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Fatigued driving is a problem that every driver will face, and traffic accidents caused by drowsy driving often occur involuntarily. If there is a fatigue detection and warning system, it is generally believed that the occurrence of some incidents can be reduced. However, everyone's driving habits and methods may differ, so it is not easy to establish a suitable general detection system. If a customized intelligent fatigue detection system can be established, it may reduce unfortunate accidents. With its potential to mitigate unfortunate accidents, this study offers hope for a safer driving environment. Thus, on the one hand, this research hopes to integrate the information obtained from three different sensing devices (eye movement, finger pressure, and plantar pressure), which are chosen for their ability to provide comprehensive and reliable data on a driver's physical and mental state. On the other hand, it uses an autonomous learning architecture to integrate these three data types to build a customized fatigued driving detection system. This study used a system that simulated a car driving environment and then invited subjects to conduct tests on fixed driving routes. First, we demonstrated that the system established in this study could be used to learn and classify different driving clips. Then, we showed that it was possible to judge whether the driver was fatigued through a series of driving behaviors, such as lane drifting, sudden braking, and irregular acceleration, rather than a single momentary behavior. Finally, we tested the hypothesized situation in which drivers were experiencing three cases of different distractions. The results show that the entire system can establish a personal driving system through autonomous learning behavior and further detect whether fatigued driving abnormalities occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Design Methods Results Conclusion Clinical Relevance The effectiveness of health interventions delivered via a combination of in‐person and electronic social networking services for caregivers of stroke survivors remains uncertain. This study evaluates the feasibility of implementing educational and peer support programs for these caregivers through such platforms.Quasi‐experimental design.This study included 105 caregiver–survivor dyads, with 54 dyads allocated to the intervention group and the remaining 51 to the control group. The LINE intervention comprised a combination of in‐person and electronic social networking services including stroke and rehabilitation education, problem‐solving skills training, long‐term care information support, and 24‐h peer and professional support for caregivers. The outcomes were assessed at baseline, after 1 month, and after 3 months, and encompassed caregivers' care burden, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and quality of life, as well as the rehabilitation adherence and depressive symptoms of stroke survivors. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine group differences. The data were collected between August 2021 and October 2022.The average age of the caregivers was 48.3 years. Caregivers in the intervention group reported reduced care burdens and enhanced perceptions of social support and quality of life as compared to those in the control group. Additionally, stroke survivors in the intervention group were less likely to exhibit high‐risk depressive symptoms.Delivering a stroke caregiver support intervention via in‐person and electronic social networking services, such as LINE, effectively reduced the care burden for caregivers of stroke survivors. Additionally, it enhanced caregivers' perceived social support and quality of life.This study demonstrated that caregiver education and peer support programs administered through a combination of in‐person and electronic social networking services can serve as an effective support system for the psychosocial health of stroke caregivers. These findings support the integration of such interventions into standard clinical practice by healthcare providers or governmental bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A DC‐DC converter with high boost and low switching voltage stress is proposed by combining switched capacitor (SC) and coupled inductor (CL) techniques based on a conventional boost circuit. The design methodology of this converter includes substituting SC for a single switch in the boost converter, combining CL, and integrating a resonant boost circuit for absorbing leakage inductance. The improved power switch topology in this design has lower voltage stress, lower diode current stress, fewer total components, and common ground than other conventional DC‐DC converters. The operating modes and steady state analysis of the converter are provided in terms of leakage inductance utilization, with component stress derivation and theoretical efficiency analysis. In addition, comparisons with other dc‐dc converters are made. Subsequently, experiments were conducted on a 200 W DC‐DC converter prototype to verify the reliability of the converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to a survey regarding indigenous employment, in Taiwan, a high proportion of indigenous people are engaged in construction work compared with the overall population. However, among indigenous construction workers, 56.15% have received no occupational safety or health training, and 9.39% have encountered occupational accidents in their workplaces. Therefore, this study aimed to develop employee assistance programs (EAPs) for indigenous workers in Taiwan by focusing on three dimensions—namely work, life, and health—and by establishing corresponding implementation paths for these EAPs. A modified Delphi method was adopted to screen EAP measures for the workplaces of indigenous workers, and a formal evaluation followed. Subsequently, the analytic hierarchy process was employed to calculate the overall weights among the factors in order to discern the relative importance of each factor in achieving the target goal or to resolve target problems and establish an order of priority. The results indicated that health was the most important of the three dimensions of indigenous EAPs, followed by the life dimension and then the work dimension. Compared with previous studies regarding Han Taiwanese workers, mental health services in the health dimension were particularly important in the present study. Finally, regarding the health dimension, this study suggests developing mental health services that respect indigenous culture and therefore are appropriate for indigenous people, such as the establishment of drug and alcohol addiction support groups and mental health service systems. In addition, corresponding welfare measures can be offered to enhance people's motivation to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of perfect equilibrium, formulated by Selten (Int J Game Theory 4:25–55, 1975), serves as an effective characterization of rationality in strategy perturbation. In our study, we propose a modified version of perfect equilibrium that incorporates perturbation control parameters. To match the beliefs with the equilibrium choice probabilities, the logistic quantal response equilibrium (logistic QRE) was established by McKelvey and Palfrey (Games Econ Behav 10:6–38, 1995), which is only able to select a Nash equilibrium. By introducing a linear combination between a mixed strategy profile and a given vector with positive elements, this paper develops a variant of the logistic QRE for the selection of the special version of perfect equilibrium. Expanding upon this variant, we construct an equilibrium system that incorporates an exponential function of an extra variable. Through rigorous error-bound analysis, we demonstrate that the solution set of this equilibrium system leads to a perfect equilibrium as the extra variable approaches zero. Consequently, we establish the existence of a smooth path to a perfect equilibrium and employ an exponential transformation of variables to ensure numerical stability. To make a numerical comparison, we capitalize on a variant of the square-root QRE, which yields another smooth path to a perfect equilibrium. Numerical results further verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed differentiable path-following methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camptothecin is a complex monoterpenoid indole alkaloid with remarkable antitumor activity. Given that two C‐10 modified camptothecin derivatives, topotecan and irinotecan, have been approved as potent anticancer agents, there is a critical need for methods to access other aromatic ring‐functionalized congeners (e.g., C‐9, C‐10, etc.). However, contemporary methods for chemical oxidation are generally harsh and low‐yielding when applied to the camptothecin scaffold, thereby limiting the development of modified derivatives. Reported herein, we have identified four tailoring enzymes responsible for C‐9 modifications of camptothecin from Nothapodytes tomentosa, via metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. These consist of a cytochrome P450 (NtCPT9H) which catalyzes the regioselective oxidation of camptothecin to 9‐hydroxycamptothecin, as well as two methyltransferases (NtOMT1/2, converting 9‐hydroxycamptothecin to 9‐methoxycamptothecin), and a uridine diphosphate‐glycosyltransferase (NtUGT5, decorating 9‐hydroxycamptothecin to 9‐β‐D‐glucosyloxycamptothecin). Importantly, the critical residues that contribute to the specific catalytic activity of NtCPT9H have been elucidated through molecular docking and mutagenesis experiments. This work provides a genetic basis for producing camptothecin derivatives through metabolic engineering. This will hasten the discovery of novel C‐9 modified camptothecin derivatives, with profound implications for pharmaceutical manufacture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterojunctions have demonstrated great potentialities for applications in optoelectronics, and rare‐earth doping has proven an effective way for achieving high performance. Here, 2D WS2 and Er3+ in situ doped WSe2 are prepared by the chemical vapor deposition method. Thicknesses and atomic structures of the prepared WS2 and WSe2 are characterized by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscope, while qualities of the membranes are characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The 13.7 and 15.8 at% of Er3+ doping concentration in WSe2 are examined by energy dispersive spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Performances of photodetectors based on the WSe2 and Er3+ doped WSe2 membranes are characterized individually. A microregion fixed‐point transfer technique is used to transfer the monolayer WS2 onto the Er‐doped monolayer WSe2 to form vertical van der Waals heterojunctions. Excellent performances are measured from the monolayer WS2/WSe2(Er3+) heterojunction photodetector with a photoresponsivity (Rλ) of up to 40.5 A W−1 and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 8793%. The results prove the effectiveness of Er3+ in situ doping in WS2/WSe2(Er) heterojunctions for high‐performance photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To establish a new program of blood cell processing apparatus (NGL-BBS) for the preparation of washed mixed platelets and to study the effect on biological activity of platelets compared with traditional manual method. Methods Mixed concentrated platelets were separated and prepared from whole blood by white membrane method. Blood cell processing apparatus with new program set (experimental group) and manual method (control group) was used for the preparation of washed mixed platelets. The expression rate of CD62P and CD63 in the two groups of washed mixed platelets was compared by flow-cytometry. Thrombus elastography (TEG) was used to measure and compare the MA value between the two groups. Results The expression rate of CD62P and CD63 in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group (t = 4.11, P < 0.01; t = 10.78, P < 0.01). The TEG MA value of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group (t = 6.67, P < 0.01). Conclusion The present study demonstrates that the use of NGL-BBS for the preparation of washed mixed platelets has a lesser impact on biological activity compared to manual preparation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) may cause severe pulmonary and neurologic injuries in affected infants after birth, leading to long-term adverse pulmonary or neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: This retrospective population-based cohort study enrolled 1,554,069 mother-child pairs between 2004 and 2014. A total of 8,049 infants were in the MAS-affected group, whereas 1,546,020 were in the healthy control group. Children were followed up for at least 3 years. According to respiratory support, MAS was classified as mild, moderate, and severe. With the healthy control group as the reference, the associations between MAS severity and adverse pulmonary outcomes (hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of hospital stay, or invasive ventilator support during admission related to pulmonary problem) or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes (cerebral palsy, needs for rehabilitation, visual impairment, or hearing impairment) were accessed. Results: MAS-affected infants had a higher risk of hospital and ICU admission and longer length of hospital stay, regardless of severity. Infants with severe MAS had a higher risk of invasive ventilator support during re-admission (odds ratio: 17.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.70–39.75, p < 0.001). Moderate (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.30–2.13, p < 0.001) and severe (HR: 4.94, 95% CI: 4.94–7.11, p < 0.001) MAS groups had a higher risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome, and the statistical significance remained remarkable in severe MAS group after adjusting for covariates (adjusted HR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.54–3.38, p < 0.001) Conclusions: Adverse pulmonary or neurodevelopmental outcomes could occur in MAS-affected infants at birth. Close monitoring and follow-up of MAS-affected infants are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is the focus and difficulty of poststroke rehabilitation intervention with an incidence of up to 61%, which may be related to the deterioration of cerebrovascular function. Computer-aided cognitive training (CACT) can improve cognitive function through scientific training targeting activated brain regions, becoming a popular training method in recent years. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, can regulate the cerebral vascular nerve function, and has an effect on the rehabilitation of cognitive dysfunction after stroke. This study examined the effectiveness of both CACT and tDCS on cognitive and cerebrovascular function after stroke, and explored whether CACT combined with tDCS was more effective. Methods: A total of 72 patients with PSCI were randomly divided into the conventional cognitive training (CCT) group (n = 18), tDCS group (n = 18), CACT group (n = 18), and CACT combined with tDCS group (n = 18). Patients in each group received corresponding 20-minute treatment 15 times a week for 3 consecutive weeks. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL) were used to assess patients' cognitive function and the activities of daily living ability. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) was used to assess cerebrovascular function, including cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), pulse index (PI), and breath holding index (BHI). These outcome measures were measured before and after treatment. Results: Compared with those at baseline, both the MoCA and IADL scores significantly increased after treatment (P < 0.01) in each group. There was no significantly difference in efficacy among CCT, CACT and tDCS groups. The CACT combined with tDCS group showed greater improvement in MoCA scores compared with the other three groups (P < 0.05), especially in the terms of visuospatial and executive. BHI significantly improved only in CACT combined with tDCS group after treatment (p ≤ 0.05) but not in the other groups. Besides, no significant difference in CBFV or PI was found before and after the treatments in all groups. Conclusion: Both CACT and tDCS could be used as an alternative to CCT therapy to improve cognitive function and activities of daily living ability after stroke. CACT combined with tDCS may be more effective improving cognitive function and activities of daily living ability in PSCI patients, especially visuospatial and executive abilities, which may be related to improved cerebral vasomotor function reflected by the BHI. Trial registration number: The study was registered in the Chinese Registry of Clinical Trials (ChiCTR2100054063). Registration date: 12/08/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove an abstract infinite dimensional KAM theorem, which could be applied to prove the existence and linear stability of small-amplitude quasi-periodic solutions for one dimensional forced Kirchhoff equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions u t t − (1 + ∫ 0 π | u x | 2 d x) u x x + M ξ u + ϵ g (ω ¯ t , x) = 0 , u (t , 0) = u (t , π) = 0 , where M ξ is a real Fourier multiplier, g (ω ¯ t , x) = − g (ω ¯ t , − x) is real analytic with forced Diophantine frequencies ω ¯ , ϵ is a small parameter. The proof is based on an improved Kuksin lemma and the off-diagonal decay together with the refined Töplitz-Lipschitz property of the forcing term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe experience of shidu (i.e., losing one’s only child) completely changes the lives and social interaction patterns of people. However, current research findings on interpersonal interactions of individuals who are experiencing shidu (referred to as “shiduers”) are inconsistent, reducing the effectiveness of support programs. Therefore, a qualitative analysis was conducted on the interpersonal interaction process of shiduers using the classic grounded theory. The results showed that “shidu” as an interpersonal information has two contradictory attributes, “family shame” and “family routine,” which create a social disabling dilemma for shiduers. Shiduers can reset their interpersonal relationships by establishing a clear inner and outer circle of relationships (centralizing) and by sequencing and typing relationships (differentiating). The interpersonal interactions of shiduers are complex and depend on the type of relationship. The current results can help community workers target individual support, family empowerment, and community building for people experiencing shidu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The track irregularities affect the safety and comfort of running vehicle and increase the dynamic responses of vehicle and track. There is the rail irregularity at the welded region, and the irregularity can be regarded as the superposition of two cosine waves with the long wavelength about 1 m and the short wavelength of 0.1–0.2 m. The welded location has both short-wavelength irregularity and long-wavelength irregularity. A combined method is presented to identify the rail irregularity at the welded region using the acceleration time history curve of wheelset. Firstly, the accelerations of wheelset are transformed into the different frequencies domain signals by wavelet transformation, and the rail irregularity with the short wavelength and high-frequency is determined. Secondly, the rail irregularity with the long wavelength and low-frequency is identified by the Wigner–Ville distribution or the short-time energy method. Finally, the rail irregularity at the welded region is determined by both of the above two steps met. The correctness of the proposed method is validated by numerical example. The proposed method can accurately and efficiently identify the high-frequency and low-frequency characteristics of the rail irregularity at the welded region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Co-MoWTiO 2 removed 93.44 % NO, 94.14 % C 6 H 6 , and 97.62 % C 7 H 8 from coal-fired flue. • Multi-active center played essential roles in NH 3 -SCR and VOCs oxidation process. • Co sites have the lowest NH 3 and O 2 adsorption energies by DFT calculation. • SO 2 induces electron exchange between W6+ and Co2+ to form W5+ and Co3+. • Possible mechanisms of multi-pollution control of NO and VOCs was speculated. Previous studies have indicated the potential of monometallic-modified TiO 2 catalysts in controlling nitrogen oxide (NO x) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in coal-fired flue gas. Unfortunately, increasing selective catalytic reduction (SCR) activity under complicated coal-fired flue gas status is tricky. In this study, modified Co-MoWTiO 2 catalysts with multiple active sites were synthesized using the wet impregnation method, which exhibited excellent multi-pollution control ability of NO, benzene and toluene under low oxygen and high SO 2 concentrations. The modification of Mo and Co achieved high dispersion and electron transfer. The interaction between W5+/W6+ and Co2+/Co3+ promoted gas-phase O 2 adsorption on the catalyst surface, forming of reactive oxygen species (O α). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations informed that the doping of Co effectively enhanced the NH 3 and O 2 adsorption capacity of the catalyst, and Co possessed the maximum adsorption energy for NH 3 and O 2. Possible pathways of multi-pollution control of NO, C 6 H 6 , and C 7 H 8 were speculated. NH 3 /NH 4 + on the Lewis/Bronsted acid site is reacted with intermediates of NO (e.g., NO 2 , nitrite, nitrate) via the Langmuir-Hinshelwood and Eley-Rideal mechanism. The introduction of NO and NH 3 did not disrupt the oxidation pathways of benzene and toluene. Following the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism, C 6 H 6 and C 7 H 8 were progressively mineralized by O α into CO 2 and H 2 O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a common public health problem that affects daily living activities and quality of life. There is biomechanical interdependence between the neck and scapula. Studies have shown that shoulder blade function might be related to chronic neck pain. We therefore evaluated the effects of scapular targeted therapy on neck pain and function in patients with CNP. Methods: Databases, including MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE (via Ovid), Ovid, Web of Science, and Scopus, were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials published in English investigating treatment of the scapula for CNP before July 16, 2023. Results: A total of 313 participants were included from 8 RCTs. Compared with those in the control group, the intervention in the scapular treatment group exhibited greater improvement in pain intensity (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 2.55; 95% CI = 0.97 to 4.13; P = 0.002), with moderate evidence. Subgroup analysis for pain intensity revealed a significant difference between the sexes, with only the female population (SMD = 6.23, 95% CI = 4.80 to 7.65) showing better outcomes than those with both sexes (SMD = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.56) (p < 0.00001). However, moderate evidence demonstrated no improvement in neck disability after scapular treatment (SMD of 0.24[-0.14, 0.62] of Neck Disability Index or Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire). No effect of scapular treatment was shown on the pressure pain threshold (PPT). The cervical range of motion (CROM) and electromyographic activity of neck muscles could not be conclusively evaluated due to limited support in the articles, and further study was needed. However, the patient's head forward posture appeared to be corrected after scapular treatment. Conclusion: Scapular therapy was beneficial for relieving pain intensity in patients with CNP, especially in women. Head forward posture might also be corrected with scapular therapy. However, scapular therapy may have no effect on the PPT or neck disability. However, whether scapular therapy could improve CROM and cervical muscle activation in patients with CNPs had not been determined and needed further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large, low-lying rivers have a variety of societal uses and show a wide range of disturbances. One such example, the Apalachicola River in the Florida Panhandle, experienced anthropogenic activities that altered its hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecologic condition. The river's sand bars enlarged more than threefold in area because of dredge disposal and localized incision from anthropogenic activities during a navigation project. Once dredging ended, the river experienced passive recovery through the slow regrowth of riparian vegetation, with sand bars reducing in area ~18% from 2005 to 2015. The outcomes of tree-line change analyses from 1999 to 2019 indicate a higher recovery rate in the first decade (1999-2010), migrating fastest in locations where vegetation islands stabilize sediments. To help accelerate vegetation regrowth, during the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019, we planted willow stakes at various positions and microhabitats covering ~3.6 ha of three enlarged sand bars near Blountstown, FL. Our mapping shows some synergies between passive recovery and active restoration as tree-line expansion had the fastest rates between 2019 and 2021. Our study gives insights and guidance into passive recovery and restoration projects involving plantings on large, low-lying rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of proper equilibrium was established as a strict refinement of perfect equilibrium. This establishment has significantly advanced the development of game theory and its applications. Nonetheless, it remains a challenging problem to compute such an equilibrium. This paper develops a differentiable path-following method with a compact formulation to compute a proper equilibrium. The method incorporates square-root-barrier terms into payoff functions with an extra variable and constitutes a square-root-barrier game. As a result of this barrier game, we acquire a smooth path to a proper equilibrium. To further reduce the computational burden, we present a compact formulation of an ε-proper equilibrium with a polynomial number of variables and equations. Numerical results show that the differentiable path-following method is numerically stable and efficient. Moreover, by relaxing the requirements of proper equilibrium and imposing Selten's perfection, we come up with the notion of perfect d-proper equilibrium, which approximates a proper equilibrium and is less costly to compute. Numerical examples demonstrate that even when d is rather large, a perfect d-proper equilibrium remains to be a proper equilibrium. History: Accepted by Antonio Frangioni, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms-Continuous. Funding: This work was partially supported by General Research Fund (GRF) CityU 11306821 of Hong Kong SAR Government. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information (https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.0148) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository (https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2022.0148). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This functional magnetic resonance imaging study delves into the impact of experience and pitcher handedness on the pitch‐calling behavior of baseball umpires. Expert and intermediate umpires were asked to make ball/strike calls on videotaped pitches of left‐ and right‐handed pitchers and rate their certainty for the call while undergoing scanning. Behavioral results replicated previous findings that expert umpires were more certain but not more accurate or quicker than intermediate umpires, suggesting that, as sports officials, umpires may learn to project confidence to maintain control of the game. At the neural level, expert umpires exhibited more extensive and pronounced activations within the action observation network, dorsal striatum, and cerebellum. These heightened neural responses were probably associated with their enhanced visual processing abilities for pitching action and ball trajectory, honed over years of officiating. Notably, both expert and intermediate umpires exhibited decreased accuracy when judging pitches from left‐handed pitchers compared to right‐handed ones. These challenges in accuracy corresponded with weaker neural activations in the aforementioned brain regions, implying difficulties in processing specific visual details of the rarely encountered left‐handed pitchers. Moreover, slightly longer reaction times and reduced uncertainty were observed particularly for left‐handed ball pitches, as revealed by lower activation in the right premotor cortex, highlighting issues with predictive processing. In summary, our findings shed light on the influence of pitcher handedness on the pitch‐calling behavior of baseball umpires and extend the current understanding of the perceptual and decision‐making behavior of sports officials. Through our investigation of the perceptual and decision‐making processes of baseball umpires using fMRI, this study has made contributions to the existing research primarily focused on players. The poorer pitch‐calling behavior for left‐ compared to right‐handed pitches across experienced and intermediate umpires was associated with weaker brain activations within the action observation network and cerebellum, implying difficulties in processing specific visual details of the rarely encountered left‐handed pitchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of an isolation layer in submarine mining has been a persistent challenge. In the context of this research, we conducted a similarity simulation test to preliminarily assess the interaction between the thickness and extent of the isolation layer. Subsequently, we introduce an innovative approach that integrates fractal theory and the Bonded Block Model (BBM) to simulate undersea isolation layer mining. The validation of this method relies on on-site borehole scanning and displacement monitoring, which depict the intricate fractal evolution of fractures and predict the optimal thickness of the isolation layer. Our findings affirm the robustness and validity of this method. Evaluation of the fractal dimensions of fractures reveals that a critical threshold of 1.7 is essential to prevent structural failure of the isolation layer, while a limit of 1.5 is necessary to avoid significant water ingress. Remarkably, the correlation dimension of the settlement time series closely aligns with the fractal dimension of the fractures, underscoring the feasibility of ensuring the safety of isolation layer mining through real-time settlement monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper delves into the current body of evidence, offering a thorough analysis of the impact of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BKCa or BK) channels on the electrical dynamics of the heart. Alterations in the activity of BKCa channels, responsible for the generation of the overall magnitude of Ca2+-activated K+ current at the whole-cell level, occur through allosteric mechanisms. The collaborative interplay between membrane depolarization and heightened intracellular Ca2+ ion concentrations collectively contribute to the activation of BKCa channels. Although fully developed mammalian cardiac cells do not exhibit functional expression of these ion channels, evidence suggests their presence in cardiac fibroblasts that surround and potentially establish close connections with neighboring cardiac cells. When cardiac cells form close associations with fibroblasts, the high single-ion conductance of these channels, approximately ranging from 150 to 250 pS, can result in the random depolarization of the adjacent cardiac cell membranes. While cardiac fibroblasts are typically electrically non-excitable, their prevalence within heart tissue increases, particularly in the context of aging myocardial infarction or atrial fibrillation. This augmented presence of BKCa channels' conductance holds the potential to amplify the excitability of cardiac cell membranes through effective electrical coupling between fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes. In this scenario, this heightened excitability may contribute to the onset of cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, it is worth noting that the substances influencing the activity of these BKCa channels might influence cardiac electrical activity as well. Taken together, the BKCa channel activity residing in cardiac fibroblasts may contribute to cardiac electrical function occurring in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can result in tissue damage and multiple organ dysfunction, especially in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Presently, single-cell research on COVID-19-induced ARDS is considerably advanced, yet knowledge about ARDS in KTRs is still constrained. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed to construct a comprehensive single-cell immune landscape of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of eight patients with COVID-19-induced ARDS, five KTRs with COVID-19-induced ARDS, and five healthy individuals. Subsequently, we conducted a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, including cell clustering, enrichment analysis, trajectory analysis, gene regulatory network analysis, and cell–cell interaction analysis, to investigate the heterogeneity of the immune microenvironment in KTRs with ARDS. Result: Our study revealed that KTRs exhibit significant heterogeneity with COVID-19-induced ARDS compared with those of other individuals, with significant reductions in T cells, as well as an abnormal proliferation of B cells and monocytes. In the context of dual influences from immunosuppression and viral infection, KTRs exhibited more specific plasma cells, along with significant enrichment of dysfunctional GZMB and XAF1 double-positive effector T cells and IFI27-positive monocytes. Additionally, robust communication existed among T cells and monocytes in cytokine signaling. These effects impede the process of immune reconstitution in KTR patients. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that KTRs with COVID-19-induced ARDS show elevated antibody levels, impaired T cell differentiation, and dysregulation of innate immunity. In summary, this study provides a theoretical foundation for a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19-induced ARDS in KTRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the penetration rate of new energy generation in distributed distribution networks continues to increase, the integration of numerous new energy power plants and associated power electronic devices presents challenges to the power quality of traditional power systems. Therefore, conducting power quality-related research in distribution networks is of significant importance for maintaining power system stability, safeguarding electrical equipment, and enhancing electrical safety. A framework for evaluating the overall power quality of new energy-penetrated distribution network systems based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is proposed. This framework aggregates and calculates the global power quality index (GPQI) through averaging, thereby completing the assessment of power quality situations. By enhancing the computation speed of evaluation metrics through an improved S-transform and considering various disturbances such as diminished illumination, wind power disconnection, and high-current grounding, the GPQI values are used to assess power quality under diverse scenarios. Simulation and experimental results confirm the framework's close alignment with real scenarios and its effectiveness in evaluating power quality within distribution networks. This method is crucial for maintaining power system stability, protecting electrical equipment, and enhancing overall electrical safety within distribution networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open-circuit fault in electric vehicle charging stations not only impacts the power quality of the electrical grid but also poses a threat to charging safety. Therefore, it is of great significance to study open-circuit fault diagnosis for ensuring the safe and stable operation of power grids and reducing the maintenance cost of charging stations. This paper addresses the multidimensional characteristics of open-circuit fault signals in charging stations and proposes a fault diagnosis method based on an improved S-transform and LightGBM. The method first utilizes improved incomplete S-transform and principal component analysis (PCA) to extract features of front- and back-stage faults separately. Subsequently, LightGBM is employed to classify the extracted features, ultimately achieving fault diagnosis. Simulation results demonstrate the method's effectiveness in feature extraction, achieving an average diagnostic accuracy of 97.04% on the test dataset, along with notable noise resistance and real-time performance. Additionally, we designed an experimental platform for diagnosing open-circuit faults in DC charging station and collected experimental fault data. The results further validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnects for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are usually ferritic stainless steels such as SUS441. These steels have issues of oxidation and Cr diffusion under the operational high temperatures, which can cause serious deterioration of the cathode performance. In order to improve the electrode stability and the oxidation resistivity, this work deposits Cu–Co oxide coating on SUS441 interconnects via room-temperature supersonic spray using fine CuCo 2 O 4 spinel-based oxide powders synthesized via a combustion process. The coating can significantly inhibit the growth of chromium oxide scale on the steel surface and increase the interconnect conductivity by a factor of 4.4 in 200-hr oxidation test in air. The coating effectively prevents Cr diffusion to the cell composed of La 0·6 Sr 0·4 FeO 3-δ electrode and La 0·8 Sr 0.2 Ga 0.8 Mg 0·2 O 3-δ electrolyte. As a result, the coating substantially increases the cathode performance by reducing the interfacial polarization resistance and improving the stability in 100-hr test at 800 °C. This study demonstrates that this high-performance protective Cu–Co oxide coating has a promising application prospect for SOFC interconnects. [Display omitted] • The Cu–Co oxide powder is prepared by EDTA-citric acid combustion process. • The Cu–Co oxide coating is successfully obtained on SUS441 through supersonic spray. • The Cu–Co oxide coating prevents the SUS441 interconnect from oxidizing. • The Cu–Co oxide coating effectively alleviates chromium poisoning in the LSF cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variants in IL6ST encoding the shared cytokine receptor for the IL-6 cytokine family GP130 have been associated with a diverse number of clinical phenotypes and disorders. We provide a molecular classification for 59 reported rare IL6ST pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants and additional polymorphisms. Based on loss- or gain-of-function, cytokine selectivity, mono- and biallelic associations, and variable cellular mosaicism, we grade six classes of IL6ST variants and explore the potential for additional variants. We classify variants according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria. Loss-of-function variants with (i) biallelic complete loss of GP130 function that presents with extended Stüve-Wiedemann Syndrome; (ii) autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) caused by biallelic; and (iii) autosomal dominant HIES caused by monoallelic IL6ST variants both causing selective IL-6 and IL-11 cytokine loss-of-function defects; (iv) a biallelic cytokine-specific variant that exclusively impairs IL-11 signaling, associated with craniosynostosis and tooth abnormalities; (v) somatic monoallelic mosaic constitutively active gain-of-function variants in hepatocytes that present with inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma; and (vi) mosaic constitutively active gain-of-function variants in hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells that are associated with an immune dysregulation syndrome. In addition to Mendelian IL6ST coding variants, there are common non-coding cis-acting variants that modify gene expression, which are associated with an increased risk of complex immune-mediated disorders and trans-acting variants that affect GP130 protein function. Our taxonomy highlights IL6ST as a gene with particularly strong functional and phenotypic diversity due to the combinatorial biology of the IL-6 cytokine family and predicts additional genotype-phenotype associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although a composite solution of non‐crosslinked hyaluronic acid is generally considered safe, few studies have investigated its safety after intravascular injection. Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats were administered 0.05 mL of a non‐crosslinked hyaluronic acid composite solution via intravascular injection into bilateral inferior epigastric arteries (IEA). Artery samples were obtained at multiple time points for histopathologic analysis. Bilateral abdominal flaps supplied by the IEA were lifted and the same dose of solution was injected into the artery, and flap survival was analyzed. Results: Histopathologic analysis showed that the non‐crosslinked hyaluronic acid composite solution remained temporarily in the artery lumen following intravascular injection. With continuous blood flow, the filler gradually disintegrated and the artery became recanalized. At 24 h, no filler remained in the lumen. At 7 days after the filler was injected into the IEA feeding the flap, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups with respect to flap survival rate. Conclusions: Non‐crosslinked hyaluronic acid composite solution is relatively safe when a minimal volume is administered by intravascular injection. The filler will remain in the vessel for a short time, after which the vessel recanalizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Currently, the role of oncostatin M (OSM) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been investigated. This study will explore the impact of OSM on ccRCC expression, prognosis, and cell function. Materials and Methods. In this study, we used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to evaluate OSM expression characteristics, pathogenic factor distribution, and prognostic aspects in ccRCC. We also combined this analysis with qRT-PCR to verify OSM mRNA expression levels at the tissue level. Then, the effects of OSM on the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of ccRCC cells were explored through CCK8, Transwell, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence experiments. Finally, the oncogenic mechanisms associated with OSM in ccRCC were explored through signaling pathway enrichment and single-cell analysis. Results. The results demonstrated that OSM was significantly more expressed in ccRCC than in normal tissues. According to the survival analysis, OSM in ccRCC was considerably worse in the group with high expression than in the group with low expression. Also, the univariate and multivariate Cox analyses of clinical characteristics show that OSM in ccRCC may be able to predict a poor prognosis on its own as a biomarker. In vitro cellular experiments demonstrated that high OSM expression had no discernible impact on ccRCC cell proliferation compared to the control group, but it did promote tumor cell invasion and migration. Signaling pathways and single-cell analysis revealed that OSM might promote ccRCC invasion and migration through M2 macrophages. Conclusion. In conclusion, OSM may serve as an independent poor prognostic biomarker in ccRCC and promote tumor cell invasion and migration. This discovery is expected to provide a new therapeutic target for patients with recurrent and metastatic ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Youth suicide has been a pressing public mental health concern in China, yet there is a lack of gatekeeper intervention programmes developed locally to prevent suicide among Chinese adolescents. Aims The current Delphi study was the first step in the systematic development of the Life Gatekeeper programme, the first gatekeeper programme to be developed locally in China that aims to equip teachers and parents with the knowledge, skills and ability to identify and intervene with students at high risk of suicide. Methods The Delphi method was used to elicit a consensus of experts who were invited to evaluate the importance of training content, the feasibility of the training delivery method, the possibility of achieving the training goals and, finally, the appropriateness of the training materials. Two Delphi rounds were conducted among local experts with diversified professional backgrounds in suicide research and practice. Statements were accepted for inclusion in the adjusted training programme if they were endorsed by at least 80% of the panel. Results Consensus was achieved on 201 out of 207 statements for inclusion into the adapted guidelines for the gatekeeper programme, with 151 from the original questionnaire and 50 generated from comments of the panel members. These endorsed statements were synthesised to develop the content of the Life Gatekeeper training programme. Conclusions This Delphi study provided an evidence base for developing the first gatekeeper training programme systematically and locally in China. We hope that the current study can pave the way for more evidence-based suicide prevention programmes in China. Further study is warranted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Life Gatekeeper training programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To investigate the support needs identified by Taiwanese breast cancer diagnosed mothers for themselves and their 6–12‐year‐old children for implementation in a support group. Background: Mothers with dependent children are burdened with diverse child‐centered concerns while battling breast cancer. A better understanding of the concomitant support needs of mothers and their children can yield tailored support for ill mothers and their children. Design: A qualitative descriptive study employing content analysis of collected data. Methods: Between February and June of 2020, semi‐structured individual interviews were conducted with 20 mothers who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 2 years. Qualitative content analysis was used. This study followed the COREQ guidelines. Results: Ill mothers favoured a hybrid format for support groups, consisting of mother‐only, child‐only, and mother–child group sessions. The content analysis yielded four themes for mother‐only group sessions: (1) learning to reach out to children; (2) dealing with negative emotions; (3) how to say goodbye to children; and (4) resetting for the future. Three themes related to child‐only group sessions emerged: (1) emotional and health education; (2) getting along with a sick mother; and (3) preparing for uncertainty. The core theme for mother–child group sessions was relationship enhancement. Conclusion: The findings revealed that mother‐reported support needs of ill mothers and their children included support for improving children's emotional well‐being and mothers' emotional coping, preparing for uncertainty, and promoting intimacy in the mother–child relationship. Relevance to clinical practice: A relation‐focused approach to psychosocial support group development that allows mother–child mutual influences on each other's coping to be addressed bilaterally is suggested. Patient or public contribution: Mothers diagnosed with breast cancer were interviewed for data collection and invited to review and validate the synthesised data for enhancing the credibility of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of storage may cause large-scale fire or explosion accidents due to the potential fire risk of lithium-ion batteries, which poses a great threat to the safety of personnel and property. In this study, the fire model of an individual cell is established according to the experimental data and the relevant parameters of thermal runaway simulation of large capacity battery are determined. The battery pack model is established according to the real setting of a warehouse. The fire characteristics of the battery pack spreading around in the warehouse environment are studied. The results show that the fire of lithium-ion batteries is preferentially diffused to the upper battery pack in the warehouse environment, and spread to the upper battery pack 19 s after the initial battery thermal runaway. The fire propagation of the horizontal battery pack is greatly affected by the distance. The farther the battery string is from the thermal runaway battery, the later the fire propagation battery string occurs. Furthermore, the role and effect of battery pack spacing, fire warning and automatic sprinkler system in fire are provided, so as to carry out better research on the storage safety of lithium-ion battery warehouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold supply chain distribution systems ensure the freshness of temperature-sensitive products during transportation. In this study, we investigated a fresh food company's cold supply chain distribution. Making fresh food available and achieving quality and safety, requires proper planning of vehicle routing, we addressed a routing problem that simultaneously considers time windows, multiple trips per vehicle, a heterogeneous fleet, parking constraints, unloading time at customer position, and limited duration, minimizing related operational costs. We formulate this problem as a mixed-integer programming model. Since this problem is NP-hard, we also propose a genetic algorithm with two adaptive-parameter mechanisms to solve it within a reasonable computational time. Extensive experiments were conducted to assess the performance of different approaches in a real-world application. The results demonstrate that the algorithms are robust and efficient. The proposed algorithms can reduce operational costs by more than 20% compared to the current practical planning approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let g be a finite-dimensional complex Lie algebra and HLie m (g) be the affine variety of all multiplicative Hom-Lie algebras on g . We use a method of computational ideal theory to describe HLie m (g l n (C)) , showing that HLie m (g l 2 (C)) consists of two 1-dimensional and one 3-dimensional irreducible components and HLie m (g l n (C)) = { diag { δ , ... , δ , a } ∣ δ = 1 or 0 , a ∈ C } for n ⩾ 3. We construct a new family of multiplicative Hom-Lie algebras on the Heisenberg Lie algebra h 2 n + 1 (C) and characterize the affine varieties HLie m (u 2 (C)) and HLie m (u 3 (C)). We also study the derivation algebra Der D (g) of a multiplicative Hom-Lie algebra D on g and, under some hypotheses on D, we prove that the Hilbert series H (Der D (g) , t) is a rational function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum albumin level is a crucial nutritional indicator for patients on dialysis. Approximately one-third of patients on hemodialysis (HD) have protein malnutrition. Therefore, the serum albumin level of patients on HD is strongly correlated with mortality. Methods: In study, the data sets were obtained from the longitudinal electronic health records of the largest HD center in Taiwan from July 2011 to December 2015, included 1,567 new patients on HD who met the inclusion criteria. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of clinical factors with low serum albumin, and the grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA) was used for feature selection. The quantile g-computation method was used to calculate the weight ratio of each factor. Machine learning and deep learning (DL) methods were used to predict the low serum albumin. The area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were calculated to determine the model performance. Results: Age, gender, hypertension, hemoglobin, iron, ferritin, sodium, potassium, calcium, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, and triglyceride levels were significantly associated with low serum albumin. The AUC and accuracy of the GOA quantile g-computation weight model combined with the Bi-LSTM method were 98% and 95%, respectively. Conclusion: The GOA method was able to rapidly identify the optimal combination of factors associated with serum albumin in patients on HD, and the quantile g-computation with DL methods could determine the most effective GOA quantile g-computation weight prediction model. The serum albumin status of patients on HD can be predicted by the proposed model and accordingly provide patients with better a prognostic care and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar light is a renewable source of energy that can be used and transformed into electricity using clean energy technology. In this study, we used direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) to sputter p-type cuprous oxide (Cu2O) films with different oxygen flow rates (fO2) as hole-transport layers (HTLs) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The PSC device with the structure of ITO/Cu2O/perovskite/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM)/bathocuproine (BCP)/Ag showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.91%. Subsequently, a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) Cu2O film was embedded and promoted the device performance to 10.29%. As HiPIMS has a high ionization rate, it can create higher density films with low surface roughness, which passivates surface/interface defects and reduces the leakage current of PSCs. We further applied the superimposed high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (superimposed HiPIMS) derived Cu2O as the HTL, and we observed PCEs of 15.20% under one sun (AM1.5G, 1000 Wm−2) and 25.09% under indoor illumination (TL-84, 1000 lux). In addition, this PSC device outperformed by demonstrating remarkable long-term stability via retaining 97.6% (dark, Ar) of its performance for over 2000 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural land use has a remarkable influence on the stock and distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, both regional soil sampling and process-based ecosystem models for SOC estimation at the regional scale have limitations when applied in areas with a large land use change. In the present study, a framework (CMCS) combining CENTURY modeling (CM) and chronosequences sampling (CS) was established, and a case study was conducted in Cangshan County, where vegetable cultivation conversion from grain production was significant in recent decades. The SOC stock (SOCS) of the non-vegetable area estimated by CM was comparable to that estimated by regional soil sampling in 2008. This result confirmed that CM was reliable in modeling SOC dynamics in a non-vegetable area without land use change. However, when applied to the overall cropland of Cangshan County, the CM, without considering the land use change, underestimated the SOCS by 0.23 Tg (6%), compared with the observed measurements (3.58 and 3.81 Tg, respectively). Using the CMCS framework of our study, the underestimation of CM was offset by the SOC sequestration estimated by CS. The SOCS estimated by the CMCS framework ranged from 3.72 to 4.02 Tg, demonstrating that this framework is reliable for the regional SOC estimation of large-area land use change. In addition, annual SOCS dynamics were obtained by this framework. The CMCS framework provides a low-cost and practicable method for the estimation of the regional SOC dynamic, which can further support the strategy of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precise point positioning (PPP) technique has been commonly applied to structural displacement monitoring. Considering the sheltering effect, GNSS receivers are regularly mounted on the top of a structure, but the structure is often not a rigid body; therefore, the receiver should also be mounted on the wall of the structure. Combining five constellations, GNSS can effectively reduce the sheltering effect. Therefore, this study attempts to apply the five-constellation PPP technique to monitor structural long-term displacements on the wall (SLDW) and structural vibrational displacements on the wall (SVDW) and then analyze their performance. Two novel methods are proposed in monitoring SVDW. Firstly, semi-generated measurements are designed to generate pseudo-environments with vibrations for the receiver. Therefore, additional instruments are not necessary to generate vibrations. Secondly, to further reduce the sheltering effect, a position-constrained PPP (PCPPP) model is developed. Formal performance analyses are presented in this study, and the results show that using the five-constellation PPP to monitor SLDW and SVDW in the horizontal direction is possible as long as the sheltering effect over the half sky of the receiver is not severe. In monitoring SVDW, the PCPPP model can perform better than the classical PPP model and be successful in the horizontal direction when the condition of elevation cutoff is given as high as 50°. For Asia-Pacific mid-low-latitude regions, the global positioning system (GPS) and BeiDou system (BDS) are important to maintain the availability of monitoring SVDW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exhibit an explicit formula for the cardinality of solutions to a class of quadratic matrix equations over finite fields. We prove that the orbits of these solutions under the natural conjugation action of the general linear groups can be separated by classical conjugation invariants defined by characteristic polynomials. We also find a generating set for the vanishing ideal of these orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To assess the concurrent validity between logbooks and a single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurement for patients with stroke. Agreement between caregivers and patients and between caregivers and physical therapists regarding a single‐item measurement was investigated, and its predictive validity was explored. Background: Adherence to therapy is a primary determinant of treatment success. There are no standard instruments for measuring rehabilitation adherence available for stroke patients. Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Methods: Seventy‐five patients with stroke were recruited, measured four times and followed for 6 months. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was used to ensure comprehensive reporting. Adherence was documented in logbooks, and single‐item measurements were compared. Predictive validity was explored by assessing associations between adherence levels, self‐care ability and health‐related quality of life. The Spearman's correlation coefficients, weighted kappa, and generalised estimating equations statistics were used to explore the concurrent validity, measurement agreement, and predictive validity, respectively. Results: Logbook records had a fair correlation (rs =.23, p =.04) with the single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements. There was moderate agreement (kappa = 0.42, p <.001) between caregiver and patient assessments and fair agreement (kappa = 0.29, p =.017) between caregiver and physical therapist assessments of patients' rehabilitation adherence levels. Perfect rehabilitation adherence, based on the logbook and single‐item measurements, predicted better scores for self‐care ability and quality of life than imperfect rehabilitation adherence during 6 months after inclusion. Conclusions: There was fair concurrent validity between logbooks and single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements and moderate and fair adherence measure agreement between caregivers and patients and caregivers and physical therapists, respectively. Logbooks and single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurements had adequate predictive validity. Relevance to clinical practice: Single‐item rehabilitation adherence measurement is a workable and straightforward method to assess stroke patients' rehabilitation adherence in busy clinical care settings. Caregivers can represent stroke patients regarding their reported rehabilitation adherence. Patient or public contribution: Patients were diagnosed with stroke in the study hospital. Rehabilitation physicians transferred patients to a research nurse who then screened them for the inclusion criteria and invited them and their family caregivers to participate in this study if they met the requirements. We also recruited seven physical therapists responsible for the physical therapy of the study participants. After participants signed informed consent, the research nurse encouraged participants to respond to research questions face to face, including rehabilitation adherence data, daily physical function, and quality of life. Each participant was measured four times at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months after inclusion in this study. Physical therapists had to score their patients' rehabilitation adherence levels before discharge. Trial registration details: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discarded disposable medical masks generated due to the COVID−19 epidemic are overwhelming the current medical waste disposal facilities. Thermal disposal masks in domestic waste incinerator can both utilize the heat energy released by their combustion and dispose of the headache-inducing masks in a harmless manner. The masks are divided into 6 parts: white inside (WI), filter (FI), blue outside (BO), bonding of 3 parts (BP), ear strap (ES) and nose wire (NW). The highest burnout temperature (Tb) of each part of the mask was only 481.2°C and had a high HHV of 40.47 MJ/kg, which has a high energy potential as an energy source. The NOx, SO2, and HCl emission characteristics of each part of the masks were evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor. BP, BO, and ES contradict SO2 and HCl emission limits in China. The SO2 and HCl emission peaks of the masks with the addition of 10 wt% Ca(OH)2 did not exceed 60 mg/m3, which made the combustion emissions of the masks comply with GB 18,485–2014. Considering subsidies for disposal of masks and power generation, blending masks with a 1%−5% ratio enhances the subsidy revenue of waste incineration power plants by 12.63%−63.13%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal safety problem of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) in use requires an excellent thermal management system to preserve it. In the paper, an expansion flame-retardant composed of APP and CFA and kaolinite is used to enhance the flame-retardant property of phase change materials (PCM). The performances of PCM and their property in the thermal management of LIB were studied. The results indicate that the kaolinite can improve the long-term thermostability of PCM. The addition of flame retardant can make the flame-retardant property of PCM reach V0 level. The synergistic action of expansion flame-retardant and kaolinite can increase the residual carbon and enhance the thermal reliability of flame-retardant PCM (RPCM). The RPCM has an obvious cooling effect on the surface temperature of the battery. The RPCM can reduce the maximum temperature of the cell to 37.4 °C at 3 C, which is 12 °C lower than pure PA. The peak temperature of the battery pack at 3 C is also reduced to 50.28 °C by the flame-retardant PCM, and the temperature difference is kept within 5 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have concentrated on developing user-centered designs for hazard zone maps but rarely for hazard-oriented geomorphological maps, named as Geomorphological Hazard Thematic Maps (GHTMs) in this study, which provide more detailed information about natural hazards. This study developed a user-centered mapping design for GHTMs for nonexperts in geomorphology. We invited civil engineers and high school educators to evaluate a sample GHTM’s design in group and focus group panel interviews. The civil engineers preferred maps with more geomorphological features, whereas the educators preferred simple designs. Both groups indicated that the inclusion of essential facilities and road networks is essential. The map was also adjusted by adding hillshade layer and by changing the symbology for mass wasting, fault scarps, and fluvial features to increase clarity and simplicity. This case study is the first step toward developing user-centered mapping designs for hazard communication that will deepen their understanding of natural hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) raises an urgent need for an effective vaccine. The outer membrane proteins of PA, especially those that are upregulated during infection, are ideal vaccine targets. However, the strong hydrophobicity of these proteins hinders their application for this purpose. In this study, we selected eight outer membrane proteins from PA with the most significantly upregulated expression. Their extracellular loops were analyzed and screened by using sera from patients who had recovered from PA infection. As a result, a novel immunogenic epitope (Ep167-193) from PilY1 (PA4554) was found. Moreover, we constructed a macrophage membrane-coated PLGA (poly lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle vaccine carrying PilY1 Ep167-193 (PNPs@M-Ep167-193) that elicits a Th2 immune response and confers adequate protection in mice. Our data furnished the promising vaccine candidate PNPs@M-Ep167-193 while providing additional evidence for structure-based epitope identification and vaccine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains unclear whether periphytic biofilms are beneficial to N cycling in paddy fields. Here, based on a national‐scale field investigation covering 220 rice fields in China, the N accumulation potential of periphytic biofilms was found to decrease from 8.8 ± 2.4 to 4.5 ± 0.7 g/kg and 3.1 ± 0.6 g/kg with increasing habitat latitude and longitude, respectively. The difference in abundant and rare subcommunities likely accounts for their geo‐difference in N accumulation potential. The N cycling pathways involved in periphytic biofilms inferred that soil N and N2 were two potential sources for N accumulation in periphytic biofilms. Meanwhile, some of the accumulated N may be lost via N2, N2O, NO, or NH3 outputs. Superficially, periphytic biofilms are double‐edged swords to N cycling by increasing soil N through biological N fixation but accelerating greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, augmented periphytic biofilms increased change of TN (ΔTN) content in paddy soil from −231.9 to 31.9 mg/kg, indicating that periphytic biofilms overall benefit N content enhancement in paddy fields. This study highlights the contribution of periphytic biofilms to N cycling in rice fields, thus, drawing attention to their effect on rice production and environmental security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable Health Technology (WHT) is considered to be fast, feasible, and effective in workplace health promotion programs. This study aims to analyze behavior change strategies applied to WHT products used by employees in health promotion programs. A systematic literature review of WHT in workplace health promotion between 2006 and 2020 was conducted. The Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) was used to undertake the content analysis. We identified 14 articles of WHT in the workplace. First, physical activity and weight management were the most common health issue. Second, using the BCW, we found guidelines, regulation and communication were the most frequently applied policy categories. Third, education, enablement and training were the most common intervention functions. For example, the promoter could provide health education information by WHT. Moreover, encouraging online would motivate employees to improve health behavior. There has been a growing interest in WHT with increasing complexity in research designs and specifications. While using WHT can be an appropriate strategy to adopt as employee health projects, other interventions should be considered, for incentivization and modeling, etc. The results of this study suggest using WHT should take related health behavior theories or variables into consideration to form a comprehensive health promotion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the thermal convection in a fluid layer overlying an anisotropic porous medium with Oldroyd-B fluids in the paper. The linear stability analysis and the Chebyshev pseudo-spectral method are used to obtain the numerical results. We found that the neutral curves are bimodal at some depth ratios. The proper values of the permeability ratio and the thermal diffusivity ratio are found to stabilize the stationary convection and the oscillatory convection. Furthermore, the variation of permeability ratio does not affect the bimodal nature of the neutral curves. In addition, the increase in the stress relaxation time has an unstable effect on the oscillatory convection, but the strain retardation time has the opposite effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advance of nonvolatile memory in storage technology has presented challenges in redefining the ways in handling the main memory and the storage. This work is motivated by the strong demands in effective handling of page faults over ultralow-latency storage devices. In particular, we propose synchronous and asynchronous prefetching strategies to satisfy process executions with different memory demands in supporting of synchronous page fault handling. An adaptive CPU scheduling strategy is also proposed to cope with the needs of processes in maintaining their working sets in the main memory. Six representative benchmarks and applications were evaluated. It was shown that our strategy can effectively save 12.33% of the total execution time and reduce 13.33% of page faults, compared to the conventional demand paging strategy with nearly no sacrificing of process fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus can cause herpes zoster (HZ) infection, and renal transplant recipients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy are particularly susceptible to this condition. This study aims to evaluate the potential increase in HZ incidence following influenza vaccination among this specific patient population. This study was a population-based, retrospective, self-controlled case series. Data were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database spanning the years 2008 to 2017. Patients diagnosed with HZ within a 6-month period before and after receiving the influenza vaccine were eligible for inclusion. Two distinct time intervals were defined for analysis: the initial 15 days and 30 days following vaccination were categorized as risk intervals, while all other periods served as control intervals. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were computed to compare HZ incidence during the risk intervals with that during the control intervals. This study encompassed a cohort of 4,222 renal transplant recipients who had received the influenza vaccine. Among this group, 67 recipients were subsequently diagnosed with HZ. The IRR during both the initial 15 days (IRR = 0.63; 95 % CI, 0.23–1.89) and the first 30 days (IRR = 1.50; 95 % CI, 0.71–3.16) following influenza vaccination did not demonstrate a statistically significant increase when compared to the post-exposure observation times. Comparable results were also observed when comparing these IRR values to the pre-exposure observation times. The subgroup analysis, stratified by age, sex, and underlying medical conditions (including cancer and autoimmune diseases), revealed that the IRRs did not exhibit statistically significant differences. No significant association between the influenza vaccine and an elevated risk of HZ was detected. The administration of annual influenza vaccines appears to be a reasonable practice for renal transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the just noticeable distortion (JND) reflects the tolerance limit of human visual system (HVS) to coding distortion directly, JND-based perceptual video coding (PVC) plays an increasingly significant role in video compression with the developing explosion of video data. In this paper, we focus on the coupling effect among coding modules and provide a JND-based multi-module cooperative perceptual optimization (JMCPO) scheme for HEVC. The main contribution of the proposed JMCPO scheme includes the following three aspects. (1) Based on quantization distortion estimation, an adaptive perceptual quantization scheme is proposed using the binary search approach on the premise of that the quantization distortion is infinitely close to the estimated JND threshold. (2) The coupling effect among coding modules is first analyzed and a novel perceptual residual filtering scheme is presented based on statistic analysis of coupling strength. (3) The JMCPO scheme is finally developed through collaborative optimization of residual filtering, quantization and rate–distortion optimization. Experimental results show that the proposed JMCPO scheme saves more bitrate with better subjective and objective qualities. • Based on quantization distortion estimation, an adaptive perceptual quantization scheme is proposed using the binary search approach on the premise of that the quantization distortion is infinitely close to the estimated JND threshold. • The coupling effect among coding modules is first analyzed and a novel perceptual residual filtering scheme is presented based on statistic analysis. • The JMCPO scheme is finally developed through collaborative optimization of residual filtering, quantization and rate-distortion optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new oligo(N,O-donor)-like ratiometric fluorescence sensor, H 3 L , was designed and synthesized for dual-channel detection of B 4 O 7 2- ions in environmental samples. The recognition of B 4 O 7 2- is based on the FRET effect by the sensor H 3 L , and the presence of B 4 O 7 2- ions turned on the FRET effect, which led to the change of the solution from blue fluorescence of the donor to yellow fluorescence of the acceptor, realizing the ratiometric fluorescence recognition process with a large redshift, and solving the problem of the interference of background fluorescence in short-wavelength fluorescence sensors. Since the sensor also has high selectivity and high sensitivity, it was also successfully applied to detect B 4 O 7 2- in real samples. [Display omitted] • This symmetric oligo(N,O-donor)-like sensor was synthesized for the first time. • The sensor H 3 L is a ratiometric fluorescent sensor with dual-channel recognition of B 4 O 7 2-. • The addition of B 4 O 7 2- turned on the FRET effect, producing a large Stokes redshift (123 nm). • The problem of background fluorescence interference of short wavelength fluorescence sensor is solved. B 4 O 7 2- ions are widely found in various production and living environments, and can cause serious effects on human health. For this reason, it is necessary to develop a high-efficiency method for the detection of B 4 O 7 2- ions. Here a oligo(N,O-donor)-like dual-channel ratiometric fluorescence probe H 3 L was designed and synthesized for the detection of B 4 O 7 2- ions in environmental samples. The recognition of B 4 O 7 2- is based on the FRET effect by the probe H 3 L , the naphthalene ring partially serves as an energy donor, benzene ring partially serves as an energy acceptor, and phenolic oxygen acts as a reaction site for B 4 O 7 2-. The probe H 3 L mainly displays the blue fluorescence of the donor; the presence of the B 4 O 7 2- ions turns on the FRET effect, which will lead to yellow fluorescence of the benzene ring acceptor, enabling a ratiometric fluorescence recognition process. The probe has a large Stokes red shift (Δλ = 123 nm), which makes the emission wavelength after red shift more than 500 nm, and the obvious colourless to yellow color change can be observed by naked eyes, which solves the background fluorescence interference problem of short-wavelength fluorescence probe. At the same time, the probe has high selectivity and high sensitivity (low detection limit of 17.3 nM). In addition, we have successfully used this probe to detect B 4 O 7 2- ions in actual samples. These results showed that the probe has a broad application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]