Search

Objective To screen factors influencing the neurological prognosis following lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) in patients with hydrocephalus. Methods Total 136 patients who underwent LPS in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from October 2014 to January 2020. The short-term neurological prognosis post - surgery were evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge. Univariate and multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analyses were conducted to screen factors affecting neurological prognosis. Results Of the 136 patients, 65 were categorized into the good prognosis group (mRS score ≤ 3), and 71 into the poor prognosis group (mRS score > 3). Logistic regression analysis indicated that an admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 9-12 (OR = 7.800, 95%CI: 7.205-8.443; P = 0.000) and 3-8 (OR = 6.299, 95%CI: 5.744-6.907; P = 0.006), as well as etiologies including traumatic brain injury (OR = 27.681, 95%CI: 24.270-31.572; P = 0.000), cerebral hemorrhage (OR = 13.017, 95%CI: 11.473-14.769; P = 0.005), subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR = 17.682, 95%CI: 15.683-19.935; P = 0.001), and other causes (OR = 5.851, 95%CI: 5.166-6.628; P = 0.050) were risk factors for poor short-term neurological prognosis in patients with hydrocephalus undergoing LPS. Conclusions The neurological prognosis after LPS in patients with hydrocephalus is influenced by multiple factors. Prognoses vary among patients with different admission GCS scores and different etiologies. Personalized treatment plans should be developed based on specific circumstances.

【Objective】 Soil dielectric constant measures the ability of a soil to transmit electric fields. It is the ratio of the capacitance of a soil sample to the capacitance of air-filled space of the same volume. In this paper, we systematically analyze the factors that influence the dielectric constant, offering an updated perspective on soil dielectric constant modeling. 【Method】 This study systematically identifies the primary factors influencing soil dielectric constant based on soil dielectric theory. Additionally, it categorizes and summarizes existing soil dielectric constant models, facilitating a comparative analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, applications, and future development. 【Result】 The primary influencing factors governing the dielectric constant varied with soil types, with notable dependence on testing frequency. However, the dielectric constant remains a valuable indicator of soil water content. The soil dielectric constant models were broadly categorized into four types: theoretical, semi-empirical, empirical, and boundary models. 【Conclusion】 Presently, there is a dearth of research focusing on the dielectric properties and model development specific to regional soils. Enhancing model accuracy necessitates incorporating the influence of soil-phase composition, mineral composition, and microstructure on the dielectric constant. This refinement will broaden the application studies for assessing and analyzing soil physical and chemical properties based on dielectric constant testing.

In recent years, UAV object tracking has provided technical support across various fields. Most existing work relies on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) or visual transformers. However, CNNs have limited receptive fields, resulting in suboptimal performance, while transformers require substantial computational resources, making training and inference challenging. Mountainous and jungle environments-critical components of the Earth's surface and key scenarios for UAV object tracking-present unique challenges due to steep terrain, dense vegetation, and rapidly changing weather conditions, which complicate UAV tracking. The lack of relevant datasets further reduces tracking accuracy. This article introduces a new tracking framework based on a state-space model called TrackingMamba, which uses a single-stream tracking architecture with Vision Mamba as its backbone. TrackingMamba not only matches transformer-based trackers in global feature extraction and long-range dependence modeling but also maintains computational efficiency with linear growth. Compared to other advanced trackers, TrackingMamba delivers higher accuracy with a simpler model framework, fewer parameters, and reduced FLOPs. Specifically, on the UAV123 benchmark, TrackingMamba outperforms the baseline model OSTtrack-256, improving AUC by 2.59% and Precision by 4.42%, while reducing parameters by 95.52% and FLOPs by 95.02%. The article also evaluates the performance and shortcomings of TrackingMamba and other advanced trackers in the complex and critical context of jungle environments, and it explores potential future research directions in UAV jungle object tracking.

Free calcium oxide (f-CaO) in steel slag is converted to calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) on contact with water, accompanied by significant volume expansion, a property that greatly limits the widespread use of steel slag. In this paper, a mixed solution of silica powder and sodium citrate was accustomed to treat steel slag to inhibit the volume expansion of steel slag, and the mineral composition and free calcium oxide content of steel slag were analysed by XRD. The findings indicated that the mixed solution of 3% silica powder and 0.2 mol/L sodium citrate had the best inhibition effect on the expansion of steel slag, and the mixed solution caused Ca(OH)2, the hydration product of f-CaO in steel slag, to be partly consumed by sodium citrate to produce CaC6H5O7, and partly produce calcium silicate (C-S-H) gel, which interacted with each other to form a dense layered structure on the surface of the slag to prevent further intrusion of moisture into the aggregate, and further increase the volume of the aggregate, and prevent the expansion of the slag. The interaction between the two forms a dense layer structure on the surface of steel slag, which prevents further moisture intrusion into the aggregate and further improves the comprehensive performance of modified steel slag.

In order to comprehensively recover the valuable components from decommitted high-nickel ternary lithium batteries, lithium was selectively extracted by sulphation roasting and water leaching, and the water leaching residue was then processed by aging leaching, impurity removal and precipitation to prepare nickel-cobalt-manganese hydroxide. The results show that the optimum conditions of sulfation roasting are n(H2SO4) : n(Li) = 1.4 : 1, roasting temperature of 600 °C, roasting time of 1 h, and the water leaching rate of Li, Mn can reach 94.36%, 11.03%, respectively, Ni and Co hardly leaching. Under the conditions of acid-ore ratio of 1.74, curing temperature of 120 °C, curing time of 120 min and liquid volume to solid mass ratio of 7.5 mL/1 g, the aqueous leaching slag is cured and acid leaching. The leaching rates of Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Cu, Fe and Al are 97.86%, 89.16%, 95.09%, 100%, 63.6%, 99.71% and 56.76%, respectively. Under the optimum conditions of PH = 3.38, precipitation temperature of 60 °C and precipitation time of 60 min, the precipitation rates of Fe, Al and Cu n the solution can reach 100%, 98.07% and 82.51%, respectively. Nickel cobalt manganese hydroxide can be formed by co-precipitation after pH adjustment. Under the optimal conditions of pH = 9.44, co-precipitation temperature of 55 °C and co-precipitation time of 120 min, the precipitation rates of N1,CO and Mn can reach 99.6%,100% and 98.72%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic structure of the strongly correlated electron system plutonium hexaboride is studied by using single‐particle approximations and a many‐body approach. Imaginary components of impurity Green's functions show that 5fj=5/2 and 5fj=7/2 manifolds are in conducting and insulating regimes, respectively. Quasi‐particle weights and their ratio suggest that the intermediate coupling mechanism is applicable for Pu 5f electrons, and PuB6 might be in the orbital‐selective localized state. The weighted summation of occupation probabilities yields the interconfiguration fluctuation and average occupation number of 5f electrons n5f ~ 5.101. The interplay of 5f–5f correlation, spin‐orbit coupling, Hund's exchange interaction, many‐body transition of 5f configurations, and final state effects might be responsible for the quasiparticle multiplets in electronic spectrum functions. Prominent characters in the density of state, such as the coexistence of atomic multiplet peaks in the vicinity of the Fermi level and broad Hubbard bands in the high‐lying regime, suggest that PuB6 could be identified as a Racah material. Finally, the quasiparticle band structure is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe enhancements to an operational forecast system based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for the prediction of high-impact weather events affecting power utilities, particularly conditions conducive to wildfires. The system was developed for Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation (PG&E) to forecast conditions in Northern and Central California for critical decision-making such as proactively de-energizing selected circuits within the power grid. WRF forecasts are routinely produced on a 2 km grid, and the results are used as input to wildfire fuel moisture, fire probability, wildfire spread, and outage probability models. This forecast system produces skillful real-time forecasts while achieving an optimal blend of model resolution and ensemble size appropriate for today's computational resources afforded to utilities. Numerous experiments were performed with different model settings, grid spacing, and ensemble configuration to develop an operational forecast system optimized for skill and cost. Dry biases were reduced by leveraging a new irrigation scheme, while wind skill was improved through a novel approach involving the selection of Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) members used to drive WRF. We hope that findings in this study can help other utilities (especially those with similar weather impacts) improve their own forecast system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Other comprehensive income (OCI) is often confusing for financial statement users and the International Accounting Standards Board has proposed new labelling to improve its presentation. Using an experimental method, we find that OCI labelling influences non‐professional investors' evaluation and judgements on financial performance. Non‐professional investors place greater weight on OCI information presented with explicit labels when assessing both the current and future performance of a company. Our results indicate that improving the presentation of OCI information enhances their perceived relevance in investors' decision‐making. The results have practical implications for standard setters and financial statement users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital twin represents the core technology to realize the dynamic monitoring of complex industrial systems. However, the human body, as the most complex system in the physical world, digital twin is rarely applied in it. In this study, we successfully demonstrated a digital twin in the human biomedical application by proposing a dynamic monitoring system of the upper limb force. In this system, the real upper limb drives the motion of the virtual one in real-time and dynamically updates the force. Meanwhile, the virtual upper limb feeds back the monitoring-results of the force to the controller of the real upper limb via immersive virtual reality interaction. Experimental results of the typical motions of the upper limb revealed that the proposed system functioned interactively in real-time in a non-invasive manner, while ensuring the accurate solving of the muscle force. In conclusion, our digital twin-driven system is of great importance for rehabilitation medicine, biomechanical scientific research and physical training, promoting the application of the digital twin in the human biomedical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing heterostructures from already synthesized two-dimensional materials is of significant importance. We performed a first-principles study to investigate the electronic properties and interfacial characteristics of Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) contacts. We demonstrate that the p-type Schottky formed by MoSH/WSi2N4 and MoHS/WSi2N4 has extremely low Schottky barrier heights (SBHs). Due to its excellent charge injection efficiency, Janus MoSH may be regarded as an effective metal contact for WSi2N4 semiconductors. Furthermore, the interfacial characteristics and electronic structure of Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 vdWHs can not only reduce/eliminate SBH, but also forms the transition from p-ShC to n-ShC type and from Schottky contact (ShC) to Ohmic contact (OhC) through the layer spacing and electric field. Our results can offer a fresh method for optoelectronic applications based on metal/semiconductor Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 vdW heterostructures, which have strong potential in optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disposal and management of waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastics pose significant environmental challenges. Here we show a synergistic pyrolysis approach that employs spent lithium transition metal oxides and waste LDPE plastics in one sealed reactor to achieve the separation of Li and transition metal. Additionally, we demonstrate the preparation of nanoscale NiCo alloy@carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through co-pyrolysis of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 and LDPE. The NiCo alloy@CNTs exhibits excellent catalytic activity (Eonset = ~0.85 V) and the selectivity (~90%) for H2O2 production through the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. This can be attributed to the NiCo nanoalloy core and the presence of CNTs with abundant oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., –COOH and C–O–C), as confirmed by density function theory calculations. Overall, this work presents a straightforward and green approach for valorizing and upcycling various waste LIBs and LDPE plastics. Waste lithium-ion batteries and low-density polyethylene plastics present environmental issues. Herein, the authors demonstrate a synergistic pyrolysis approach for efficient and selective lithium extraction and upgrading of transition metal-carbon composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]