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The paper considers a family of hyperbolic systems of balance laws, with source manifesting relaxation, encountered in continuum physics. It is parametrized by the relaxation time parameter μ . A class of initial data is identified for which the Cauchy problem is well-posed, in the BV setting, for all μ > 0 , and the zero relaxation limit is determined as μ → 0 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the application of mental imagery as a wellness intervention for athletes, focusing on stress reduction and relaxation to improve both performance and overall well-being. Topics discussed include the significant impact of stress on athletes' mental health, the effectiveness of imagery as a relaxation and coping tool, and the growing recognition of mental health as a continuum, emphasizing the need for proactive stress management strategies in sports.

Background: This study was developed to determine the effectiveness of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and Jacobson relaxation technique on agoraphobia among subjects with post neurological ill-patients. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of two non-pharmacological methods of treatment for Agoraphobia patients with Post neurological ill-patients. Methods: The research project was conducted as a pilot study in a private hospital in Chennai. The experimental group (group A) received transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for approximately 20 minutes (30 seconds ON and 5 minutes OFF) and a conventional Jacobson relaxation technique for 10 minutes. Group B got conventional cognitive behavioral therapy (20 minutes) and the Jacobson relaxation technique (10 minutes). Following the four-week treatment period, a post-test analysis was performed using the Severity measure of agoraphobia. Results: The study found that there is a positive impact of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and Jacobson relaxation technique on agoraphobia in post neurological ill patients. The analysis obtained a mean value of about 18 and an SD of 26 for group A, whereas group B revealed 24.8 ± 4.40, mean ± SD, and a significant P value of <0.001. Conclusion: When compared to group B, those in group A who received transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improved more significantly when dealing with agoraphobia of post neurological ill patients. As a result, non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and Jacobson relaxation technique have been proven to be effective approaches for preventing agoraphobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yi He Rehabilitation, which is based on traditional Chinese rehabilitation treatments and rehabilitation principles from modern medicine, is effective in staging treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia. This paper systematically discusses the origin and annotation of Yi and He from the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine. The medicinal connection between Yi and the body and its function is related to unobstructed attunement. Based on the connotation of Yi and He, we believe that the pathogenesis of post-stroke hemiplegia is the comprehensive result of abnormal effects of Yi on the organism at the microscopic level and abnormal effects of He on function at the macroscopic level, featured as tense muscle movement and a pathological process of abnormal motion, including the disturbance of yang qi with body dysfunction, the disorder of spirit with sinews and vessels with diversion, and the variation of brain collateral with physical and mental inconsistency. By inducing relaxation and calmness, Yi He rehabilitation takes effect in staging treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia with characteristic mechanisms. First, by calming ascending yang and relaxing the disordered body in periods of relaxation, it can achieve the maintenance function of the kinematic chain peripherally with passive rehabilitation. Second, by calming the disordered spirit and relaxing the inhibited meridian sinews in spasmodic periods, it can reconstruct the neural plasticity of motor function centrally with assistive rehabilitation. Third, by calming damaged brain collateral and relaxing the impassable zang organs in the recovery period, it can close the central-peripheral-central loop of rehabilitation with active rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While arterial tone is generally determined by the phosphorylation of Ser19 in myosin light chain (p-MLC2), Thr18/Ser19 diphosphorylation of MLC2 (pp-MLC2) has been suggested to hinder the relaxation of smooth muscle. In a dual-wire myography of rodent pulmonary artery (PA) and mesenteric artery (MA), we noticed significantly slower relaxation in PA than in MA after 80 mM KCl-induced condition (80K-contraction). Thus, we investigated the MLC2 phosphorylation and the expression levels of its regulatory enzymes; soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), Rho-A dependent kinase (ROCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase target regulatory subunit (MYPT1). Immunoblotting showed higher sGC-a and ROCK2 in PA than MA, while sGC-ß and MYPT1 levels were higher in MA than in PA. Interestingly, the level of pp-MLC2 was higher in PA than in MA without stimulation. In the 80K-contraction state, the levels of p-MLC2 and pp-MLC2 were commonly increased. Treatment with the ROCK inhibitor (Y27632, 10 µM) reversed the higher pp-MLC2 in PA. In the myography study, pharmacological inhibition of sGC (ODQ, 10 µM) slowed relaxation during washout, which was more pronounced in PA than in MA. The simultaneous treatment of Y27632 and ODQ reversed the impaired relaxation in PA and MA. Although treatment of PA with Y27632 alone could increase the rate of relaxation, it was still slower than that of MA without Y27632 treatment. Taken together, we suggest that the higher ROCK and lower MYPT in PA would have induced the higher level of MLC2 phosphorylation, which is responsible for the characteristic slow relaxation in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supervised cross-modal hashing has attracted many researchers. In these studies, they seek a common semantic space or directly regress the zero-one label information into the Hamming space. Although they achieve many achievements, they neglect some issues: 1) some methods of the classification task are not suitable for retrieval tasks, since they are lack of learning personalized features of sample; 2) the outcomes of hash retrieval are related to both the length and encoding method of hash codes. Because a sample possess more personalized features than label semantics, in this paper, we propose a novel supervised cross-modal hashing collaboration learning method called discrete Cross-modal Hashing with Relaxation and Label Semantic Guidance (CHRLSG). First, we introduce two relaxation variables as latent spaces. One is used to extract text features and label semantic information collaboratively, and the other is used to extract image features and label semantics collaboratively. Second, the more accurate hash codes are generated from latent spaces, since CHRLSG learns collaboratively feature semantics and label semantics by using labels as the domination and features as the auxiliary. Third, we utilize labels to strengthen the similar relationship of inter-modal samples via keeping the pairwise closeness. Label semantics are made full use of to avoid classification error. Fourth, we introduce class weight to further increase the discrimination of samples that belong to different classes in intra-modal and keep the similarity of samples unchanged. Therefore, CHRLSG model preserves not only the relationship between samples, but also maintains the consistency of label semantic during collaboration optimization. Experimental results of three common benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed model is superior to the existing advanced methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: DHP → CS photoconversion was analyzed in terms of electron density redistribution for the first time. The following explanation for the non-recovery of the C4a-C4b bond upon CS relaxation is proposed: during this process, the Coulomb repulsion energy between these pairs of atoms increases by almost one and a half times, and their bonding by an electron at LUMO is insufficient to recover the C4a-C4b bond. According to calculations, upon CS relaxation, the linker connecting the benzene rings undergoes significant structural changes. In this case, the distance between the C4a and C4b atoms increases from 3.00 Å to 3.28 Å. Calculations showed that the C4a-C4b vibration of the DHP bond has a very low intensity. Therefore, thermal motion does not contribute to the rupture of this bond. Methods: All calculations were performed using the Gaussian16 software package at the B3LYP/6–311 + + G(d,p)/IEFPCM theory level. B3LYP was the only hybrid functional supported by Gaussian16, which ensured the cleavage of the C4a-C4b bond of DHP while optimizing its S1 excited state. A quantitative description of the redistribution of electron density in the studied conformers was carried out using the analysis of the NPA of atomic charges. Cyclohexane was used as an implicitly specified non-polar solvent. Visualization of molecular orbitals, and electron densities, as well as plotting of calculated IR spectra, were performed using the Gaussview6 software package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Empirical evidence has shown that virtual reality (VR) scenarios can increase the effects of relaxation techniques, reducing anxiety by enabling people to experience emotional conditions in more vivid settings. Objective: This pilot randomized controlled study aims to investigate whether the progressive muscle relaxation technique (PMRT) associated with a personalized scenario in VR promotes psychological well-being and facilitates the recall of relaxing images more than the standard complementary intervention that involves the integration of PMRT and guided imagery (GI). Methods: On the basis of a longitudinal, between-subject design, 72 university students were randomly exposed to one of two experimental conditions: (1) standard complementary procedure (PMRT and GI exposure) and (2) experimental procedure (PMRT and personalized VR exposure). Individuals were assessed by a therapist before and after 7 training sessions based on measures investigating anxiety, depression, quality of life, coping strategies, sense of presence, engagement, and side effects related to VR exposure. Heart rate data were also collected. Results: Differences in changes between the 2 groups after the in vivo PMRT session conducted by the psychotherapist (T1) were statistically significant for state anxiety (F1,67=30.56; P<.001) and heart rate (F1,67=4.87; P=.01). Individuals in the VR group obtained lower scores both before (t67=-2.63; P=.01; Cohen d=0.91) and after (t67=-7.23; P<.001; Cohen d=2.45) the relaxation session when it was self-administered by participants (T2). A significant reduction in perceived state anxiety at T1 and T2 was observed for both groups (P<.001). After the VR experience, individuals reported feeling higher engagement in the experience than what was mentioned by participants in the GI group (F1,67=2.85; P=.03; ηp 2=0.15), and they experienced the environment as more realistic (F1,67=4.38; P=.003; ηp 2=0.21). No differences between groups regarding sense of presence were found (F1,67=1.99; P=.11; ηp 2=0.11). Individuals exposed before to the VR scenario (T1) referred to perceiving the scenario recalled in-imagination at T2 as more realistic than what those in the GI group experienced (F1,67=3.21; P=.02; ηp 2=0.12). The VR group had lower trait anxiety levels than the GI group after the relaxation session during session 7 (T2; t67=-2.43; P=.02). Conclusions: Personalized relaxing VR scenarios can contribute to improving relaxation and decreasing anxiety when integrated with PMRT as a complementary relaxation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical and sports massages are commonly used interventions, but their comparative effects on muscle stiffness remain unclear. Classical massage is more general and uses light to moderate pressure, and its main purpose is relaxation. Sports massage, on the other hand, is more specialized and targets the unique needs of massaged individuals using moderate to firm pressure. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of classical and sports massages on the stiffness of the erector spinae (ES) and upper trapezius (UT) muscles. Fifteen recreationally active young women, aged 22.9 ± 1.2 years, underwent a randomized cross-over study (with three conditions). Participants received either a five-minute classical or sports massage or a passive rest as a control on distinct days. Muscle stiffness was assessed using shear-wave elastography. The ES shear modulus displayed a significant time effect (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.515) without noticeable differences between the conditions, and the time × massage-type interactions approached statistical significance (F = 2.014; p = 0.073). There was also a large and statistically significant effect of the time on the UT (F = 11.127; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.443). We could not prove that classical and sports massages reduced muscle stiffness. The absence of significant differences might be attributed to the specific intervention parameters (massage duration of 5 min) and the small, only young women sample size. Given some tendencies towards significant effects, larger sample sizes are needed to further investigate this research question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of ATHP-HC on the severity of nausea and vomiting, relaxation state, brainwaves, and quality of life in women with Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP). Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 62 pregnant women randomly allocated into intervention and control groups using a pre-post-test. Researchers provided ATHP-HC to the intervention group and Cirebon Gamelan audio therapy to the control group. The research instruments included PUQE-24-hour scoring, measurement of vital signs, brainwaves using NeuroSky MindWave Mobile II, and WHOQOL-BREF. The data collected were processed with SPSS version 24.0 and analyzed using the statistical formula paired t-test. Results: The results of the study showed that there were significant differences between nausea and vomiting scores (p = 0.000), relaxation levels (p = 0.003 in the intervention group and p = 0.000 in the control group), and quality of life (p = 0.000), before and after the treatment in the intervention group and the control group. There was a significant difference in the state of relaxation after the intervention in the two groups of respondents (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the proportion of increased meditation in the two groups of respondents (p = 0.707). Conclusion: As relaxation and meditation music, ATHP-HC can be a complementary therapy for pregnant women to overcome NVP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or sleep that is unrefreshing or of poor quality. It is a serious public health concern where pharmacological insomnia treatments are often only advised for short term. Nadanusandana relaxation can be a safe, simple, and most effective treatment for insomnia as an adjuvant yogic treatment. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Nadanusandana relaxation on autonomic variables in patients with insomnia. Settings and Design: A prospective randomized controlled trial conducted on subjects who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were divided equally into two groups. Group 1 along with naturopathy and yogic intervention practiced Nadanusandana relaxation ( n = 50) and Group 2 underwent only naturopathic and yogic practices ( n = 50). Subjects and Methods: Subjects were assessed for heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores before and after treatment. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS 21.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The Nadanusandana relaxation group observed a significant increase in average RR interval, the square root of the mean squared difference between adjacent N-N intervals, the fraction of consecutive RR intervals that differ by more than 50 ms, and high frequency (HF), and a significant decrease in low frequency (LF) and LF/HF ratio was observed in HRV . A very substantial drop in both the diastolic and systolic blood pressure during blood pressure readings. Sleep quality questionnaire analyzed a significant decrease in ISI score and in PSQI. Conclusion: Nadanusandana relaxation reduces sympathetic tone and shifts sympathovagal balance toward vagal dominance in regular practice. Hence, the result claims that this technique can be effective in reducing sleep disturbances, lowering blood pressure, and improving sleep quality in insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression has been expected to be the second-leading cause of disability, followed by autism, attention and hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorder. Yoga therapy has found to be beneficial in managing psychiatric disorders. Aim: The present study undertakes a scoping review of research on yoga therapy in psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents. Methods: Online database was used to identify papers published 2004-2023, from which we selected 11 publications from the United States, Canada, Iran, India, and Australia that used yoga therapy as a primary outcome variable among participants aged 3 years or older. Results: The papers reviewed were randomized controlled trials. All studies examined yoga therapy, but one study used mindfulness-based therapy and used few techniques of yoga therapy. The studies examined the effect of yoga therapy on early childhood and adolescence on various psychiatric symptoms such as stress, inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and many more. Conclusion: While the quality of studies is generally high, research on yoga therapy among children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders would benefit from careful selection of methods and reference standards, suitability for yoga therapy, and prospective cohort studies linking early childhood exposures with yoga therapy outcomes throughout childhood and adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ulmus Pumila L. (UPL), the roots of a tree species of elm, has been prescribed for immunity-related diseases, such as dermatitis, mastitis, and edema. Despite having been prescribed for a long period of time, there are few scientific studies of UPL and asthma. Asthma, affecting 300 million people worldwide, is classified as chronic inflammation, hyperplasia, and hyper-contraction in the bronchi. Objectives: To determine whether UPL can prevent inflammation, epidermal growth factor (EGF) in a recombinant form (10 ng/ml) was exposed to A549 cells, a type of human bronchial epithelial cell, to induce inflammation. In addition, asthmatic human bronchial smooth muscle (hBSM) cells were studied to assess the anticontraction effects of UPL. Results: The results showed that a pretreatment with UPL, especially at the highest dosage (100 μg/ml), had significant suppressing effects on ERK/NF-κB activity compared to an EGF-only treatment group. The inhibited ERK/NF-κB activity by UPL resulted in decreased expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and its associated cytokines, in this case interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6 and TNF- α. Furthermore, the UPL treatment was determined to have anticontraction effects by regulating factors related to smooth muscle contraction, such as phospholipase C (PLC)β, inositol trisphosphate 3 receptor (IP3R) and myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK). Conclusion: From these results, we suggest the possibility of UPL as a therapeutic agent for asthma given how it prevents inflammation and restrains bronchial smooth muscle contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE) technique, a music-based rehabilitation strategy for neurological pathologies, is explored in this pilot study focusing on developing a music-drill protocol for elderly individuals with neuromuscular degenerative conditions. This study identifies specific music-composition parameters, including the key signature, rhythm, major scale, tonal system, movement, repetition, absence of movement, and use of musical instruments. This research suggests that collaboration between rehabilitation teams and musicians is crucial for optimizing the PSE technique, emphasizing the significance of tailored music stimuli in therapy. This study evaluates the therapy's effectiveness using Takei dynamometer measurements before and after interventions. It concludes that personalized music compositions, aligned with individual patient preferences, are essential for optimal results in PSE therapy. The integration of patient-specific musical taste and recorded music during patient outcare is highlighted, underlining the need for ongoing collaboration between healthcare professionals and musicians to refine the PSE technique. (1) Background: The Patterned Sensory Enhancement (PSE) technique refers to a music-based rehabilitation therapy strategy used in neurological pathologies. (2) Methods: This study aims at developing a music-drill protocol for recovery in elderly patients with neuromuscular degenerative pathologies. Each music drill is based on a number of specific music-composition parameters. The conclusions represent suggestions for further enhancing the PSE technique through collaborations between the rehabilitation team and the musicians involved due to the importance of the music stimuli used as a therapy. (3) Results: The music-composition parameters used in this study relate to the existence of music homogeneity factors such as the key signature and rhythm; the importance of the major scale and the tonal system in general; the obvious music suggestions of movement, repetition or absence of movement; the importance of rhythm; the introduction of musical instruments in order to harmonize the music material as much as possible; the connection between PSE music along with patients' musical taste and the musical recording as a therapy during patient outcare; (4) Conclusions: The therapy efficiency was observed by measurements taken before and after the therapeutic intervention by means of a Takei dynamometer. The present study asserts that for a patient undergoing the PSE technique, the researcher should compose personalized music material adapted to each patient's peculiarities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diastolic heart failure (DHF), in which impaired ventricular filling leads to typical heart failure symptoms, represents over 50% of all heart failure cases and is linked with risk factors, including metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, and aging. A substantial proportion of patients with this disorder maintain normal left ventricular systolic function, as assessed by ejection fraction. Despite the high prevalence of DHF, no effective therapeutic agents are available to treat this condition, partially because the molecular mechanisms of diastolic dysfunction remain poorly understood. As such, by focusing on the underlying molecular and cellular processes contributing to DHF can yield new insights that can represent an exciting new avenue and propose a novel therapeutic approach for DHF treatment. This review discusses new developments from basic and clinical/translational research to highlight current knowledge gaps, help define molecular determinants of diastolic dysfunction, and clarify new targets for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weak notion of elastic energy for (not necessarily regular) rectifiable curves in any space dimension is proposed. Our p -energy is defined through a relaxation process, where a suitable p -rotation of inscribed polygons is adopted. The discrete p -rotation we choose has a geometric flavour: a polygon is viewed as an approximation to a smooth curve, and hence its discrete curvature is spread out into a smooth density. For any exponent p greater than 1, the p -energy is finite if and only if the arc-length parametrization of the curve has a second-order summability with the same growth exponent. In that case, moreover, the energy agrees with the natural extension of the integral of the p th power of the scalar curvature. Finally, a comparison with other definitions of discrete curvature is provided. This article is part of the theme issue 'Foundational issues, analysis and geometry in continuum mechanics'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of polymer-modified binders in asphalt concrete makes it possible to increase the efficiency and durability of highways. However, at present, there is an important and unresolved problem in this area, making it impossible to fully exploit the potential of modified binders. This is a tendency of aging processes that leads to the premature destruction of the pavement. In many literary sources, it is reported that reasons are related to the peculiarity of the chemical composition and occur at the submicron level. Therefore, the influence of single-walled carbon nanotubes has been studied for a better understanding of aging processes. The aging processes of the RTFOT (rolling thin film oven test) and PAV (pressure aging vessel) modified with SBS (styrene–butadiene–styrene) polymer, single-walled carbon nanotubes, and waste industrial oil were simulated in a laboratory furnace. Microstructural features were studied using the method of infrared spectral analysis. The dependences of viscoelastic properties on the component composition of binders were investigated. The optimal content of single-walled carbon nanotubes (0.001%), SBS (styrene–butadiene–styrene) polymer (3.5%), and waste industrial oil (4%) in the binder composition was established, which synergistically improved the performance of the modified binder from PG (52-22) (performance grade) to PG (64-34). It was established that single-walled carbon nanotubes provide improvement in the durability parameter ∆Tc binder by 150%, improved relaxation properties at low temperatures, and resistance to fatigue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of integral constitutive relations for linear isotropic viscoelastic media with difference-type kernels in the case of a non-relaxing volume, we propose possible experimental setups for determining the kernels of the Ilyushin operators , supplementing the known methods. One of them is based on the use of a sample of an auxiliary viscoelastic solid, the material functions of which are related to the creep function and bulk modulus of the initial material. Similar schemes of the experimental setup are also proposed for finding the kernels of the operators , which are conjugate to in a certain sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green and blue space (UGBS) contribute to a variety of nature-based values and human health benefits. As such, they play a critical role for the quality of life and sustainability in cities. Here, we use the metropolitan area of Geneva, Switzerland, as a case study to illustrate that UGBS are heterogeneous in spatial characteristics, such as surface area, naturality, or noise levels, which are associated with key cultural ecosystems services. For each characteristic, we defined a threshold with the realization of an associated cultural ecosystem service, including a novel noise threshold (LAeq < 45 dB) compatible with the notion of "quiet". We then used geospatial information to generate place-based and people-based indicators that collectively describe the variation in key dimensions of UGBS. We found that, in Geneva, the typical (median) resident has access to 4.7 ha of UGBS, and 89% of residents live within 300 m of the nearest UGBS. Accessible surfaces of UGBS per capita, however, were highly variable by type of UGBS and across neighbourhoods. For example, residents from precarious neighbourhoods are less likely to live within 300 m of quiet UGBS than residents of privileged neighbourhoods, and when they do, these UGBS tend to be smaller. The proposed methodology categorizes UGBS in a manner that both captures their distinct social roles and highlights potential social injustice issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of redistribution of damping is employed for solving the Cauchy problem, in the BV setting, for hyperbolic systems of balance laws with partially dissipative source that becomes stiff as the relaxation time shrinks to zero. One may then pass to the zero relaxation limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies have indicated that a relaxation and/or meditation session could affect inhibitory control, while other studies have not found such an effect. Given the discrepancy between studies, the objective of the present article was to examine whether or not a short relaxation session could influence inhibitory control. Method: A total of 60 students aged between 16-18 years participated in the study, randomly distributed into two groups, according to the experimental (relaxation session) and the control (listening to neutral material) condition. They were given an individual session with the recording (relaxation/neutral material for approximately 7 min.) between the pre and post Stroop task. Results: No significant improvements were found in the experimental group compared to the control group in Resistance to Interference. Conclusions: These results suggest that some prior relaxation practice might be necessary for a short relaxation session to have immediate benefits in inhibitory control or/and that the relaxation session should last longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous carbon fiber‐reinforced polyether ether ketone (CCF/PEEK) composites have been widely utilized in aerospace structures due to their excellent properties. However, the main load‐bearing structure in the next‐generation aircraft needs to withstand high temperatures up to 200°C, and the mechanical properties of CCF/PEEK composites show significant time‐/temperature‐dependence due to the viscoelastic nature of the PEEK matrix. Therefore, accurate predictions of the mechanical performance of CCF/PEEK composites under high‐temperature service conditions are the key issue for structural safety and life assessments and have therefore become a recent research focus. To address these challenges, this study established a bottom‐up analysis framework for the CCF/PEEK composites and employed the theoretical model and the finite‐element representative volume element (FE‐RVE) method to investigate the anisotropic viscoelastic properties of CCF/PEEK composites. We first built an anisotropic viscoelastic model of the unidirectional CCF/PEEK composites by integrating the generalized Maxwell into the bridging model. Upon this foundation, we further developed a viscoelastic laminate model capable of accurately predicting the thermoviscoelastic properties of multidirectional laminates. To verify the developed model, different kinds of FE‐RVEs were built and analyzed. Overall, there is good agreement among the model predictions, the FE‐RVE simulations, and the experimental results within a temperature range of 25–250°C. The developed model can be used to design the high‐temperature performance of CCF/PEEK composites with different fiber volume fractions, laminated configurations, or loading directions. Highlights: An anisotropic viscoelastic model of the unidirectional (UD) continuous carbon fiber‐reinforced polyether ether ketone (CCF/PEEK) composites is built.The viscoelastic laminate composite model is developed based on the UD CCF/PEEK composites model.The finite element representative volume element (FE‐RVE) simulation with fibers in a hexagonal or random array has better accuracy compared with the experimental results.The FE‐RVE simulation and the experimental results verified the developed model from 25°C to 250°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dapagliflozin, a sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, is an antidiabetic medication that reduces blood glucose. Although it is well known that dapagliflozin has additional benefits beyond glycemic control, such as reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of cardiovascular events, no sufficient research data are available on the direct effect of dapagliflozin on cardiovascular function. Thus, in this study, we investigated the direct vascular effect of dapagliflozin on isolated rat coronary arteries. The left descending coronary arteries of 13-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were cut into segments 2–3 mm long and mounted in a multi-wire myography system to measure isometric tension. Dapagliflozin effectively reduced blood vessel constriction induced by U-46619 (500 nM) in coronary arteries regardless of the endothelium. Treatment with an eNOS inhibitor (L-NNA, 100 μM), sGC inhibitor (ODQ, 5 μM), or COX inhibitor (indomethacin, 3 μM) did not affect the vasodilation induced by dapagliflozin. The application of a Ca2+-activated K+ channel (KCa) blocker (TEA, 2 mM), voltage-dependent K+ channel (KV) blocker (4-AP, 2 mM), ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker (KATP) glibenclamide (3 μM), and inward-rectifier K+ channel (KIR) blocker (BaCl2, 30 μM) did not affect the dapagliflozin-induced vasodilation either. The treatment with dapagliflozin decreased contractile responses induced by the addition of Ca2+, which suggested that the extracellular Ca2+ influx was inhibited by dapagliflozin. Treatment with dapagliflozin decreased the phosphorylation level of the 20 kDa myosin light chain (MLC20) in vascular smooth muscle cells. In the present study, we found that dapagliflozin has a significant vasodilatory effect on rat coronary arteries. Our findings suggest a novel pharmacologic approach for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in diabetic patients through the modulation of Ca2+ homeostasis via dapagliflozin administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A differential inclusion with a time-dependent maximal monotone operator and a perturbation is studied in a separable Hilbert space. The perturbation is the sum of a time-dependent single-valued operator and a multivalued mapping with closed nonconvex values. A particular feature of the single-valued operator is that its sum with the identity operator multiplied by a positive square-integrable function is a monotone operator. The multivalued mapping is Lipschitz continuous with respect to the phase variable. We prove the existence of a solution and the density in the corresponding topology of the solution set of the initial inclusion in the solution set of the inclusion with a convexified multivalued mapping. For these purposes, new distances between maximal monotone operators are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of 8 mol% of Y2O3 to the ZrO2@mullite composites stabilizes the metastable tetragonal phase of ZrO2 in conventional and plasma‐sintered Y2O3‐stabilized ZrO2@mullite composites. A fused, highly dense, and interconnected microstructure is formed in the case of plasma‐sintered Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite. At 1 MHz frequency, the room temperature εr${\varepsilon }_r$ and tanδ of (10.37 and 2.06) is obtained for the conventional Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite and that of (38.8 and 4.02) is observed for the plasma sintered Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite. The substitution of Y3+ in place of Zr4+ creates sufficiently large oxygen vacancies at the grain boundary regions of these composites endowed mostly with the ZrO2 phase. In conventional Y2O3‐ ZrO2@mullite composites, both dielectric relaxation as well as conductivity relaxation are observed due to the dynamic motion of dipoles and relaxation due to the presence of defect states and porous structures. This leads to higher grain boundary conductivity than the grain conductivity of these composites. Thermally activated conduction mechanisms exhibited in these composite materials are projected from the complex impedance and modulus analysis. The conventional and plasma sintered Y2O3‐ ZrO2@mullite composite has an optical bandgap of 3.26 and 3.58 eV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to natural environments promotes positive psychological effects. Experimental studies on this issue typically have not been able to distinguish the contributions of top-down processes from stimulus-driven bottom-up processing. We tested in an online study whether mental imagery (top-down processing) of restorative natural environments would produce positive psychological effects, as compared with restorative built and non-restorative urban environments. The participants (n = 70) from two countries (Finland and Norway) imagined being present in different environments for 30 s, after which they rated their subjective experiences relating to vividness of imagery, relaxation, emotional arousal, valence (positivity vs. negativity) of emotions, and mental effort. In addition, a psychometric scale measuring vividness of imagination, a scale measuring nature connectedness, and a questionnaire measuring preference of the imagined environments were filled-in. Imagery of natural environments elicited stronger positive emotional valence and more relaxation than imagery of built and urban environments. Nature connectedness and preference moderated these effects, but they did not fully explain the affective benefits of nature. Scores in a psychometric imagery scale were associated in consistent way to the subjective ratings in the imagery task, suggesting that the participants performed attentively and honestly in reporting their subjective experiences. We conclude that top-down factors play a key role in the psychological effects of nature. A practical implication of the findings is that inclusion of natural elements in imagery-based interventions may help to increasing positive affective states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study confirms the effectiveness of pretreatment video-based psychoeducation on stress management and relaxation in reducing depression, anxiety, and uncertainty among patients with breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a nonrandomized trial with 86 pretreatment patients with breast cancer who were divided equally into intervention and control groups, and stratified according to cancer stages and patient ages. Omitting the excluded participants, 35 intervention group and 36 control group participants were asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Universal Uncertainty in Illness Scale (UUIS) before the psychoeducational intervention (baseline, hereafter "BL ") as well as 1 and 3 months later. Then, a 2 group (intervention and control groups) × 3 time points (BL and 1 and 3 months post-intervention) mixed models repeated measures (MMRM) analysis was implemented. Results: Analysis confirmed interaction between 2 group × 3 time points for depression, anxiety, and UUIS. Multiple comparisons revealed that each score in the intervention group was significantly lower 1 and 3 months post-intervention compared to BL. Meanwhile, in the control group, the depression score was significantly higher at 3 months post-intervention compared to pre-intervention. The anxiety scores and UUIS of the same group were not significantly different between 1 and 3 months post-intervention. The effect size values 3 months post-intervention were −0.57 for depression, −0.25 for anxiety, and 0.05 for uncertainty. Significance of results: Pretreatment psychoeducation reduced depression, anxiety, and uncertainty in the intervention group of patients with breast cancer compared to the control group. The effect sizes at 3 months post-intervention were moderate for depression and small for anxiety. These results suggest the effectiveness of psychoeducation for patients with breast cancer, using videos on stress management and relaxation, early at the pretreatment stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is a widespread health problem with lifetime incidence up to 80% in the U.S. Conventional treatments, such as surgery and pharmacotherapy have limitations in that they primarily target physical aspects of pain, and certain medications run the risk of abuse, tolerance, sedation, and possible overdose. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a validated technique that is neither invasive nor with impairing side effects. The effects and reach of PMR may be enhanced using technological advances, such as virtual reality (VR), which is piloted for feasibility in the current project. This study presents a randomized controlled trial investigating the usability and efficacy of a VR-based PMR program. Participants (n = 18) were randomly assigned to the VR treatment or waitlist control group. Treatment participants completed five VR-PMR sessions. Results indicated the novel VR program was highly usable and immersive. Comparison of pre- and post-treatment measures indicated that VR participants reported significantly lower pain levels and improvements in pain-related beliefs compared to controls. Additionally, those who received VR-PMR reported significantly lower state anxiety at the conclusion of the study. Improvements in medication-related beliefs were also found post-treatment. This controlled trial provides preliminary support for a novel, immersive VR relaxation modality as a promising new adjunctive or alternative approach for CLBP management. Future studies can further validate the use of VR, specifically VR-based PMR, for management and treatment of chronic pain. With increased accessibility of consumer VR headsets, a program such as this may improve pain management outside of the medical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern world - dynamic, rapidly changing, aggressive - a world in which a person feels uncertain about his future - causes a lot of tension, anxiety, stress. In such a challenging environment, after a hard day's work, one needs a complete rest to successfully restore his strength. Contact with art, especially if the work chosen for perception has a calming effect, can contribute a lot in this regard. Listening to appropriate music is beneficial. The new achievements of music psychology and music therapy point in no small measure to the necessary qualities of a musical work to ensure such an effect on the listener. Compiling a relaxation program, i.e. a series of musical works, listening to which calmness is achieved, is a selection of excerpts, in which music that emotionally resonates with the state of the user is initially sought, i.e. this is most likely music that brings tension; and gradually moves to fragments that have a calming effect. The main material of this study are the elements of the musical texture - melody, accompaniment, parts of the musical form, the performance of the composed piece, with an emphasis on the impact on the listener. The methods used are: theoretical analysis of scientific literature on the issue of the impact of music, comparison of available information, analysis of the process of composing relaxing music from the point of view of its effect on the perceiver. The applied analyzes provided an opportunity to formulate conclusions regarding the specificity of musical pieces composed for the purpose of relaxation of the perceiver. According to various studies, the results of which are widely confirmed, the major mode is defined as the carrier of more vitality, energy, activity, assertiveness, hope, its sound is characterized as brighter and more vivid than that of the minor. The minor mode is defined as dark, gloomy, mysterious, passive, but also soothing. Pentatonic is also a successful choice - a sound line that excludes semitone relations. It is known in East Asian music, but also often found in our Rhodope music. The absence of semitones, i.e. of premises to create tension, makes the pentatonic particularly suitable for relaxation tunes. In terms of metrorhythmic organization, a smooth, uniform rhythm composed of equal tonal durations (which can be provided by just one voice, or achieved as a rhythmic complement between individual voices in a piece) contributes to help soothe the listener. The melody, designed to create a feeling of comfort, calmness, non-conflict, is suitable to be performed by a timbre that does not sound sharp, aggressive, too distinct, not "pierced". Regarding the performance of music for relaxation, the generalization of results of experimental research necessitates the conclusion that soothing music should sound slow, quiet, soft. Smoother-sounding technic marks, such as melodious legato, soft, dense nonlegato, are preferred, and technic marks such as staccatissimo, clearly articulated staccato, aggressive marcato are avoided. The melodically active accompanying texture plans do not contradict the peaceful nature of the music. However, too much complication and saturation with very short tonal durations of the accompaniment attracts and activates the listener's attention, i.e. would have more of a tonic effect than the sought-after relaxant. In relation to functional scale relationships, since the dominant carries tension, it makes sense to look for less frequent use of bright dominant chords in the accompaniment. Like the melody, however, the harmonic language should not be too unexpected and unusual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Where are we headed, oh, where have we gone? We’ve come a long way, now, let us move on. Dreams are for dreaming, wake up and they run, Life is for living, come, let us move on.1 1JF Lapena, Moving on Retirement (n.); from French retirement (1570’s); retire + ment. Retire (v.) 1530s, of armies, “to retreat, draw back,” also, of persons, “to withdraw” to some place, especially for the sake of privacy; from French retirer – from re- “back” + tirer “to draw” and -ment; common suffix of Latin origin; came to be used as a formative in nouns of action in Vulgar Latin and Old French. The sense of “leave one’s business or occupation” is by 1660s.2 2Online Etymology Dictionary https://www.etymonline.com/word/retirement ©2001-2024 Douglas Harper

Purpose: The present research was conducted to assess the effect of the Benson relaxation technique on sleep quality and aggression among patients with bipolar type I disorder. Methods: This study was conducted using a randomized clinical trial design with the participation of 60 patients with bipolar type I disorder (30 participants in each group) in Mashhad, Iran (IRCT20220108053659N1). The intervention group received the Benson relaxation technique for 21 days in a row, twice a day (in the morning and evening), under the supervision of an expert psychiatric nurse (On the first day, instruction was given on implementing BRT. In the subsequent days of the intervention, the nurse stayed by the patient's bedside for the entire relaxation process). Aggression and sleep quality were assessed using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively, before and one week after the completion of the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi-squared, Fisher's exact test, independent sample t-test, and analysis of covariance). Results: The participants in the present study were individuals of both genders aged 18 and above. Based on the results, both groups were homogeneous regarding demographic characteristics. Prior to the intervention, the two groups of control and intervention were not significantly different from each other in terms of sleep quality (p = 0.870) and aggression (p = 0.961). After the intervention, in an intergroup comparison, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the mean difference of aggression (p

The field of glassy studies has long speculated about the existence of liquid-like regions within solid amorphous states. However, limited evidence from indirect investigations has left the question of their presence unanswered. In this study, we propose a computational approach to analyze dissipation characteristics at the atomic level. Our findings reveal the actual existence of localized liquid-like dissipation clusters in the glassy state, demonstrating a damping factor similar to liquids and a vanishing shear modulus. Surprisingly, these clusters are only observed at low temperatures and do not involve diffusive motions, unlike typical liquids. This unique state of condensed matter is dissipative but non-diffusive. In metallic glasses, we show that these clusters are responsible for the recently discovered β' relaxation. Our results provide a solid basis for the longstanding concept of liquid-like region in glassy materials and provide a new perspective on establishing structure-property correlations.

IntroductionThe first case of COVID-19 in Kenya was reported on March 13, 2020, prompting the collection of baseline data during the initial spread of the disease. Subsequently, the Kenyan government implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on April 9, 2020, to mitigate disease transmission over a two-month period. These measures were later gradually relaxed starting from June 9, 2020.MethodsWe applied a deterministic mathematical model to simulate the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission in Kenya. Using baseline data, we estimated transmission and recovery rates and proposed a mathematical model of how NPIs affect disease transmission rates. The model extends to interventions that yield an increase in disease transmission, unlike previous models that were limited to a decrease in transmission. We computed the mitigation and relaxation fractions and hence deduced the impact of the interventions.ResultsThe mitigation measures imposed from April 9, 2020, reduced the disease transmission by 43.7% from the baseline level, while the relaxation from June 9, 2020, increased the transmission by 32% over the mitigation level. Without intervention, the model predicts that infections would have peaked at 30% by late May 2020. However, due to the combined effect of mitigation and relaxation, the epidemic peaked at 13% infection in mid-July 2020.DiscussionThe model’s projections closely align with observed data, providing valuable insights for planning. Ongoing research aims to refine the model to capture sub-waves and spikes, as well as simulate multiple waves of infection. These efforts will enhance our understanding of COVID-19 dynamics and inform effective public health strategies. The estimated basic reproduction number R0=2.76, consistent with previous findings, underscores the validity of our model and its relevance in predicting disease transmission dynamics.

IntroductionIn two studies we investigated if specific acoustic stimulations could be more effective to induce a relaxation response in comparison to silence. Acoustic stimulations included monaural beats and musical sequences based on a pentatonic scale.MethodsIn the first study, 47 participants evaluated monaural beats and pentatonic sequences presented through loudspeakers and varying along three frequencies (0.2, 2, 4 Hz). In the second study, 31 participants relaxed with their eyes closed for 10 min during a passive listening of monaural beats and a pentatonic sequence presented through loudspeakers. A silence condition was introduced as control. All auditory stimuli were designed with a temporal modulation of 0.2 Hz. Concomitant EEG was recorded with a 64-channel system and spectral analysis was performed on delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma oscillations to test if each of the three auditory stimulations had a significant effect on EEG spectral power in comparison to silence.ResultsIn the first study, pentatonic sequences were evaluated as more pleasant and more relaxing than monaural beats. Pleasantness and relaxation were inversely related to frequency. Visual imagery and emotion induction had higher frequency and were rated with a more positive valence in pentatonic sequences than in monaural beats. In the second study monaural beats in comparison to silence strongly decreased beta and gamma oscillations in the first three minutes and strongly increased theta oscillations in the last three minutes. Pentatonic sequences increased delta, theta, and alpha oscillations in the last three minutes while decreasing beta, and gamma oscillations for the whole auditory stimulation.DiscussionThe results show that auditory signals with a very low temporal modulation (0.2 Hz) could be more effective than silence in inducing a relaxation response. Although 0.2 Hz monaural beats were effective in inducing a relaxation response, they tended to be perceived as unpleasant. Pentatonic sequences could be considered as a better alternative to promote relaxation by auditory stimulation.

The data provided here relate to the research paper “Assessing the complementarity of TD-NMR, solid-state NMR and Dynamic Vapor Sorption in the characterization of polysaccharide-water interactions”. The original data from TD-NMR, ss-NMR and DVS is provided in .dps, topspin and .xls formats respectively, allowing other authors to repeat our processing protocols using different parameters. We also include results obtained by varying the signal treatments. The analysis of these multimodal data have highlighted a variation in polysaccharide-water interactions depending on the type of assembly. These datasets are very useful for discriminating between water bound to polysaccharides and water absorbed or adsorbed into polysaccharide network, a key element in understanding interactions in these assemblies and an essential approach for developing tailor-made polysaccharides-based products.

Aspects of hypnosis and its application in psychotherapy, psychosomatics and medicine are examined and contextualized in the 250-year history of hypnosis. Imagination as an essential element of hypnotic treatments appeared as early as 1784 as an argument rejecting the theory of animal magnetism of Franz Anton Mesmer. In somnambulism of German romanticism, another proto-form of hypnosis after 1800, concepts of the mind–body problem were dealt with, which still characterize the understanding of unconscious mental processes today. Hypnosis was at the beginning of psychoanalysis, but was not pursued further by Sigmund Freud from 1900 onwards. Nevertheless, there were some hypnoanalytical approaches in the 20th century, as well as attempts to integrate hypnosis into behavior therapy. Techniques of imagination and relaxation combine both; in particular findings from cognitive psychology explain processes of both hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy. The influence of social psychology brought a new perspective to the debate about the nature of hypnosis, which continues to this day: is hypnosis to be understood as a special state of consciousness or is it a completely normal, mundane interaction? The experiments that were carried out to support one side or the other were also dependent on the hypnotizability of the subjects involved, as the more difficult hypnotic phenomena such as paralysis, hallucinations or identity delusions can only be demonstrated by highly hypnotizable subjects. The fact that these are not mere compliance reactions has now been proven by many studies using imaging techniques. But even those who are moderately hypnotizable benefit from hypnosis rituals. Variables postulated by socio-cognitive hypnosis researchers, such as motivation and expectation, are relevant, as is a good “hypnotic rapport.” Practical application of hypnotherapy today is characterized by the innovative techniques and strategies developed by Milton H. Erickson. Research into the effectiveness of hypnosis in the field of psychotherapy and psychosomatics still leaves much to be done. The situation is different in the field of medical hypnosis, where there are considerably more studies with a satisfactory design and verifiable effects. However, the impact in practical application in everyday medical practice is still low. Newer developments such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence are being looked at with critical interest.

Early-age cracking risk induced by autogenous deformation is high for cementitious materials of low water-binder ratios. The autogenous deformation, viscoelastic properties, and stress evolution are three important factors for understanding and quantifying the early-age cracking risk. This paper systematically reviewed the experimental and modelling techniques of the three factors. It is found that the Temperature Stress Testing Machine is a unified experimental method for all these three factors, with a strain-controlled mode for stress evolution, hourly-repeated loading scheme for viscoelastic properties, and free condition for autogenous deformation. Such unified method provides basis for developing various models. By coupling a hydration model for volume fractions of hydrates, a homogenization model for upscaling of viscoelastic properties, and capillary pressure theory for self-desiccation shrinkage, a unified model directly mapping the mix design to the early-age stress can be constructed, which can help optimize the mix design to reduce the early-age cracking risk.

PurposeThe paper introduces a classical model to describe the dynamics of large spin-1/2 ensembles associated with nuclei bound in large molecule structures, commonly referred to as the semi-solid spin pool, and their magnetization transfer (MT) to spins of nuclei in water.Theory and methodsLike quantum-mechanical descriptions of spin dynamics and like the original Bloch equations, but unlike existing MT models, the proposed model is based on the algebra of angular momentum in the sense that it explicitly models the rotations induced by radiofrequency (RF) pulses. It generalizes the original Bloch model to non-exponential decays, which are, for example, observed for semi-solid spin pools. The combination of rotations with non-exponential decays is facilitated by describing the latter as Green's functions, comprised in an integro-differential equation.ResultsOur model describes the data of an inversion-recovery magnetization-transfer experiment with varying durations of the inversion pulse substantially better than established models. We made this observation for all measured data, but in particular for pulse durations smaller than 300 μs. Furthermore, we provide a linear approximation of the generalized Bloch model that reduces the simulation time by approximately a factor 15,000, enabling simulation of the spin dynamics caused by a rectangular RF-pulse in roughly 2 μs.ConclusionThe proposed theory unifies the original Bloch model, Henkelman's steady-state theory for MT, and the commonly assumed rotation induced by hard pulses (i.e., strong and infinitesimally short applications of RF-fields) and describes experimental data better than previous models.

Abstract An analysis of instability dynamics in a stochastic magnetic field is presented for the tractable case of the resistive interchange. Externally prescribed static magnetic perturbations convert the eigenmode problem to a stochastic differential equation, which is solved by the method of averaging. The dynamics are rendered multi-scale, due to the size disparity between the test mode and magnetic perturbations. Maintaining quasi-neutrality at all orders requires that small-scale convective cell turbulence be driven by disparate scale interaction. The cells in turn produce turbulent mixing of vorticity and pressure, which is calculated by fluctuation-dissipation type analyses, and are relevant to pump-out phenomena. The development of correlation between the ambient magnetic perturbations and the cells is demonstrated, showing that turbulence will ‘lock on’ to ambient stochasticity. Magnetic perturbations are shown to produce a magnetic braking effect on vorticity generation at large scale. Detailed testable predictions are presented. The relations of these findings to the results of available simulations and recent experiments are discussed.

A method for solving boundary problems of relaxation of residual stresses in a rotating surface-hardened prismatic specimen under high-temperature creep conditions has been developed. The problem models the stress-strain state of a surface-hardened prismatic rod with one end fixed to an infinitely rigid disk rotating at a constant angular velocity. In the first stage, we solve the problem of reconstructing fields of residual stresses and plastic deformations after the hardening procedure, which play the role of the initial stress-strain state, is solved. In the second stage, we address the problem of relaxation of residual stresses under creep conditions is addressed. A detailed study of the influence of angular velocity on the intensity of residual stress relaxation in different sections along the axial coordinate is carried out for a $10{\times}10{\times}150$ mm prismatic specimen made of EP742 alloy at a temperature of 650$^\circ$C, following ultrasonic mechanical hardening of one of its faces. The analysis of the calculation results revealed that for angular velocities ranging from 1500 rpm to 2500 rpm, a non-trivial effect is observed. The relaxation of residual stresses in more stressed sections experiencing axial tensile stresses due to rotation occurs less intensively than in the “tail” section, where the axial load is zero. The obtained results from this study can be useful in assessing the effectiveness of surface-hardened rotating components under high-temperature creep conditions.

Abstract Background Migraine is one of the most disabling disorders worldwide. Globally, in 2019, headache disorders were the cause of 46.6 million years of disability, with migraine accounting for 88.2% of these. The value of integrative strategies in migraine management has been raised due to the recurrent and provoked nature of migraine. So, the current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a therapeutic patient education and relaxation training program versus usual pharmacological treatment alone on the frequency, severity, and duration of migraine attacks as the primary outcome and migraine-related disability and quality of life as the secondary outcome. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the specialized headache clinic of a tertiary referral center. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Participants in the intervention arm received the education and relaxation training program and were instructed to perform daily relaxation exercises in addition to their routine pharmacological treatment, whereas the control group only received their routine treatments. Follow-up was done after 1 and 3 months using a headache diary and a migraine-specific quality of life questionnaire (MSQ). Result After implementation of the program, there was a significant reduction in migraine attack severity in the intervention group compared to the control group, and they also had significantly fewer migraine headache days/month and duration of migraine attacks compared to patients in the control group. Statistically significant improvement in the role-function restrictive, role-function preventive, and emotional function domains of MSQ. Conclusion An integrated migraine management program has a significant effect on reducing the burden of migraine attacks and improving the daily activities of migraine sufferers.

Abstract A facile template method was employed to synthesize Fe nanowires of different sizes, dimensions. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to explore their morphology, structure, composition, and magnetic properties. The surface of as-prepared Fe nanowires was modified with SiO2 by sol–gel method to improve the dispersion of as-prepared Fe nanowires in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the relaxation properties, biocompatibility and in vivo imaging abilities of the Fe@SiO2 nanowires were evaluated. The study revealed that the SiO2-coated Fe nanowires functioned effectively as transverse relaxation time (T2) contrast agents (CAs). Notably, as the length of the Fe@SiO2 nanowires increased, their diameter decreased, leading to a higher the transverse relaxivity (r2) value. Our study identified that among the Fe nanowires synthesized, the Fe3@SiO2 nanowires, characterized by a diameter of around 30 nm and a length of approximately 500 nm, exhibited the highest r2 value of 59.3 mM−1 s−1. These nanowires demonstrated good biocompatibility and non-toxicity. Notably, upon conducting small animal imaging a 1.5 T with Sprague–Dawley rats, we observed a discernible negative enhancement effect in the liver. These findings indicate the promising potential of Fe@SiO2 nanowires as T2 CAs, with the possibility of tuning their size for optimized results.

Introduction: Despite the adverse effects of post-caesarean pain relievers, few studies have compared non-pharmacological methods of pain control. The present study was conducted with aim to compare the effects of foot reflexology and Benson's relaxation on pain levels in women candidates for caesarean section. Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial study was conducted in 2019-2020 on 135 women candidates for caesarean section in Persian Gulf Martyrs hospital, Bushehr. The participants were selected via convenience sampling and divided into three groups using block randomization: reflexology, Benson's relaxation, and control. In the reflexology and Benson's relaxation groups, the intervention was performed two hours post-operation and six hours after the first time. Pain levels were measured using a visual pain scale immediately, 30 and 60 minutes after the procedure. The amount of pain medication was also recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 19) and chi-square, Fisher's exact, One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, Friedman, and Wilcoxon tests. P0.05). Immediately, 30 and 60 min after the intervention, the mean pain ranks were significantly lower in the two intervention groups than the control group (P

Abstract The role of C‐type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in the regulation of cardiac function in humans remains to be established as previous investigations have been confined to animal model systems. Here, we used well‐characterized engineered cardiac tissues (ECTs) generated from human stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts to study the acute effects of CNP on contractility. Application of CNP elicited a positive inotropic response as evidenced by increases in maximum twitch amplitude, maximum contraction slope and maximum calcium amplitude. This inotropic response was accompanied by a positive lusitropic response as demonstrated by reductions in time from peak contraction to 90% of relaxation and time from peak calcium transient to 90% of decay that paralleled increases in maximum contraction decay slope and maximum calcium decay slope. To establish translatability, CNP‐induced changes in contractility were also assessed in rat ex vivo (isolated heart) and in vivo models. Here, the effects on force kinetics observed in ECTs mirrored those observed in both the ex vivo and in vivo model systems, whereas the increase in maximal force generation with CNP application was only detected in ECTs. In conclusion, CNP induces a positive inotropic and lusitropic response in ECTs, thus supporting an important role for CNP in the regulation of human cardiac function. The high degree of translatability between ECTs, ex vivo and in vivo models further supports a regulatory role for CNP and expands the current understanding of the translational value of human ECTs.

PurposeTo validate the potential of quantifying R2 -R1ρ using one pair of signals with T1ρ preparation and T2 preparation incorporated to magnetization-prepared angle-modulated partitioned k-space spoiled gradient-echo snapshots (MAPSS) acquisition and to find an optimal preparation time (Tprep ) for in vivo knee MRI.MethodsBloch equation simulations were first performed to assess the accuracy of quantifying R2 -R1ρ using T1ρ - and T2 -prepared signals with an equivalent Tprep . For validation of this technique in comparison to the conventional approach that calculates R2 -R1ρ after estimating both T2 and T1ρ , phantom experiments and in vivo validation with five healthy subjects and five osteoarthritis patients were performed at a clinical 3T scanner.ResultsBloch equation simulations demonstrated that the accuracy of this efficient R2 -R1ρ quantification method and the optimal Tprep can be affected by image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and tissue relaxation times, but quantification can be closest to the reference with an around 25 ms Tprep for knee cartilage. Phantom experiments demonstrated that the proposed method can depict R2 -R1ρ changes with agarose gel concentration. With in vivo data, significant correlation was observed between cartilage R2 -R1ρ measured from the conventional and the proposed methods, and a Tprep of 25.6 ms provided the most agreement by Bland-Altman analysis. R2 -R1ρ was significantly lower in patients than in healthy subjects for most cartilage compartments.ConclusionAs a potential biomarker to indicate cartilage degeneration, R2 -R1ρ can be efficiently measured using one pair of T1ρ -prepared and T2 -prepared signals with an optimal Tprep considering cartilage relaxation times and image SNR.