Search

Objective:We aimed to provide an up-to-date synthesis of the effectiveness of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) use to self-monitor symptoms compared to conventional follow-up care in patients with rheumatic diseases. We also compared the effect of providing feedback via PROMs to a control group in which PROMs feedback was not provided.Methods:This review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles published before October 2023 were retrieved from PubMedⓇ, Cochrane LibraryⓇ, EmbaseⓇ, and PsycINFOⓇ(Ovid). Studies were included if (1) they compared PROMs use compared against not using PROMs, (2) used PROMs as an intervention with feedback provided to healthcare professionals/patients to compare against PROMs use but no feedback was provided. Methodological quality and level of evidence were evaluated according to the Risk of Bias tool and the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tool.Results:A total of 15, 571 articles were screened, 5 articles met the inclusion criteria, and 3 additional articles were identified from handsearching. Most studies reported positive results on symptom control, health-related quality of life, patient perception, shared decision making, and a reduction in clinic visits. No studies reported on survival/mortality. In general, we found conflicting evidence regarding whether feedback from physicians improved patient satisfaction in clinical care.Conclusion:We identified 8 articles through a systematic review and synthesised evidence on their effectiveness. There is a lack of studies comparing PROMs use to conventional care in rheumatic diseases. Future studies should explore the implications of using PROMs in clinical care.

In an electron linac, the standard bunching system is generally composed of a standing-wave (SW) pre-buncher (PB), a travelling-wave (TW) buncher and a standard TW accelerating structure. To keep the beam performance similar to the standard bunching system but reduce the cost as much as possible, the hybrid accelerating structure (HAS) was proposed by integrating the PB, the B and the accelerating structure together. The RF design of the HAS was conducted by 2D code SUPERFISH, which is used to determine the dimensions of the SW and TW cells, and 3D code HFSS, which is used to optimize the input and output RF coupler cells. The on-axis electric field distribution simulated by HFSS can fully meet the dynamic requirement. The phase jump in SW section is 180$$^\circ $$ ∘ while the phase advance in TW section is 120$$^\circ $$ ∘ . The RF design of the HAS is completed, and the engineering design of the prototype is being conducted.

Reading disorder is a recognized feature in primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Surface dyslexia, characterized by regularization errors, is typically seen in the English-speaking semantic variant of PPA (svPPA). However, dyslexic characteristics of other languages, particularly logographical languages such as Chinese, remain sparse in the literature. This study aims to characterize and describe the dyslexic pattern in this group of patients by comparing an English-speaking svPPA group with a Chinese-speaking svPPA group. The authors hypothesized that Chinese-speaking individuals with svPPA would likely commit fewer surface dyslexic errors. By accessing the database of Singapore’s National Neuroscience Institute and the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center of the United States, the authors identified three Chinese-speaking and 18 English-speaking patients with svPPA, respectively, for comparison. The results suggest that, instead of surface dyslexia, svPPA in Chinese-speaking individuals is characterized by a profound deep dyslexic error. Based on current evidence suggesting the role of the temporal pole as a semantic convergence center, the authors conclude that this region also mediates and converges lexical-semantic significance in logographical languages.

Nine scintillator detectors were developed for beam tuning of low-energy single electron accelerator instead of the picoammeter and Faraday cup, both of which will be insensitive to the weak-current beam lower than picoampere. The detectors are based on plastic scintillator and photomultiplier tube (PMT) and the beam is 100 Hz pulsed electrons in the energy range of 0.1 to 50 MeV. The beam flux was tuned from about 10$$^7$$ 7 to quasi-single electron for each bunch according to the measurement results of these detectors installed along the beam pipe and after slits. In order to determine the number of electrons in a bunch, the gains of each PMT were finely calibrated, and the energy response of each detector was calibrated with $$^{207}$$ 207 Bi radioactive source. Moreover, the deposited energy in the plastic scintillator, the electron detection efficiency and light collection efficiency, as a function of electron incident energy, were also simulated in detail by Geant4. Nine detectors worked well at a gain of $$0.6\times 10^6$$ 0.6×106 after installation in the beam pipe, and the number of electrons in a bunch could be measured at each detector position. The single electron peak was seen when the beam reached the final detector. The commissioning result shows that the beam was tuned to quasi-single electron level successfully and the scintillator detector is an effective method to measure the weak-current beam lower than picoampere.

The silt content of inlet A, inlet flow B and underflow diameter C were the important factors on the separation efficiency of the hydrocyclone, using hydrocyclone for pretreatment of high turbidity silt water. The silt content of inlet selected 5 kg/m3, 4.5 kg/m3, 3 kg/m3, 2.5 kg/m3. Inlet flow rate selected 2.5 m3/h, 2.2 m3/h, 1.8 m3/h, 1.5 m3/h. The optimal solution selected B2A1C2, which was 2.5 m3/h, 2.5 kg/m3 and 10 mm. The effects of various factors on the hydrocyclone separation were summarized objectively through the analysis of silt content of overflow and particle size. The result showed that: when the silt content of inlet was kept in a certain range, the medium diameter of overflow decreased to 18μm with the inlet flow rate increasing. Condensed bottle silt can discharged successfully, and the overflow water medium diameter decreased gradually with underflow diameter increasing.

In this study, qualitative and quantitative analyses of peanut oils adulterated with waste oil, soybean oil, corn oil and canola oil were performed by combining near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics methods. With NIR spectrometer, the spectra of 108 adulterated peanut oil samples were collected. The collected data were preprocessed with three different preprocessing approaches, including standard normal variate (SNV) transformation, de-trending (DT), and orthogonal signal correction (OSC). Backward interval partial least squares (BiPLS) was used to extract the characteristic wavelengths of the preprocessed data. On the intervals of the full spectrum and the characteristic wavelengths, support vector classification qualitative discriminant models and support vector regression quantitative analysis models were established. Experiments demonstrated that the established qualitative models could accurately determine the type of adulterant in peanut oil, with the accuracies on both the calibration set and the prediction set reaching 100%. With the quantitative models, the percentage of adulteration (3% ~ 55%) could be determined accurately, with correlation coefficients as high as 99.10%. All the models returned prediction root mean square errors lower than 6.96E-4. It was validated that the combination of NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics methods can realize the qualitative and quantitative detection of adulteration of peanut oil.

In this paper, Fe2+、Mn2+、Zn2+、Al3+ were joined in the biological trickling filter circulation fluid. The result indicated that catalyzed oxidation and the biological methods simultaneously purified SO2 and NOx of the flue, the flow amount of import gas was more obvious than the other SO2 and NOx gas purification effect influence. The SO2 and NOx purification mechanism of aqueous catalyzed oxidation and biological law was discussed.

In this study, the distribution and enrichment characters of heavy metals were explored. And the potential ecological risk levels of heavy metals were evaluated by geo-accumulation index method and potential ecological risk index method. The concentrations of heavy metals in sediments of Harbin section of Songhua River are: Zn>Pb>Cr>Cu>Ni>Cd. The enrichment degree of Zn is the highest, while Cd is the lowest. The potential ecological risk indexes of heavy metals in the sediments of section of Songhua River in Harbin are: Cd>Pb>Cu>Zn>Ni>Cr. The main heavy metals pollution is Cd, which has low content but considerable potential ecological risk and contributes most to RI. The ecological risk level of heavy metals in the sediments of the section of Songhua River in Harbin is moderate.

In this study, Fe3O4 and TiO2 nanocomposites embedded sodium alginate (SA) beads were synthesized, which exhibited a robust performance of efficient adsorption in Pb (II) removal. Effects of lead ion concentration, initial pH , Pb (II) of contact time and no Tio2 in mixture on final removal efficiency were also evaluated. The results showed that Pb2+concentration increased from 25 to 200 mg/L, beads of adsorption capacity increased from 25 to 95 mg/g, the optimum pH for adsorption is located at 6.2 and the adsorption balance is around 240 minutes in 298K. The effect of the synthetic materials to add light catalyst is better, and removal efficiency can reach more than 95%.This work provides a practical and high-efficient method for heavy metal removal from water and sediment. Particles can be used to effectively handle containing low concentration of Pb2+ (< 200 mg/L) of water and sediment pollution.

In order to solve the complex industrial control problems in grinding control,we construct multi-agent grinding control system based on the blackboard model in this paper. Through the study on the structure and control mechanism of the blackboard model, we design a framework for blackboard model in multi-agent grinding control system, divide and introduce the function model of the blackboard in detail, establish blackboard control agent to control and coordinate how the individual agent takes use of the blackboard resources centralizedly.Aiming at actual situations of the grinding control,we put forward cooperation mechanism multi-agent based on a combination of tasks sharing and results sharing, establish control decision agent to solve the conflict caused by multi-agent cooperation. The cooperation mechanism multi-agent grinding control system improves the execution ability of the individual agent, avoids the conflict caused by different goals and the competition of resources, ensures the coordinated executive of multiple tasks.

The potential of using the waste from simultaneous NOx and SO2 purification bio-trickling process to leach copper ore and to make fertilizer was investigated. It was found there were two main exhausted by-products in the purification process: the acidic liquid in desulfurization tower and the alkalescent liquid in denitrogenation tower. Through operation of leaching the oxide ore sample containing 2.58% copper by the acidic liquid, the effective grade of the metal to be extracted reached 28.37% by weight. With adding proportional dose of ammonia into the alkalescent liquid or the acidic liquid and going through evaporation and concentration, crystal products of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate were generated, which can be used in fertilizer manufacturing.

This paper proposes a Multi-Agent grinding control system model based on the blackboard model and in accordance with the Multi-Agent Systems modeling method . We hierarchical decompose of the grinding control task, establish a grinding control subsystem model, we establish the specific function of each subsystem model and establish a complete multi-Agent grinding control system structure. We establish a Multi-Agent System based on the blackboard model and multi-Agent Communication and Coordination Mechanism. This paper describes the architecture of the control multi-Agent grinding system and its function results in details and designs a blackboard coordination model, the results shared collaborative mechanisms and Multi-Agent collaboration conflict resolution strategies. This system model reduces the difficulty of the operation of the grinding control, multi-Agent collaboration enhance the system's ability to execute, decision-making consultation mechanisms improves the control precision and accuracy of the system.

A cyanoethylated wastepaper-degrading bacterial strain S11 was screened from the surface humus soil in the forest of Yunnan University. The bacterium was identified through analysis of morphological, biological and biochemical features and 16S rRNA sequence. S11 enjoyed above 99% homology with Ochrobactrum sp.CRRI29’s 16S rDNA sequence, therefore the baterium belonged to Ochrobactrum sp. The research on degradation features of S11 revealed that S11 bacterium could effectively degrade cyanoethylated wastepaper under 35℃, pH 11.0, 25% inoculum size and 50g/L substrate concentration; under the optimum conditions, the degradation rate of cyanoethylated wastepaper was 46.83% after degradation by S11 bacterium for 192 hours.

Build a diode laser end-pumped Nd:YVO4/KTP solid laser system, Nd:YVO4 crystal was used as the solid laser medium, it emitting 1064nm infrad laser when it was pumped by 808nm diode laser, then the 1064nm infrad laser was changed to 532nm green laser by frequency doubling with a KTP crystal inside the optical cavity. Based on experiment, the relationship between diode laser power output and diode laser injection current, the relationship between laser pump power and 532nm green laser output, and the other factors possibly affecting 532nm laser output which include KTP phase match angle, pump light focus position and all-solid-state-laser (ASSL) cavity length was also studied. The experimental results show that to increase the output of 532nm green light needs to improve the pump diode laser power, shorten the length of the solid laser cavity , focus the pump laser to the middle of the Nd:YVO4 crystal, and choose correct KTP crystal phase-matching angle.

A broadband supercontinuum source is demonstrated with phosphosilicate-doped Raman fiber laser. By lunching 1495nm continuous-wave pump into a short length of microstructure fiber with high nonlinearity and flat dispersion, high efficiency continuum spanning from 1450nm to 1650nm is generated, covering the whole communication windows. The average output power is as high as 2W when the pump is set as 4.14W, corresponding to a spectral density of 10mW/nm. This all -fiber light source can be applied in fiber sensing system.

In this study, modified activated carbon used as catalysts treat imidacloprid pesticide wastewater with microwave-assisted catalytic oxidation. The effect of working conditions such as hydrogen peroxide concentration, homogeneous catalysts concentration of Fe2+, amount of activated carbon catalysts, microwave power, irradiation time, wastewater temperature, and pH value on the treatment of imidacloprid pesticide wastewater in the process was investigated. The results show that COD removal rate , can reach 89.25%, with the following working conditions : imidacloprid pesticide wastewater with initial concentration of 268mg/ L , 100 mL ; hydrogen peroxide solution added at a concentration of 26.52g/L , Fe2+ concentration ,109.81mg/L; amount of activated carbon catalysts, 5g;power of microwave , 119 W; irradiation time , 4min ; pH value , 6.

The microwave-induced hydrogen peroxide oxidation process was used for the treatment of synthetic imidacloprid pesticide wastewater, which the initial concentration of COD was 268mg/L. The results showed that COD removal rate could reach 50.06% with the following working conditions: imidacloprid pesticide wastewater 100mL, H2O2 concentration 26.52g/L, microwave power 119W, irradiation time 1min, pH value 6. It provides an effective technology for the removal of imidacloprid pesticide wastewater.

Exchange bias effects in CoO/Co bilayers fabricated by ion-assisted deposition were studied as a function of CoO thickness. During the deposition of the top CoO layer, pillar-like CoO structures were embedded in the underlying Co layer due to implantation of oxygen ions. The enhanced coercivity was attributed to the changes in the magnetic reversal mechanism in the ferromagnetic Co layer due to the penetration of pillar-like structures of antiferromagnetic CoO. At low temperature, we found a strong exchange bias field. Our measurements indicate that the exchange bias effect can exist in a nanocomposite system that has a disordered mixture of columnar and planar Co/CoO interfaces.

Flexible automated manufacturing environment put new demands to the Coordinate Measuring Machines, an operator in CAD center, inputs inspection requirements according to the drawings parameter, should automatically generate the CMM measuring programs. To solve these issues, we use of an expert systems which is composed of the knowledge base, the inference engine, a database and a human-machine interface.

F2 is one of two compound bioflocculant producing strains with good genetic stability and high flocculating activity. The core sequence of exoL was amplified from the F2 genome by the method of polymerase chain reaction, identifying that the effective polysaccharide component of bioflocculant produced by F2 was succinoglycan. The changes of protein complexes of F2 grown in minimal media versus bioflocculant media were researched by SDS-PAGE, indicating that in bioflocculant media compared with minimal media, the relative content of two protein complexes were obviously increased and the relative content of one protein complexes was obviously decreased in gels. It was three differentially expressed protein complexes that can probably induce the production of large amount of the effective polysaccharide component of bioflocculant produced by F2. The research can provide a step to reveal the molecular flocculating mechanisms of compound bioflocculant producing strains.

A rapid and sensitive, indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IC-ELISA) method has been developed to measure aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in corn, rice, and barley using a heavy-chain IgG2bisotype monoclonal antibody (MAb). One MAb was isolated and characterized after fusion of myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from BALB/c mice that had been immunized with AFB1 carboxymethyl oxime conjugated with bovine serum albumin. The antibody was IgG2bwith a λ light chain. The crossreactivities of the anti-AFB1 MAb clone were 1.0% against aflatoxin M1 and <1.0% against aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, and deoxynivalenol. The limit of detection for AFB1 was 0.001 ng/mL, and the AFB1 concentration required for 50% inhibition of binding was 0.01 ng/mL. The linear range for the developed IC-ELISA was 0.001–10.0 ng of AFB1 per mL. Assays of cereal extract samples mixed with AFB1 ranging in concentration from 0.1 to 10 ng/mL resulted in a mean ELISA recovery of 93.7%. In total, 53 samples of corn, rice, and barley were collected from farms in northeastern China. The concentration of AFB1 in all samples collected was <1 ng/g. The average AFB1 contamination rates were 66% in corn, 42% in rice, and 58% in barley. The results indicate that necessary precautions will have to be taken to minimize AFB1 contamination in corn, rice, and barley.

Summary:The separation of H2/CO2is technologically important to produce the next generation fuel source, hydrogen, from synthesis gas. However, the separation efficiency achieved by polymeric membranes is usually very low because of both unfavourable diffusivity selectivity and solubility selectivity between H2and CO2. A series of novel diamino‐modified polyimides has been discovered to enhance the separation capability of polyimide membranes especially for H2and CO2separation. Both pure gas and mixed gas tests have been conducted. The ideal H2/CO2selectivity in pure gas tests is 101, which is far superior to other polymeric membranes and is well above the Robeson's upper‐bound curve. Mixed gas tests show an ideal selectivity of 42 for the propane‐1,3‐diamine‐modified polyimide. The lower selectivity is a result of the sorption competition between H2and the highly condensable CO2molecules. However, both pure gas and mixed gas data are better than other polymeric membranes and above the Robeson's upper‐bound curve. It is evident that the proposed modification methods can alter the physicochemical structure of polyimide membranes with superior separation performance for H2and CO2separation.

Objective: To quantify the effect of motor-developmental Tuina therapy on 61 children with cerebral palsy. Methods: All the children received the motor-developmental Tuina therapy for 20 min each time, 3 to 6 times per week. The gross motor functions of the children were evaluated by GMFM 66. The baseline period evaluations in 15 children and follow-up period evaluations in 26 children were performed. Results: GMFM 66 score significantly increased at the end of treatment period (P<0.001). The GMFM 66 score changes per month in treatment period was significantly greater than those of both baseline period and follow-up period (P<0.001). Conclusion: The effect of motor-developmental Tuina therapy was notable on children with cerebral palsy. Continuous progress of the gross motor functions in these children may be obtained by continuous therapy.

Summary:Carbon molecular‐sieve membranes (CMSMs) have shown great potential for gas separation. They exhibit high selectivity by permitting effective size‐ and shape‐separation between gas molecules of similar molecular dimensions. Hence, the control of their pore size is very important. While previous studies have focused on the conditions of pyrolysis and its effect on CMSM properties, a novel approach is reported here whereby the precursor polymer is chemically modified prior to pyrolysis and the resultant CMSM was investigated for its gas separation properties. Pyrolysis of chemically crosslinked and uncrosslinked Matrimid® resulted in a change in d‐spacing from 5.6 to 3.6 and 3.7 Å, respectively. The crosslinked CMSM also exhibited greater ordering in its packing. The Matrimid‐derived CMSMs exhibited excellent separation properties for CO2/CH4.

Fifty-two samples of two-rowed malting barley, six-rowed husked barley, and six-rowed hulless barley were collected from fields in Korea and screened for Fusarium graminearumand deoxynivalenol (DON). Processed barley products such as commercial barley malt, pearled barley, pearled transversally cut barley, barley cookies, and barley tea were collected from various retail stores for this study. The average mold infection rates were 57% in two-rowed malting barley, 89% in six-rowed husked barley, and 38% in six-rowed hulless barley. HPLC and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit were used to determine the level of DON contamination in barley samples. The average level of DON was 1.19 μg/g for six-rowed husked barley, 0.44 μg/g for two-rowed malting barley, and 0.59 μg/g for six-rowed hulless barley. The average DON concentration of commercial barley products was 0.39 μg/g for barley malt, 0.35 μg/g for pearled transversally cut barley, 0.34 μg/g for pearled barley, and 0.11 μg/g for pearled and pressed barley. DON was not detected in barley tea and cookies among the processed barley products.

The linear and nonlinear effects of the polarization process in KDP type crystals are discussed by the method of N + 1 time Green's functions based upon the model of a coupling of the lattice with the proton system described as a four sublattice. The second-rank, third-rank, fourth-rank susceptibility tensors are derived.

The first order ferroelectric phase transition (FT) of a KDP type crystal is studied by the method of Green's functions based upon the pseudo-spin model and the model of coupling of the proton and the anharmonic phonon. Equations determining the spontaneous polarization ps, tunnelling effect x, and quantized axis are derived. From these equations, the transition temperature Tc, the ferroelectric criterion, the temperature dependence of the spontaneous polarization, the temperature dependence of the susceptibility of the paraelectric phase, the soft model frequency and its temperature dependence, the condition of FT, the jumping value of spontaneous polarization at the transition temperature ps (Tc), the absolute saturation value of spontaneous polarization, and the Curie's constant C etc are given.

The coercivity and exchange bias field of ferro-/antiferromagnetic Co90Fe10/CoFe-oxide bilayers were studied as function of the surface morphology of the bottom CoFe-oxide layer. The CoFe-oxide surface structure was varied systematically by low energy (0--70 V) Argon ion-beam bombardment before subsequent deposition of the Co90Fe10layer. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that the bilayer consisted of hcp Co90Fe10and rock-salt CoFe-oxide. At low temperatures, enhanced coercivities and exchange bias fields with increasing ion-beam bombardment energy were observed, which are attributed to defects and uncompensated moments created near the CoFe-oxide surface in increasing amounts with larger ion-beam bombardment energies. Magnetometry results also showed an increasing divergence of the low field temperature dependent magnetization [$\Delta M(T)$] between field-cooling and zero-field-cooling processes, and an increasing blocking temperature with increasing ion-beam bombardment energy.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Introduction: High dose Methotrexate (HDMTX) has been the backbone of chemotherapeutic regimens used for the treatment of lymphoid malignancies. Altered disposition of MTX may result in increased systemic exposure accompanied by severe adverse effects and organ toxicities. Diversity in toxicity profile has been shown to be associated with various clinical factors as well as genetic polymorphisms. In particular, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the solute carrier organic anion transporter 1B1 (SLCO1B1) gene especially rs4149056 and rs2306283 had been previously reported to be significantly associated with MTX concentration at 24 hours post-infusion, MTX AUC from 0-48 hours, MTX clearance and toxicities in the Caucasian pediatric population.

To treat 50 cases of chronic diarrhea by laser point-radiation on Shenque (CV 8), Tianshu (ST 25), Zusanli (ST 36) and Point Anti-diarrhea with low power He−Ne laser. The total effective rate was 96%.

Cover:Novel chemical modifications have been proposed by a series of linear diamines on polyimides to overcome the low H2/CO2selectivity of traditional polymers for H2purification. The resultant membranes show extremely impressive H2/CO2selectivity for both mixed and pure gas tests, opening a new way for H2generation during the world‐wide energy crisis. Further details can be found in the article by T.‐S. Chung,*L. Shao, and P. S. Tin on page 998.

The electrocrystalline anisotropy and electric susceptibilities are derived by the method of Green's function based upon the model of single ionic potential. The Hamiltonian of system is given by: [image omitted]