China for the coming years is also given.展开更多
Stirred tanks are used extensively in process industry and one of the most commonly used impellers in stirred tanks is the R.ushton disk turbine. Surprisingly few data are available regarding flow and mixing in stirre...Stirred tanks are used extensively in process industry and one of the most commonly used impellers in stirred tanks is the R.ushton disk turbine. Surprisingly few data are available regarding flow and mixing in stirred-tank reactors with Rushton turbine in the laminar regime, in particular the laminar flow in baffled tanks.In this paper, the laminar flow field in a baffled tank stirred by a standard R.ushton turbine is simulated with the improved inner-outer iterative method. The non-inertial coordinate system is used for the impeller region, which is in turn used as the boundary conditions for iteration. It is found that the simulation results are in good agreement with previous experiments. In addition, the flow number and impeller power number calculated from the simulated flow field are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data. This numerical method allows prediction of flow structure requiring no experimental data as the boundary conditions and has the potential of being used to scale-up and design of related process equipment.展开更多
Using viscose fiber (VF) as starting material and common steam as activating agent, formation of oxygen structures in activated carbon fiber is investigated. In the preparation of samples, VF was first heated at tempe...Using viscose fiber (VF) as starting material and common steam as activating agent, formation of oxygen structures in activated carbon fiber is investigated. In the preparation of samples, VF was first heated at temperatures between 450℃ and 900℃ in N_2 artmosphere. Then, in a successive activation stage, the product carbonized at 600℃ was activated in steam at 450-900℃ for 30 min, and at 600℃ for 5-30 min. The other carbonization products were activated at 600 and 900℃ for 30 min respectively. The products activated at 900℃ were then activated at 450℃ for 30 min again. The starting materiah carbonized products and all activation products were examined by FT-IR spectroscopy and some products were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). And the yields of the carbonized and activated products were calculated. By analysing these spectra, the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups of the activated products attained under various activation time, various activation temperature and various previous carbonization temperature was determined.展开更多
In this paper, distributed relay diversity systems are analyzed, modeled and evaluated in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based networks. The investigated distributed relay diversity schemes exten...In this paper, distributed relay diversity systems are analyzed, modeled and evaluated in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based networks. The investigated distributed relay diversity schemes extend the ideas of a single hop transmit antenna schemes such as Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD), Space Time Transmit Diversity (STTD), transmit Coherent Combining (CC) and Selection Diversity (SD) to distributed diversity systems. In contrast to the classical single hop system, the antennas in the distributed systems belongs to distributed relays instead of being co-located at the transmitter. The distributed relay diversity methods considered in this paper: Relay CDD (RCDD), Relay Alamouti (i.e.STTD), Relay CC (RCC) and Relay SD (RSD) are compared to the traditional 1-hop system. Analytical expressions for the received Signal to Interference Noise Ratio (SINR) are derived and used in a dynamic multi-cell multi-user simulator. Results show considerable SINR gains for both Round Robin and Max-SINR schedulers. The SINR gains translate into substantial cell throughput gains, up to 200%, compared to 1-hop systems. Despite its low complexity, the RCDD scheme has similar performance to that of other more sophisticated 2-hop schemes such as Relay Alamouti and Relay Coherent Combining. Marginally better results are observed for the Relay Selection Diversity scheme.展开更多
This report presents an analytical framework for exploring the implications of Fintech innovations for incumbent banks and for provision of the financial safety net.The focus is on“digital banking initiatives”,that ...This report presents an analytical framework for exploring the implications of Fintech innovations for incumbent banks and for provision of the financial safety net.The focus is on“digital banking initiatives”,that is,on Fintech initiatives that provide retail financial services akin to those traditionally provided by banks.Banks perform a wide range of functions for individual and institutional customers that help facilitate large-scale economic activity.In fact,in most economies the system of financial intermediation centres on banks and relies on their core products and services for financing of the economy and the maintenance of liquidity.On account of the central role banks play in the financial system,along with concerns about potential systemic instability linked to the riskiness of their activities,these institutions have long been regarded as“special”,as reflected in their prudential regulation and coverage under the various provisions of the financial safety net.Recent developments raise questions about the special status of banks.Two sets of questions are addressed herein:To what extent do new digital banking initiatives change the role that incumbent banks play in the financial system and the way that they perform their functions?To what extent are some of the new digital banking initiatives securing the benefits of the financial safety net without paying the commensurate price?To help address these questions the report first revisits the literature on core functions of the financial system to provide a framework for analysing recent developments.Particular attention is paid in this context to banks and their products and services.The“special”role of banks is discussed,which links to the provisions of the traditional safety net.These overview sections are followed by evidence on Fintech innovations that overlap the core banking products.Based on an examination of the characteristics of these new initiatives,the study then touches on the issue of whether banks are still special and whether some of these initiatives are or should be covered by financial safety net provisions.展开更多
The demand for high-performance,yet eco-friendly materials is increasing on all scales from small applications in the car industry,instrument or furniture manufacturing to greater dimensions like floorings,balcony fur...The demand for high-performance,yet eco-friendly materials is increasing on all scales from small applications in the car industry,instrument or furniture manufacturing to greater dimensions like floorings,balcony furnishings and even construction.Wood offers a good choice on all of these scales and can be modified and improved in many different ways.In this study,two common European hardwood species,Beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)and Ash(Fraxinus excelsior L.)were densified in radial direction by thermo-mechanical treatment and the densified product was investigated in an extensive characterisation series to determine all relevant mechanical properties.Compression in the three main directions(longitudinal,tangential,radial)and tension perpendicular to the grain(tangential,radial)were tested and compared to reference specimens with native density.Strength and modulus of elasticity were determined in all tests.In addition,a Life Cycle Assessment was carried out to evaluate the environmental impact associated to the densification process.The experimental investigations showed that strength and stiffness of hardwood in the longitudinal and tangential directions improve significantly by radial densification,whereas some properties in the radial direction decrease.The Life Cycle Assessment showed that artificial wood drying has higher impact than wood densification.Furthermore,the transport distance of the raw material highly influences the environmental impact of the final densified product.The paper then also offers an overview of possible applications in structural timber construction.Densified hardwood is a viable option as local reinforcement,where high compressive or tensile strength is needed.The wood densification process offers an alternative to the use of carbon-intense steel components or hardwoods from tropical forests.展开更多
Facing the turn of the century, Asia is unlucky to witness two crises successive-ly. One is the Southeast Asian financial crisis that started from Thailand in Ju-ly last year, which has swept almost all countries and ...Facing the turn of the century, Asia is unlucky to witness two crises successive-ly. One is the Southeast Asian financial crisis that started from Thailand in Ju-ly last year, which has swept almost all countries and regions in East Asia with dis-astrous struck to this“model student of the world”.Its impact has not onlyreached far to the United States, Europe, and Russia, but even led to serious polit-展开更多
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is endemic in South Africa. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurs with increased frequency in HIV seropositive individuals. The increase in NHL has been more marked in the last...Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is endemic in South Africa. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurs with increased frequency in HIV seropositive individuals. The increase in NHL has been more marked in the last decade, with HIV being the major contributor to this increase. More than 70% of the adult NHL patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), Soweto, Johannesburg, are HIV seropositive. In addition, HIV has impacted on the clinical presentation—being more aggressive and atypical. Histologically, HIV-NHL typically manifests as B-cell, high grade lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL);Burkitt lymphoma (BL);B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and BL and plasmablastic lymphoma. The latter two entities, which were previously rare or unknown, have gained prominence in the last decade, occurring primarily in HIV seropositive individuals. HIV-NHL, being associated with all these adverse prognostic factors results in a poorer overall survival.展开更多
The study focused on one of the important contemporary environmental problems, land deterioration, carried out on a semi-desert rangeland constrained by aridity, in an area stretching between two small cities （Solouk...The study focused on one of the important contemporary environmental problems, land deterioration, carried out on a semi-desert rangeland constrained by aridity, in an area stretching between two small cities （Solouk and A1-Abyar） south of the city of Benghazi in north eastern Libya. The vegetation analysis revealed that the plant life is mainly confined to wadis （valleys）. Average vegetation cover was ranging between 39.53% and 69.20%. Biomass was ranging between 28.33 gm/m2 and 129.42 gm/m2, （average soil depth was between 30 cm and 50 cm）, meanwhile 25% of the area is covered by hummocks. The total number of sampled soil seed bank was 25,870 seed/m2, in which the important forage family Fabaceae constituted 450 seed/m2. Life forms spectrum was： 55.2% Therophytes, 26.3% Chamaeopytes, 11.4% Cryptophytes and 7.1% Phanerophytes. Alpha diversity 1.3%-3.4%, and Beta diversity 11.9%-77.6%. The soil showed low organic matter content an lean to alkalinity. The study showed that the area is characterized by harsh climate elements which led to land degradation in the form of low productivity, retrogressive succession, soil erosion, and sandy encroachment from the south desert area. In the last decades the land degradation was accelerated by the accumulative anthropogenic.展开更多
Different from previous temporal evolution assumption, the spatially growing mode was employed to analyze the linear stability for the channel flow of fiber suspensions. The stability equation applicable to fiber susp...Different from previous temporal evolution assumption, the spatially growing mode was employed to analyze the linear stability for the channel flow of fiber suspensions. The stability equation applicable to fiber suspensions was established and solutions for a wide range of Reynolds number and angular frequency were given numerically . The results show that, the flow instability is governed by a parameter H which represents a ratio between the axial stretching resistance of fiber and the inertial force of the fluid. An increase of H leads to a raise of the critical Reynolds number, a decrease of corresponding wave number, a slowdown of the decreasing of phase velocity , a growth of the spatial attenuation rate and a diminishment of the peak value of disturbance velocity. Although the unstable region is reduced on the whole, long wave disturbances are susceptible to fibers.展开更多
文摘AIM： To evaluate the effect of three interventional treatments involving transvenous obliteration for the treatment of gastric varices, and to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of these methods, METHODS： From 1995 to 2004, 93 patients with gastric fundal varices underwent interventional radiologic embolotherapy at our hospital. Of the 93 patients, 75 were treated with the balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration （BRTO） procedure; 8 were with the percutaneous transhepatic obliteration （PTO） procedure; and 10 were with the combined BRTO and PTO therapy. A follow-up evaluation examined the rates of survival, recurrence and rebleeding of the gastric varices, worsening of esophageal varices and complications in each group. RESULTS： The BRTO, PTO, and combined therapy were technically successful in 81% （75/93）, 44% （8/18）, and 100% （10/10） patients, respectively. Recurrence of gastric varices was found in 3 patients in the BRTO group and in 3 patients in the PTO group. Rebleeding was observed in 1 patient in the BRTO group and in 1 patient in the PTO group. The 1- and 3-year survival rates were 98% and 87% in the patients without hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） in the BRTO group, 100% and 100% in the PTO group, and 90% and 75% in the combined therapy group, respectively. CONCLUSION： Combined BRTO and PTO therapy may rescue cases with uncontrollable gastric fundal varices that remained even after treatment with BRTO and/or PTO, though there were limitations of our study, including retrospective nature and discrepancy in sample size between the BRTO, PTO and combined therapy groups.
基金The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment provided funding to undertake data analysis and preparation of this manuscript under Statement of Work 21078Additional support was provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Business,Innovation and Employment Core funding to Crown Research Institutes.
文摘Background:Natural forests cover approximately 29%of New Zealand’s landmass and represent a large terrestrial carbon pool.In 2002 New Zealand implemented its first representative plot-based natural forest inventory to assess carbon stocks and stock changes in these mostly undisturbed old-growth forests.Although previous studies have provided estimates of biomass or carbon stocks,these were either not fully representative or lacked data from important pools such as dead wood(coarse woody debris).The current analysis provides the most complete estimates of carbon stocks and stock changes in natural forests in New Zealand.Results:We present estimates of per hectare carbon stocks and stock changes in live and dead organic matter pools excluding soil carbon based on the first two measurement cycles of the New Zealand Natural Forest Inventory carried out from 2002 to 2014.These show that New Zealand’s natural forests are in balance and are neither a carbon source nor a carbon sink.The average total carbon stock was 227.0±14.4 tC·ha^(−1)(95%C.I.)and did not change significantly in the 7.7 years between measurements with the net annual change estimated to be 0.03±0.18 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1).There was a wide variation in carbon stocks between forest groups.Regenerating forest had an averaged carbon stock of only 53.6±9.4 tC·ha^(−1) but had a significant sequestration rate of 0.63±0.25 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1),while tall forest had an average carbon stock of 252.4±15.5 tC·ha^(−1),but its sequestration rate did not differ significantly from zero(−0.06±0.20 tC·ha^(−1)·yr^(−1)).The forest alliance with the largest average carbon stock in above and below ground live and dead organic matter pools was silver beech-red beech-kamahi forest carrying 360.5±34.6 tC·ha^(−1).Dead wood and litter comprised 27%of the total carbon stock.Conclusions:New Zealand’s Natural Forest Inventory provides estimates of carbon stocks including estimates for difficult to measure pools such as dead wood and roots.It also provides estimates of uncertainties including effects of model prediction error and sampling variation between plots.Importantly it shows that on a national level New Zealand’s natural forests are in balance.Nevertheless,this is a nationally important carbon pool that requires continuous monitoring to identify potential negative or positive changes.
基金The Ministry of Business,Innovation and Employment,New Zealand provided funding(contract no.C03X0902)for this research.
文摘Background:Forest management practices(e.g.choice of stand density,fertilisation)are just as important in carbon(C)forestry as in other types of forestry and will affect the level of C sequestration and profitability.Because C stored in wood is approximately proportional to the product of its volume and density,it is necessary to account for both volume growth and wood density when assessing the effects of fertilisation on C sequestration in pine forests.Methods:The effects of nitrogen(N)input from biosolids application on forest C sequestration were quantified from an intensively monitored biosolids field trial in a Pinus radiata plantation on a sandy soil in New Zealand.The field trial tested the application of three biosolids rates:Control(no application),Standard(300 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),and High(600 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),across three levels of stand density:300,450,and 600 stems⋅ha^(-1).Carbon sequestration was estimated using the C-Change model from annual plot measurements of stand density,stem height and diameter,and annual breast height wood densities obtained from increment cores.Results:By age 24 years,N-fertilised trees had sequestered 40 t C⋅ha^(-1) more than unfertilised trees,an increase of 18%.Fertilisation increased stem volume by 23%but reduced stem wood density by 2.5%.Most of the increased C sequestration occurred between age 6 and age 17 years and the Standard rate gave the same increase in C sequestration as the High rate.On average,there was no significant difference in growth rate between fertilised and unfertilised trees after the 17th growth year,but the increased growth ceased earlier at higher stand densities,and later at lower stand densities.Conclusions:This study indicates that 2–3 applications of the Standard rate would have been sufficient to achieve the increased C sequestration,with an applied N to C conversion ratio of 43–65 kg C⋅kg^(-1) N.Our results highlight that N fertilisation will become more widespread under greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes which en-courages forest management practices that improve C sequestration in young forests in New Zealand in particular and other countries in general.
文摘Magnetic alumina nano composite (MANC) was prepared for combination of the adsorption features of nano activated alumina with the magnetic properties of iron oxides to produce a nano magnetic adsorbent, which can be separated from the medium by a simple magnetic process after adsorption. MANC was characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and surface area (BET). Quantum design SQUID magnetometer was used to study the magnetic measurement. The present study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of MANC for the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous solutions through batch adsorption technique. The effects of pH, adsorbent dose, temperature, contact time and initial Cd2+ concentration on cadmium ions adsorption were studied. Equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms. The equilibrium data were best represented by the Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic data were fitted to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models, and it was found to follow closely the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated for the Cd2+ ion-MANC system and the positive value of ΔH° showed that the adsorption was endothermic in nature. Furthermore, a single-stage batch adsorber was designed for the removal of Cd2+ ions by MANC based on the equilibrium data obtained.
文摘Little thought has been given to threats facing plant diversity in this area where many wild plants still exist in their refuge sites in valleys （wadis）, the study area harboring most of the endemic species in the zone, and there are substantial maquis vegetation still remaining. Many plants species in this region have medicinal properties that give them scientific and commercial value. However, the wildlife species are gradually disappearing as a result of damaging and excessive resource exploitation the consistency of the irresponsible and inattentive activities, such as over grazing, ploughing, land reclamation, urbanization, mining, forest fires, over collecting and charcoal production cause damage to several habitats, communities disturbance as a result of that, hundreds of species are threatened with disappearance where many are at the brink of extinction. Also, the anthropogenic pressure accelerates Aeolian soil erosion and destroys the soil seed bank.
文摘The mathematical basis for the earlier reported spectrum of discrete electromagnetic field (EMF) frequencies that were shown to affect health and disease is substantiated and generalized in the present paper. The particular EMF pattern was revealed by a meta-analysis of, now, more than 500 biomedical publications that reported life-sustaining as well as life-decaying EMF frequencies. These discrete eigenfrequency values can be related to supposed bio-resonance of solitons or polaron quasi particles in life systems. Bio-solitons are conceived as self-reinforcing solitary waves that are constituting local fields, being involved in intracellular geometric ordering and patterning, as well as in intra- and inter-cellular signalling. Literature search, revealed very similar frequency patterns for wave resonances of nucleotides in aqueous solution, for a candidate RNA-catalyst, as well as for sound-induced vibrations evoked in thin vibrating membranes. This collective evidence points at a generalized biophysical algorithm underlying complexity in nature, evidently manifest in both animate and non-animate modalities. The detected EMF eigenfrequencies could be arithmetically scaled according to an adapted Pythagorean tuning. The mathematical analysis shows that the derived arithmetical scale exhibits a sequence of unique products of integer powers of 2, 3 and a factor .?This generalized semi-harmonic frequency spectrum may reflect a discrete pilot-wave structure that can be interpreted as a, so called, hidden variable in Bohm’s causal interpretation of quantum field theory.
文摘The role of N2 fixation in structuring plant communities and influencing ecosystem function will be potentially large. In previous study, we investigated nodule biomass and activity, and calculated the amount of N2 fixation in a naturally established 18-year-old alder (Alnus hirsute (Turcz.) var. sibirica) stand following disturbance by road construction in Takayama, central Japan. In this study, to estimate the facilitation effects by alder on the spatial distribution of the regenerated tree species, we examined the distribution pattern of the regenerated tree species in this naturally established 18-year-old alder stand. The distribution pattern of alder and the regenerated woody species was analyzed in terms of spatial point processes and the regenerated species tended to distribute near the alder site. In particular, bird-dispersed tree species (endozoochory species) with relatively high shade tolerance showed a significant attraction to alder. These results suggest that alder will be used as roost trees and play the role of mother trees for these regenerated species at the degraded site. It was also suggested that the endozoochory species, which occupy 13 of 26 regenerated species in this stand, might regenerate faster than other species at this alder stand.
文摘A novel biophysical principle: the GM-model was revealed, describing an algorithm for coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) frequencies that either sustain or deteriorate life conditions. The particular frequency bands could be mathematically positioned on a Pythagorean scale, based on information distribution according to ratios of 2:3 in 1:2. The particular scale exhibits a core pattern of twelve eigenfrequency functions with adjacent self-similar patterns, according to octave hierarchy. In view of the current interest in coherency and entanglement in quantum biology, in the present paper, we report on a meta-analysis of 60 papers in physics that deal with the influence of electromagnetic frequencies on the promotion of entangled states in, so called, EPR experiments. Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen originated the EPR-correlation thought experiment for quantum-entangled particles, in which particles are supposed to react as one body. The meta-analyses of the EPR-experiments learned that entanglement, achieved in the experiments is real, and applied frequencies are located at discrete coherent configurations. Strikingly, all analysed EPR-data of the independent studies fit precisely in the derived scale of coherent frequency data and turned out to be virtually congruent with the above mentioned semi-harmonic EM-scale for living organisms. This implies that the same discrete coherent frequency pattern of EM quantum waves that determine local and non-local states is also applicable to biological order and that quantum entanglement is a prerequisite for life. The study may indicate that the implicate order of pilot-wave steering system, earlier postulated by David Bohm is composed of discrete entangled EM wave modalities, related to a pervading zero-point energy information field.
文摘The underlying rules for a natural system describing cellular automata are simple, but produce highly complex behavior. A mathematical basis for the spectra of discrete coherent and non-coherent electromagnetic (EM) frequencies was derived, in which the algorithm exhibits an information distribution according to ratios of 2:3 in 1:2 at a semi-harmonic manner. This generalized music (GM) model shows that energy both in elementary particles and animate systems is semi-harmonic, quantized and discrete. A support for an ontological basis of the Standard Model was found, and indicates that the GM-model underlies the quantum field theory of subatomic particles. The present theory combines quantum mechanics and classical periodic systems, obeys to locality and solves the “hidden variable theory of Bohm”. The discovered pattern of electromagnetic field eigenvalues, within a broad range of discrete frequencies, points at a de Broglie/Bohm type of causal interpretation of quantum mechanics, implying an integral resonant pilot-wave/particle modality. The model has been substantiated by a meta-analysis of measured discrete energies of: 37 different Elementary Particles, 45 different EPR-measurements, zero-point energies of elements and about 450 electromagnetic wave frequencies of cells with a mean accuracy of 0.58%. It has been shown that the GM-scale is frequency-locked with zero-point oscillations, and thereby evidently implies involvement of entanglement.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40136010)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2001DIA50041)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KZCX-2-205).
文摘The progresses of marine meteorology studies achieved in China during the four year period from 1999 to 2002 are summarized in six directions: air-sea flux, marine meteorology in high latitudes, marine disasters, connection between ocean and weather/climate in China, remote sensing applications and new methodologies in marine meteorology. Compared to the previous ones, these studies adopted much more first-hand datasets, and more scientific issues were involved. As an exciting remark, there were so many contributions done by the young scientists. A brief statement about the research strategy of marine meteorology in China for the coming years is also given.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20106016 and No. 20236050).
文摘Stirred tanks are used extensively in process industry and one of the most commonly used impellers in stirred tanks is the R.ushton disk turbine. Surprisingly few data are available regarding flow and mixing in stirred-tank reactors with Rushton turbine in the laminar regime, in particular the laminar flow in baffled tanks.In this paper, the laminar flow field in a baffled tank stirred by a standard R.ushton turbine is simulated with the improved inner-outer iterative method. The non-inertial coordinate system is used for the impeller region, which is in turn used as the boundary conditions for iteration. It is found that the simulation results are in good agreement with previous experiments. In addition, the flow number and impeller power number calculated from the simulated flow field are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data. This numerical method allows prediction of flow structure requiring no experimental data as the boundary conditions and has the potential of being used to scale-up and design of related process equipment.
文摘Using viscose fiber (VF) as starting material and common steam as activating agent, formation of oxygen structures in activated carbon fiber is investigated. In the preparation of samples, VF was first heated at temperatures between 450℃ and 900℃ in N_2 artmosphere. Then, in a successive activation stage, the product carbonized at 600℃ was activated in steam at 450-900℃ for 30 min, and at 600℃ for 5-30 min. The other carbonization products were activated at 600 and 900℃ for 30 min respectively. The products activated at 900℃ were then activated at 450℃ for 30 min again. The starting materiah carbonized products and all activation products were examined by FT-IR spectroscopy and some products were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). And the yields of the carbonized and activated products were calculated. By analysing these spectra, the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups of the activated products attained under various activation time, various activation temperature and various previous carbonization temperature was determined.
文摘In this paper, distributed relay diversity systems are analyzed, modeled and evaluated in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based networks. The investigated distributed relay diversity schemes extend the ideas of a single hop transmit antenna schemes such as Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD), Space Time Transmit Diversity (STTD), transmit Coherent Combining (CC) and Selection Diversity (SD) to distributed diversity systems. In contrast to the classical single hop system, the antennas in the distributed systems belongs to distributed relays instead of being co-located at the transmitter. The distributed relay diversity methods considered in this paper: Relay CDD (RCDD), Relay Alamouti (i.e.STTD), Relay CC (RCC) and Relay SD (RSD) are compared to the traditional 1-hop system. Analytical expressions for the received Signal to Interference Noise Ratio (SINR) are derived and used in a dynamic multi-cell multi-user simulator. Results show considerable SINR gains for both Round Robin and Max-SINR schedulers. The SINR gains translate into substantial cell throughput gains, up to 200%, compared to 1-hop systems. Despite its low complexity, the RCDD scheme has similar performance to that of other more sophisticated 2-hop schemes such as Relay Alamouti and Relay Coherent Combining. Marginally better results are observed for the Relay Selection Diversity scheme.
文摘This report presents an analytical framework for exploring the implications of Fintech innovations for incumbent banks and for provision of the financial safety net.The focus is on“digital banking initiatives”,that is,on Fintech initiatives that provide retail financial services akin to those traditionally provided by banks.Banks perform a wide range of functions for individual and institutional customers that help facilitate large-scale economic activity.In fact,in most economies the system of financial intermediation centres on banks and relies on their core products and services for financing of the economy and the maintenance of liquidity.On account of the central role banks play in the financial system,along with concerns about potential systemic instability linked to the riskiness of their activities,these institutions have long been regarded as“special”,as reflected in their prudential regulation and coverage under the various provisions of the financial safety net.Recent developments raise questions about the special status of banks.Two sets of questions are addressed herein:To what extent do new digital banking initiatives change the role that incumbent banks play in the financial system and the way that they perform their functions?To what extent are some of the new digital banking initiatives securing the benefits of the financial safety net without paying the commensurate price?To help address these questions the report first revisits the literature on core functions of the financial system to provide a framework for analysing recent developments.Particular attention is paid in this context to banks and their products and services.The“special”role of banks is discussed,which links to the provisions of the traditional safety net.These overview sections are followed by evidence on Fintech innovations that overlap the core banking products.Based on an examination of the characteristics of these new initiatives,the study then touches on the issue of whether banks are still special and whether some of these initiatives are or should be covered by financial safety net provisions.
文摘The demand for high-performance,yet eco-friendly materials is increasing on all scales from small applications in the car industry,instrument or furniture manufacturing to greater dimensions like floorings,balcony furnishings and even construction.Wood offers a good choice on all of these scales and can be modified and improved in many different ways.In this study,two common European hardwood species,Beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)and Ash(Fraxinus excelsior L.)were densified in radial direction by thermo-mechanical treatment and the densified product was investigated in an extensive characterisation series to determine all relevant mechanical properties.Compression in the three main directions(longitudinal,tangential,radial)and tension perpendicular to the grain(tangential,radial)were tested and compared to reference specimens with native density.Strength and modulus of elasticity were determined in all tests.In addition,a Life Cycle Assessment was carried out to evaluate the environmental impact associated to the densification process.The experimental investigations showed that strength and stiffness of hardwood in the longitudinal and tangential directions improve significantly by radial densification,whereas some properties in the radial direction decrease.The Life Cycle Assessment showed that artificial wood drying has higher impact than wood densification.Furthermore,the transport distance of the raw material highly influences the environmental impact of the final densified product.The paper then also offers an overview of possible applications in structural timber construction.Densified hardwood is a viable option as local reinforcement,where high compressive or tensile strength is needed.The wood densification process offers an alternative to the use of carbon-intense steel components or hardwoods from tropical forests.
文摘Facing the turn of the century, Asia is unlucky to witness two crises successive-ly. One is the Southeast Asian financial crisis that started from Thailand in Ju-ly last year, which has swept almost all countries and regions in East Asia with dis-astrous struck to this“model student of the world”.Its impact has not onlyreached far to the United States, Europe, and Russia, but even led to serious polit-
文摘Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is endemic in South Africa. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurs with increased frequency in HIV seropositive individuals. The increase in NHL has been more marked in the last decade, with HIV being the major contributor to this increase. More than 70% of the adult NHL patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), Soweto, Johannesburg, are HIV seropositive. In addition, HIV has impacted on the clinical presentation—being more aggressive and atypical. Histologically, HIV-NHL typically manifests as B-cell, high grade lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL);Burkitt lymphoma (BL);B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and BL and plasmablastic lymphoma. The latter two entities, which were previously rare or unknown, have gained prominence in the last decade, occurring primarily in HIV seropositive individuals. HIV-NHL, being associated with all these adverse prognostic factors results in a poorer overall survival.
文摘The study focused on one of the important contemporary environmental problems, land deterioration, carried out on a semi-desert rangeland constrained by aridity, in an area stretching between two small cities （Solouk and A1-Abyar） south of the city of Benghazi in north eastern Libya. The vegetation analysis revealed that the plant life is mainly confined to wadis （valleys）. Average vegetation cover was ranging between 39.53% and 69.20%. Biomass was ranging between 28.33 gm/m2 and 129.42 gm/m2, （average soil depth was between 30 cm and 50 cm）, meanwhile 25% of the area is covered by hummocks. The total number of sampled soil seed bank was 25,870 seed/m2, in which the important forage family Fabaceae constituted 450 seed/m2. Life forms spectrum was： 55.2% Therophytes, 26.3% Chamaeopytes, 11.4% Cryptophytes and 7.1% Phanerophytes. Alpha diversity 1.3%-3.4%, and Beta diversity 11.9%-77.6%. The soil showed low organic matter content an lean to alkalinity. The study showed that the area is characterized by harsh climate elements which led to land degradation in the form of low productivity, retrogressive succession, soil erosion, and sandy encroachment from the south desert area. In the last decades the land degradation was accelerated by the accumulative anthropogenic.
基金Foundation item: the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Outstanding Young Sci-entists (19925210)
文摘Different from previous temporal evolution assumption, the spatially growing mode was employed to analyze the linear stability for the channel flow of fiber suspensions. The stability equation applicable to fiber suspensions was established and solutions for a wide range of Reynolds number and angular frequency were given numerically . The results show that, the flow instability is governed by a parameter H which represents a ratio between the axial stretching resistance of fiber and the inertial force of the fluid. An increase of H leads to a raise of the critical Reynolds number, a decrease of corresponding wave number, a slowdown of the decreasing of phase velocity , a growth of the spatial attenuation rate and a diminishment of the peak value of disturbance velocity. Although the unstable region is reduced on the whole, long wave disturbances are susceptible to fibers.
