Degree Of Disturbance Research Articles

Effect on growth and development of common toad (Rhinella arenarum) tadpoles in environment related to fluorite mine

Fluorite mining activities have been scarcely evaluated so far and the potential effect of this activity on larval stages is poorly known. Thus, studies addressing the effect of contaminants present in water bodies on the health of amphibian larvae are crucial information for their conservation and constitute a warning sign of environmental modification. This study aims to evaluate the effects of natural and artificial surface waters associated with a fluorite mine on the early life stages of Rhinella arenarum. Using microcosms, we assessed four sites with different degrees of disturbance by the fluorine mine: Vallecitos stream (undisturbed); Cerros Negros upstream of mining camp (low disturbance); Cerros Negro downstream of mining camp (medium disturbance); Decantation Ponds (high disturbance). For 65 days we measured different endpoints at different periods of tadpole development. The highest mortality of tadpoles was observed in the Decantation Ponds. In the same way, larval body condition was lower at Decantation Ponds throughout the study, due mainly to the lower weight. A significant decrease in growth and development was observed in Cerros Negro downstream of the mining camp and Decantation Ponds. No significant differences in growth, development and mortality were observed for the other two sites. At the metamorphic climax we observe a lower body condition and a reduced recruitment of individuals in Decantation Ponds. This study allowed us to assess the effect on larvae of R. arenarum of fluorite mining wastewater compared with other near-natural sites. Given the potentially negative synergic effects of mixed water pollutants on tadpoles, this study suggests that chronic exposure to fluorite mining water may significantly impact the adult amphibian population structure, thus altering population viability. Therefore, we propose to monitor the correct functioning of the mine and especially of Decantation Ponds to avoid discharges into the natural streams.

Multi-level modeling and robustness evaluation of disturbances in intelligent workshop with temporal snapshot network

Disturbances occurred in the workshop production process disrupt the original production order, thus affecting production efficiency and production stability. Previous research focused on addressing status perception and operation control problem of intelligent workshop, but pays little attention on the formation process of disturbances and the evaluation of disturbances disruption effect on process completion time or manufacturing system robustness. It leads to difficulty in quantifying the destruction degree of disturbances and ensuring production robustness stability after being disrupted. To this end, a multi-level modeling and robustness evaluation method of disturbances are proposed. Firstly, a multi-level modeling method which quantifies disturbances disruption degree is presented by the fluctuation between the ideal level and the actual level of process completion time. Secondly, the evolution models of gradual disturbance and abrupt disturbance are constructed to analyze the correlation between disturbance evolution process and production robustness fluctuation. Then, a critical vertex identification algorithm is also presented to reveal the influence of machine importance on the disturbance destruction range. Finally, the production process of a typical manufacturing system is taken as a case study to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in quantifying the disturbance disruption degree and evaluating the robustness fluctuation of the manufacturing system.

Prevalence of global spinal malalignment and the influence on LBP and HR-QOL in a healthy, nonelderly population. A cross sectional analysis, including bone mineral density, skeletal muscle mass index, and back muscle extensor strength

BackgroundIn healthy, nonelderly populations, prevalence of 3 modifiers of global spinal malalignment (GS-MalAlign) (PT ≧20°, PI-LL≧10°, SVA≧40 mm) remains unknown. The clinical significance has not been determined. The purposes are to disclose the prevalence of the 3 modifiers of GS-MalAlign, and evaluate the influence on LBP, and HR-QOL related to bone mineral density (BMD), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and back muscle extensors strength (BMES) in a healthy, nonelderly population. MethodsA mono-centric, cross-sectional survey. Three hundred and 2 participants (18< age <65 years) without ADL disturbance were consecutively enrolled. Sagittal parameters of the spine and the pelvis were measure on whole spine radiograms. BMD and SMI were determined using DEXA. BMES was defined as a maximum extension force at the T4 to T7 level and measured by a strain-gauge dynamotor. LBP was checked through interview. HR-QOL was ascertained by score of Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36-Health Survey (SF-36v2). ResultsThe final analysis could be done in 84 females and 179 males. PT≧20°, PI-LL≧10°, and SVA≧40 mm were found in 12% (31/263), 11% (31/263), and 6% (16/263), and each mean value was 25.0 ± 4.0°, 15.3 ± 5.9°, and 52.7 ± 12.2 mm (Mean ± S.D.). Prevalence of LBP was significantly higher in the participants with PI-LL≧10° than with PI-LL<10°; 43% (12/28) versus 21% (49/235) (p<.05). PI-LL≧10° only had an association with LBP (OR: 3.0435, 95% CI, 1.1378–8.141, p<.05). Four 2% of participants (4/263) associated with all 3 modifiers had LBP and a significantly lower mental component summary score of SF-36v2 (p<.05). ConclusionsSome of individuals are associated with GS-MalAlign even in healthy, nonelderly populations. There is a possibility that PI-LL ≧10° results in LBP within a degree of no ADL disturbance, and it is speculated that coexistence of all 3 modifiers of GS-MalAlign would lead to a poor mental HR-QOL.

Soil disturbance induced by shield tunnelling in sensitive clay: In situ test and analyses

Shield tunnelling in sensitive soil causes disturbance to the surrounding soil, damages the soil structure, and results in soil strength reduction. It has a significant impact on the strength and deformation of the soil during shield tunnelling, and further affects the long-term post-construction settlement of the tunnel structure. This paper firstly obtained the soil disturbance and its distribution especially under the tunnel by the in-situ measurement, and the effect of tunneling advancing speed on soil disturbance degree was analyzed. In this paper, in situ tests were performed on an earth pressure balanced (EPB) shield tunnelling site of a subway in deep soft soil layers in Ningbo. Before and after the shield tunnelling, the cone penetration tests (CPTs) were carried out along the axis and profile of the tunnel, and the cross-hole shear wave velocity tests were conducted. Displacement of the surrounding soil and excess pore water pressure (EPWP) were also monitored during shield tunnelling. The results showed that after shield tunnelling the cone penetration resistance (CPR) and shear wave velocity of the surrounding soil decreased remarkably, further confirming that shield tunnelling caused disturbance to the sensitive soft soil. The soil disturbance degree (SDD) is defined based on the CPR, and the soil disturbance boundary caused by shield tunnelling is determined based on distributions of SDD and EPWP. Horizontally, the disturbance boundary of the surrounding soil is located about 0.8D (D represents the tunnel diameter) outside the tunnel, and vertically, the bottom and top of the disturbance boundary are located about 1.29D below and 0.58D above the tunnel. The maximum SDD at the bottom and top of the tunnel reached 80% and 90% respectively, and the average SDD of the disturbance range below the tunnel is about 60%. The testing results indicated that a higher advancing speed causes a greater disturbance to the surrounding soil, and all the analysis results provide helpful guidance for optimizing the EPB shield tunnelling and reducing soil disturbance.

Does the degree of preoperative gait disturbance remain after tumor resection in patients with intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors?

Retrospective comparative study. This study aimed to determine whether the degree of preoperative gait disturbance remains following surgical resection in patients with intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumors (IDEMSCTs), and to investigate any factors that may influence poor improvement in postoperative gait disturbance. The single institution in Japan. In total, 78 IDEMSCTs patients who required surgical excision between 2010 and 2019 were included. According to the degree of preoperative gait disturbance using modified McCormick scale (MMCS) grade, they were divided into the Mild and Severe groups. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 50.7 ± 17.9 months. Data on demographic and surgical characteristics were compared between the two groups. There was no significant difference in terms of age at surgery, sex, tumor size, surgical time, estimated blood loss, tumor histopathology, and postoperative follow-up period between the Mild and Severe groups. At the final follow-up, 84.6% of IDEMSCTs patients were able to walk without support. Gait disturbance improved after surgery in most of the patients with preoperative MMCS grades II-IV, but remained in approximately half of patients with preoperative MMCS grade V. Age at surgery was correlated with poor improvement in postoperative gait disturbance in the Severe group. Regardless of the degree of preoperative gait disturbance, it improved after tumor resection in most of the IDEMSCTs patients. However, in the preoperative MMCS grade III-V cases, older age at surgery would be an important factor associated with poor improvement in postoperative gait disturbance.

The Failure Law and Combined Support Technology of Roadways with Weak Surrounding Rock in Deep Wells

In order to effectively address stability control technology issues of soft surrounding rock roadways in deep mines. This study analyses the deformation and failure characteristics of the surrounding rock of a −962 m horizontal track roadway with original support conditions based on a severe deformation case that occurred in a mine. Upon establishing a mechanical model of surrounding rock failure zoning for circular roadways, which is based on the relationship between the stress–strain curve of soft rocks and the secondary stress distribution and strength of surrounding rock, this study explores the influence of rock strength indicators, disturbance degree, and support resistance on the stress distribution of the surrounding rock. The failure or instability mechanism of high-stress soft and weak surrounding rock is revealed on this basis. A multi-stage strengthening combined support technology is proposed, which consists of “high-strength prestressed anchor bolt (cable) supports as the core, deep and shallow hole groutings as the foundation, bottom angle, and floor anchorage grouting reinforcements as the key.” Moreover, numerical simulation and engineering practice optimize and verify the support scheme. The results show that after adopting the multi-stage strengthening combined support technology, the deformation of the surrounding rock of the roadways was only 12.6~14.3% of that under the original supporting parameters, and the deformation rate was still less than 0.2 mm/d even after 40 days. The proposed surrounding rock support method realizes the stability control of the roadway, which also has specific reference significance for similar projects.

Sedimentary seagrass carbon stock and sources of organic carbon across contrasting seagrass meadows in Indonesia.

Seagrass meadows are an important component of coastal ecosystems globally, and they capture and store organic carbon in living biomass and sediments. Geographical estimates of blue carbon in seagrass habitats are regionally biased, with limited information from the Indo-Pacific region, including Indonesia. Seagrass extent in Indonesia is declining rapidly, and it has been suggested that marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important instrument to support protection of seagrass ecosystems and their services. Thus, this study is aimed at quantifying and comparing sedimentary carbon stocks and sources of organic carbon from seagrass meadows located in undisturbed areas outside MPA, disturbed areas outside MPA, and within MPA in three small islands in Indonesia. The sediment carbon stocks from this study ranged from 19.81 to 117.49 Mg C ha-1, with the highest stock measured inside MPA (77.15 ± 1.38 Mg C ha-1), followed by undisturbed outside MPA (36.08 Mg C ha-1), and the lowest stock at disturbed outside MPA (21.86 ± 0.31 Mg C ha-1). The predominant source of organic carbon in disturbed meadows was from coastal POM (particulate organic matter, ~ 36%), while in MPA and undisturbed sites, the main source was from seagrass, with ~ 38% and ~ 60% contributions, respectively. The results of this study add more data and information on seagrass blue carbon potential from three different islands with different degrees of disturbance in Indonesia.

Effect of thixotropy on mechanical properties of soft clay with different initial disturbance degrees

ABSTRACT Tunnel excavation, pile driving and pipe cutting will cause different degrees of disturbance to the surrounding soil, which brings great potential risks to the safe operation of the project. In this study, the influence law of thixotropy on the compression characteristics, stress-strain relationship and shear strength index of soft clay in the Binhai area of Tianjin is investigated by using one-dimensional compression and triaxial tests, combined with two factors, which are the degree of initial perturbation and the resting time. The study shows that the mechanical properties of the soil will be greatly improved after 1d of resting, while the enhancement effect will be weakened in the later stage. The larger the initial disturbance degree, the worse the mechanical properties of the soil. Finally, based on the data analysis, the prediction models of soft clay shear strength index c and φ value are established respectively.

Giant myxoma of the right sections of the heart obstructing the inferior vena cava: A case report

Objective: We present a rare case of surgical management of giant myxoma of the right heart with obstruction of the orifice of the inferior vena cava (IVC), obstruction of the right atrioventricular orifice, with the development of high pulmonary hypertension, and severe heart failure. Case presentation: A 39 years old male patients applied to the consultative polyclinic with typical complaints of severe shortness of breath, palpitations, severe weakness, almost bed rest, severe swelling of the lower extremities, with a transition to the anterior abdominal wall (edema). On physical examination signs of severe heart failure NYHA class IV were revealed. Imaging demonstrated giant right atrial myxoma obstructing IVC with base originated in fossa ovalis, obstructing tricuspid valve and protruding in the right ventricle occupying 50% of its cavity. The surgical removal of the giant RA myxoma protruding the right ventricle and obstructing IVC and tricuspid valve was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass and hemodynamic support. The patient was discharged on the 10th day after surgery and only residual minimal tricuspid regurgitation was revealed on follow-up examination. Conclusion: The described case from our practice proves the possibility of a severe course of giant myxomas of the right heart, with the development of deep hemodynamic complications of systemic and pulmonary circulation. The chosen correct tactics of surgical treatment provided a favorable result, despite the severity of the initial condition and the degree of hemodynamic disturbance. Intraoperative tactics and technique for performing the stages of urgent surgery were chosen based on the situation, the features of the anatomical structure of the tumor, and the severe complications that arose. Our case proves the possibility of adequate implementation of such interventions, when choosing the right tactics of surgical treatment. Take home message: If clinical signs of circulatory failure, heart failure are detected, it is necessary to perform echocardiography. If mass formations of the heart chambers are detected, immediately refer the patient to specialized cardiac surgery clinics to resolve the issue of surgical correction of pathology.

Real-Time Control Operation Method of Water Diversion Project Based on River Diversion Disturbance

Changes in water diversion flow are the major disturbance sources in the daily operation of water diversion projects. Ensuring efficient and safe project operation while dealing with different degrees of water diversion disturbance is crucial for real-time control operation. Based on the historical water diversion projects in China and abroad, this study constructs the water diversion disturbance conditions, selects the typical disturbance lines, and constructs the control objectives for different water diversion disturbance lines. The discrete state space equation of the multi-channel pool integral time-delay model is introduced and used as the system prediction model. Concurrently, the simulation results of the river channel hydrodynamic model are used to correct the system state. The model predictive control algorithm is established according to the objective functions of different typical water distribution disturbance lines, and the control strategy of the control gate and pump station along the water diversion project is formulated to assist in the decision making of the project scheduling operation scheme. The proposed method can better cope with different degrees of river diversion disturbance, compensate for the loss of control performance caused by the low accuracy of the generalized model simulation, and improve water level control and sluice regulation.

Soil microbial community composition and co-occurrence network responses to mild and severe disturbances in volcanic areas

Soil physicochemical properties and vegetation types are the main factors affecting soil microorganisms, but there are few studies on the effects of the disturbance following volcanic eruption. To make up for this lack of knowledge, we used Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing to study the characteristics of soil microorganisms on both shores of a volcanically disturbed lake. Soil microorganisms in the two sites were subjected to different degrees of volcanic disturbance and showed significant heterogeneity. Mild volcanic disturbance area had higher enrichment of prokaryotic community. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that a total of 12 keystone taxa (9 prokaryotes and 3 fungi) were identified, suggesting that soil prokaryote may play a more significant role than fungi in overall community structure and function. Compared with severe volcanic disturbance area, the soil microbial community in mild volcanic disturbance area had the higher modular network (0.327 vs 0.291). The competition was stronger (positive/negative link ratio, P/N: 1.422 vs 1.159). Random forest analysis showed that soil superoxide dismutase was the most significant variable associated with soil microbial community. Structural equation model (SEM) results showed that keystone had a directly positive effect on prokaryotic (λ = 0.867, P < 0.001) and fungal (λ = 0.990, P < 0.001) multifunctionality while had also a directly positive effect on fungal diversity (λ = 0.553, P < 0.001), suggesting that keystone taxa played a key role in maintaining ecosystem stability. These results were important for understanding the effects of different levels of volcanic disturbance on soil ecosystems.

Cooperative operation strategy of electric vehicle and photovoltaic power station considering carbon reduction benefit under dynamic electricity price.

In the context of the global green and low-carbon transformation, microgrids containing renewable energy have been widely developed. At present, renewable energy generation has the disadvantages of instability and low energy density. In addition, the high proportion of electric vehicles (EVs) connected to the state grid will cause different degrees of disturbance to its safe operation. Therefore, a coordinated operation strategy of EV and photovoltaic (PV)-energy-storage charging stations induced by dynamic electricity price considering carbon reduction benefit is proposed. On the power generation side, a dual-axis PV tracking control method with "fixed frequency + variable frequency" control is proposed. One day is used as a period to divide the time segments, and the same time segment uses the fixed frequency tracking method, while different time segments use the variable frequency tracking method to improve the power generation efficiency. On the electricity consumption side, a dynamic electricity price strategy is adopted, using the minimum carbon reduction cost as the reward function, optimizing the dynamic electricity price under the minimum carbon reduction cost using the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm to promote the shifting of EV charging load to the effective hours of PV generation. In conclusion, the simulation analysis is carried out in Zibo City, and the generation capacity of the proposed tracking method on the power generation side is improved by about 32% compared with the fixed PV generation capacity. Compared with the time-of-use electricity price, the optimized dynamic electricity price under the minimum carbon reduction cost can better promote the load transfer and photoelectric consumption of EVs and reduce the carbon reduction cost.

Assessment of sleep quality and sleep disordered breathing among post-hospitalized patients with COVID-19

Background and objectivesWe conducted a cross-sectional study to identify the presence of sleep disturbance and sleep disordered breathing in post-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 compared to a cohort of patients with no prior COVID-19 infection.MethodsPatients who were discharged from Mayo Clinic after hospitalization for COVID-19 and who had no existing diagnosis of sleep apnea or other sleep disorders were recruited for this study as cases. Patients who never had COVID-19 infection, nor any existing diagnosis of sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, were recruited from outpatient clinics as controls. Participants completed Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Fatigue Severity Scale questionnaires, as well as a home sleep apnea test.ResultsForty-seven COVID-19 cases and 46 controls completed questionnaires. Cases were significantly older, with a median age of 56.0 vs. controls (50.5) and were found to have slightly worse sleep quality, a higher degree of daytime sleepiness, and a slightly higher degree of fatigue. In terms of sleep disordered breathing, 39 cases and 40 controls completed the home sleep apnea test. Obstructive sleep apnea, defined by an AHI score of 5 or higher, was found in a remarkable 97.4% of cases vs. 72.5% in controls. Severity of OSA also trended higher in the case group. However, the difference in AHI was not significant after adjusting for age and BMI.ConclusionPatients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 showed a very high prevalence of OSA. In addition, they had a slightly higher degree of sleep disturbance, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue when compared to controls. Our results suggest that sleep medicine assessment in patients who had COVID-19 requiring hospitalization is warranted.

The influence of anthropogenic factors on the morphological features of the leaf apparatus of the balsamic poplar (Populus balsamifera L.)

The use of a promising culture of balsamic poplar in the 1950-1970s post-war years in the landscaping of Siberian cities became widespread in squares, parks, lawns along the road network and in urban forests. At the time of the creation of such landscaping facilities, the conditions of their growth did not have significant differences. To date, with the development of motorization, the use of reagents for the maintenance of the road network and the conduct of acaricide treatments in squares and parks, a significant difference has formed in the growing conditions of balsamic poplar crops. Biomonitoring of the state of the environment was carried out at three fundamentally different sites in Novosibirsk. Evaluation of the fluctuating asymmetry of balsamic poplar leaves showed that ordinary plantings along the road network are characterized by a high deviation from the stability of development. Forest crops of balsamic poplar in urban forests are characterized by the presence of deviations from the stability of development. The best indicators were obtained for balsamic poplar plantings in landscape groups in the park - the presence of a weak deviation from the stability of development. The best indicators were obtained for balsamic poplar plantings in landscape groups in the park - the presence of a violation of the stability of development. To date, 50-70-year-old balsamic poplar crops grown on the territory of the megalopolis are characterized by varying degrees of disturbance or deviation from the stability of development. They can be arranged according to the stability reduction scale in the following order: landscape groups in the park, forest crops in urban forests and ordinary planting on lawns along the road network.

Study on Disturbance Mechanism of Squeezed and Non-Squeezed Soil Piles on Soft Soil Foundation

The construction process of pile foundations can significantly disrupt the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the degree of soil disturbance caused by pile foundation construction to an acceptable level. This paper examines the disturbance effects of pile driving on soft soil foundations, specifically analyzing the squeezing effect of squeezed soil piles and the unloading effect of non-squeezed soil piles. To investigate these effects, two typical squeezed soil piles, a hydrostatic pile, and a bag grouting pile, as well as a typical non-squeezed soil pile (a bored pile) are selected. Specifically, a novel construction method for numerical models, which simulates the mechanical processes of different pile types under standard grids, is proposed. Three crucial indicators—soil displacement field, stress field, and disturbance influence range—are chosen to compare the disturbance effects of three types of piles on the soil. Results indicate that the two types of squeezed soil piles cause significant disturbance to the soil displacement field, especially in the horizontal direction, while causing a relatively slight disturbance to the soil stress field. Among the two of them, the disturbance magnitude and range of the hydrostatic pile are greater than those of the bag grouting pile. For the non-squeezed soil pile, the soil displacement field changes minimally and the stress field remains basically unchanged during the pile driving process of the bored pile. To compare and quantify the disturbance effects of three types of piles on soil, the soil disturbance range in the horizontal direction of each pile is normalized by its radius. Results indicate that the horizontal disturbance values of maximum horizontal stress for all three types of piles are approximately 1/5 of the pile length above the pile tip, with normalized values of 7.6, 5.5, and 3.5, respectively. The maximum horizontal deformation disturbance range in the horizontal direction occurs near the ground surface and has normalized values of 15.2, 7.5, and 1.1 for the three types of piles, respectively. Therefore, the hydrostatic pile has the greatest disturbance effect, followed by the bag grouting pile and the bored pile. However, within the allowable range of disturbance in practical engineering, the optimal piling method can be selected by comprehensively considering factors such as the construction difficulty and economic costs.

Climate-driven intensification of hypolimnetic deoxygenation in Lake Fuxian, a monomictic lake in south-western China, since the 1990s

In monomictic lakes, the potential intensification of hypolimnetic deoxygenation due to human activities and climate change threatens lake ecosystems and water quality. Understanding the trends and mechanisms of hypolimnetic deoxygenation would allow for the adaptive management of monomictic lakes. This study investigated the trends and drivers of hypolimnetic deoxygenation in Lake Fuxian (a monomictic lake in south-western China) over the past 150 years using paleolimnological evidence and historical records. Analysis of enrichment factors for molybdenum (Mo), uranium (U), and vanadium (V), and ratios of U/thorium (Th), pristane (Pr)/phytane (Ph), and total organic carbon (TOC)/total phosphorus (TP) in a dated sediment core indicated that the extent of hypolimnetic deoxygenation was relatively low before 1994 and increased substantially thereafter. Nutrient monitoring records and sediment n-alkane proxies indicated notable eutrophication of the lake since 1986 and a greater degree of human disturbance in the catchment between 1951 and 1967. Due to their asynchronous occurrence, eutrophication and catchment disturbance could not be the major drivers of hypolimnetic deoxygenation. Interestingly, climate records indicated that the local ambient temperature exhibited similar trends to that of hypolimnetic deoxygenation, including markedly higher temperatures after 1994. This implies that prolonged water column stratification due to climate warming could have promoted hypolimnetic deoxygenation by limiting oxygen exchange between the upper and lower water columns. In comparing the results with those of Lake Erhai, another monomictic lake with contrasting morphology and hydrology characteristics, we found that the low surface area/depth ratio and long water residence time in Lake Fuxian enable dissolved oxygen of the lake hypolimnion vulnerable to temperature over the lake.

Spatial variation of soil seed banks along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbances in tropical forests on coral islands

Poor regeneration of natural vegetation is a major factor contributing to the degradation of tropical coral islands. Soil seed banks (SSB) are important for maintaining the resilience of plant communities. However, the community characteristics and spatial distribution of SSBs and the controlling factors along human disturbance on coral islands are unclear. To fill this gap, we measured the community structure and spatial distributions of forest SSBs on three coral islands in the South China Sea, with varying degrees of human disturbance. The results showed that strong human disturbance increased the diversity, richness, and density of SSBs, as well as increased the richness of invasive species. With increased human disturbance, the heterogeneity pattern of SSBs spatial distribution changed from difference between forest east and west to forest center and edge. The similarity between the SSBs and above-ground vegetation also increased, and the distribution of invasive species extended from the edge to the central area of the forests, demonstrating that human disturbance limited the outward dispersal of seeds of resident species but increased the inward dispersal of seeds of invasive species. Interaction between soil properties, plant characteristics, and human disturbance explained 23–45% of the spatial variation of forest SSBs on the coral islands. However, human disturbance reduced the correlations of plant communities and spatial distribution of SSBs with soil factors (i.e., available phosphorus and total nitrogen) and increased the correlations of the community characteristics of SSB with landscape heterogeneity index, road distance, and shrub and litter cover. Resident seed dispersal on tropical coral islands might be enhanced by reducing building height, constructing buildings in down-wind locations, and preserving corridors that support animal movement among forest fragments.

Effect of CO2 Huff-n-Puff Mode with a Horizontal Well on Shale Oil Recovery: A Three-Dimensional Experimental Study

After conventional development, there is still a significant amount of residual oil as a result of the poor porosity and permeability characteristics of shale reservoirs. Although CO2 flooding is one of the most reasonable recovery techniques, it is affected by a serious sweep efficiency issue. In this paper, six CO2 huff-n-puff cooperative combination methods were established with the aid of three-dimensional physical simulation equipment, including CO2 huff-n-puff (HNP), water-disturbance-assisted CO2 huff-n-puff (WD-HNP), surfactant- and water-disturbance-assisted CO2 huff-n-puff (SWD-HNP), pumping-production-assisted CO2 huff-n-puff (PP-HNP), water-disturbance-assisted CO2 huff-n-puff after pumping production (WDP-HNP), and surfactant- and water-disturbance-assisted CO2 huff-n-puff after pumping production (SWDP-HNP). The displacement characteristics, utilization law, and development effect were investigated. CO2 huff-n-puff requires more gas injection quickly, and low permeability and pressure difference can easily cause irregular gas channeling, showing the arc linear flooding pattern. Water disturbance can significantly delay the rapid breakthrough, so that the displacement edge shows the radial flooding pattern. The effect of pumping production on the displacement is not obvious, and the leading edge still shows an oval-shaped flooding pattern. Surfactant assistance improves the gas injection ability, eventually demonstrating a plane steady flooding pattern. In comparison to HNP, the average enhancement degree of water injection disturbance, pumping production, and surfactant assistance to the utilization extent is 6.61, 1.82, and 8.93% respectively. Meanwhile, SWDP-HNP had the highest oil recovery (33.35%) among all modes. By comparison of effective productivity, it revealed that about 12% of the lifting range is helped by surfactant assistance, followed by a water injection disturbance lifting amplitude of 5.5%, while pumping production only led to a 3% improvement. With the combination of all development effect evaluation indicators, SWD-HNP is a reasonable displacement method to improve shale reservoir recovery in this study.

Interventions to support mental health in people with long COVID: a scoping review

IntroductionLong COVID (LC) is a multisystem disease with symptoms lasting weeks or months beyond the acute COVID-19 infection. Several manifestations are reported by people with LC, including effects on mental health, with varying degrees of psychological distress and disturbances to daily activities. Research conducted to identify effective interventions to support mental health among people with LC has been limited by the breadth and scope of studies.AimThis review aims to identify interventions being tested to support mental health of people with LC.MethodsA scoping review was conducted by searching five databases for articles published between January 2020 and early October 2022 to identify research evaluating interventions focused on improving mental health symptoms associated with LC. Results from all sources were checked for eligibility by two reviewers, and agreements were resolved by discussion. Gray literature and reference list of included studies and relevant reviews were scrutinised to identify any additional studies. Data extraction was conducted by one reviewer and checked by another reviewer for accuracy.ResultsOf the 940 studies identified, 17 were included, the design of which varied but included mainly case studies (n = 6) and clinical trials (n = 5). Several interventions were described, ranging from single interventions (e.g., pharmacologic) to more holistic, comprehensive suites of services (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic). Several mental health outcomes were measured, mostly anxiety and depression. All included studies were reported to be associated with improvements in participants’ mental health outcomes.ConclusionThis scoping review identified studies reporting on a variety of interventions to support mental health among people with LC. Although positive changes were reported by all studies, some were case studies and thus their findings must be interpreted with caution. There is a need for more research to be conducted to identify the impact of interventions on mental health of people with LC.

Experimental study of the coupling effect on segmental shield tunnel lining under surcharge loading and excavation unloading

Surcharge loading and excavation unloading are two common engineering disturbances affecting the adjacent tunnel in congested urban areas. The coupling effect on segmental shield tunnel lining under loading and unloading conditions is still unclear. In this paper, physical model tests conducted in 1-g plane strain conditions were designed and performed to study the coupling effect of loading and unloading on shield tunnel. The results show that the response of segmental shield tunnel linings will be significantly amplified under the coupling conditions compared with the individual disturbance. A coupling effect index was proposed to evaluate the coupling degree of different disturbances. The classification was also presented, divided into favourable, zero, and unfavourable coupling effects. The tunnel response has a more significant coupling effect in the case of loading first and unloading later. There is a coupling amplification effect of 128% and 144% for the tunnel horizontal convergence and the springline near the excavation.