Search

Purpose: To examine the effects of 4 programming models (linear [LP], undulating [UP], reverse [RP], and constant [CP]) on physical performance. Methods: Forty-eight moderately strength-trained men were randomly assigned to LP, UP, RP, and CP groups according to their 1-repetition maximum (1RM) in the full-squat exercise (SQ) and followed an 8-week training intervention using the SQ and monitoring movement velocity for every repetition. All groups trained with similar mean relative intensity (65% 1RM), number of repetitions (240), sets (3), and interset recovery (4 min) throughout the training program. Pretraining and posttraining measurements included, in the SQ, 1RM load, the average velocity attained for all absolute loads common to pretests and posttests (AV), and the average velocity for loads that were moved faster (AV > 1) and slower (AV < 1) than 1 m·s−1 at pretraining tests. Moreover, countermovement jump height and 20-m running sprint time were measured. Results: A significant time effect was found for all variables analyzed (P <.05), except for 20-m running sprint time. Significant group × time interactions were observed for 1RM, AV > 1, and AV (P <.05). After training, all groups attained significant strength gains on 1RM, AV, AV > 1, and AV < 1 (P <.001–.01). LP and RP groups improved their countermovement jump height (P <.01), but no significant changes were observed for UP and CP. No significant improvements were achieved in 20-m running sprint time for any groups. Conclusions: These different programming models are all suitable for improving physical performance. LP and RP induce similar or greater gains in physical performance than UP and CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aimsWith existing undernutrition in the developing world, the prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly. Some studies reported an association of intestinal parasitic infection (IPIs) with undernutrition while few recent studies reported an inverse association of IPIs with overweight and obesity. This study evaluated the comparative risk and associated factors of IPIs among under (body mass index [BMI]  24.9) school-aged adolescents.MethodsA total of 105 fecal samples were collected, with 35 samples from each group. The collected samples were tested for the presence of intestinal parasites via concentration method, and the parasites were identified morphologically.ResultsOverall prevalence of IPIs was 5.71% with 3 protozoa viz Giardia lamblia (2.86%), Entamoeba histolytica (1.90%) and Endolimax nana (0.95%). Univariate and multivariable regression analysis indicated none of the nutritional, socioeconomic status, demographic, lifestyle and behavioral characteristics were significantly associated with the prevalence of overall IPIs. Yet, significant numbers of male reported undernutrition and elevated risk of IPIs in this study population.ConclusionDespite low prevalence of IPIs in this study, risk of IPIs is attributable to individual differences in behavior like "not using soap for hand washing". Relatively elevated malnutrition with risky hygiene behaviors, male adolescents appeared as risky cluster of school age population.

Previous work assessing the effect of additive noise on the postural control system has found a positive effect of additive white noise on postural dynamics. This study covers two separate experiments that were run sequentially to better understand how the structure of the additive noise signal affects postural dynamics, while also furthering our knowledge of how the intensity of auditory stimulation of noise may elicit this phenomenon. Across the two experiments, we introduced three auditory noise stimulations of varying structure (white, pink, and brown noise). Experiment 1 presented the stimuli at 35 dB while Experiment 2 was presented at 75 dB. Our findings demonstrate a decrease in variability of the postural control system regardless of the structure of the noise signal presented, but only for high intensity auditory stimulation.

Background: Distinguishing self-limiting ('trivial') from potentially consequential spinal pain in childhood and adolescence is crucial to prevent over- or under-medicalization. The aim of this study was to stratify participants for severity of spinal pain and to investigate associations of pain severity with potential consequences of pain and some psychophysical and clinical factors. Methods: In 2020 and 2021, children and adolescents took part in a voluntary population-based spine screening event across Switzerland organized by the Swiss Chiropractors Association. The screening consisted of a questionnaire (14 questions) based on the Young Spine Questionnaire and a clinical examination by a chiropractor. Three subgroups of pain severity [no pain (including mild, occasional pain), one-sited moderate pain, one-sited severe or moderate/severe pain at multiple sites of the spine] were formed by combining the self-reported measures for pain intensity and pain frequency for two recall periods (lifetime, last week) according to literature. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between pain severity and potential pain consequences (impact of spinal pain on health and seeking medical advice because of spinal pain), as well as between pain severity and some psychophysical factors (head and/or belly pain, sleep problems, daytime tiredness) and clinical measures [trunk symmetry (rib hump), trunk muscle endurance (plank position)]. Results: Of all participants (N = 457; 6–16 years; mean age = 10.9 ± 3.0 years; 220 boys), those with most severe spinal pain and with one-sited moderate pain in the last week had higher odds for reporting an impact of spinal pain on their health (OR = 13.5, 95%CI = 4.9–36.8; OR = 4.7, 95%CI = 1.5–14.4) and for searching medical advice because of spinal pain (OR = 11.6, 95%CI = 4.5–30.1; OR = 3.9, 95%CI = 1.6–9.2). Headache and/or belly pain (OR = 2.6, 95%CI = 1.2–5.5) and daytime tiredness (OR = 3.2, 95%CI = 1.3–7.9) increased the odds for having most severe pain compared to having no pain. The clinical measures were not associated with pain severity. Conclusion: Stratification by pain severity, particularly when asked for pain in the last week, might help to minimize over- and under-medicalization of spinal pain in childhood and adolescence. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the relevance of the investigated clinical tests in the context of adolescent spinal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a highly destructive agricultural pest. The ability of S. frugiperda to survive and reproduce is widely recognized, but it is also important to consider the role of larval cannibalism as a significant biological trait. Understanding the cannibalistic habits of pests helps to explore the dynamics and evolution of their populations and facilitates the monitoring of insect outbreaks. Therefore, the stages, densities, and intensity of cannibalism in S. frugiperda larvae, as well as the consequences for their development, were investigated under laboratory conditions. Spodoptera frugiperda larvae showed obvious cannibalism after the third instar even in the presence of maize (Zea mays L., Poaceae) leaves; cannibalism was not observed in first instars. In the case of only one cannibal, the percentage of prey consumed by cannibalism decreased with higher prey density, and the predatory functional responses of fourth‐ to sixth‐instar predators to first‐ to third‐instar preys were fitted using the Holling II model. Compared with larvae feeding on maize only, larvae feeding on a diet of maize supplemented with third‐instar conspecifics had a longer developmental duration and a higher body weight, with no significant differences in larval survival, pupation, or eclosion rates. Larvae supplied with conspecifics only, in the absence of maize leaves, generally had a lower body weight than larvae supplied with maize only, although developmental duration was still longer, and longevity and fecundity rates were lower for these larvae. Overall, consuming a small quantity of conspecifics in addition to maize leaves prolonged the developmental duration of larvae and pupae to some extent, increased the body weight, and did not impact the longevity or reproduction of S. frugiperda. However, cannibalism only, without access to maize leaves, had a detrimental effect on adult longevity and reproduction. These findings could serve as a valuable reference for studying the life history of insects that consume agricultural crops and may have potential applications for biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orang Asli (OA), Malaysia's indigenous minority, continue to experience ongoing soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections despite efforts including the Resettlement Programme (RPS). This study explores STH epidemiology and associated risks of moderate-to-heavy infections among 259 indigenous Negritos across four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Stool samples, anthropometrics, haemoglobin levels (finger-prick) and sociodemographic and environmental-sanitation factors via pretested questionnaires were collected. Parasitological examinations (direct faecal smear, formol-ether concentration, and Kato-Katz techniques) were thoroughly performed. The study revealed a 63.3% overall STH prevalence, with Trichuris trichiura (57.9%) being the most common, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (35.5%) and hookworm (8.9%). Moderate-to-heavy infections were observed in 39.3% for T. trichiura and 48.9% for A. lumbricoides, with mixed infections of these two species being the most prevalent (50.6%). The risk for moderate-to-heavy infection increased significantly if other household members were infected (P < 0.001). Adults and adolescents also showed high infection rates, with no significant differences with children's groups. These findings emphasize the need for anthelmintic treatment across all age groups and strategize local policies targeting older groups of the OA community to control ongoing transmission and reduce the STH burden and protect the future well-being of OA children, who deserve a healthier future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of moderate or heavy slow resistance training on structural and mechanical properties of patellar and Achilles tendons in older men, in vivo. Healthy older men (n = 27) undertook a 12‐week resistance training program (3 times/week) of triceps surae and quadriceps muscle‐tendon complexes. Participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate load of 55% 1RM (O55, n = 13, age: 70.0 ± 4.6 years) or a progressively heavier load from 55% up to 80% 1RM (O80, n = 14, age: 69.8 ± 4.4 years). Tendon morphology was investigated using a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Mechanical properties of the free Achilles tendon (AT) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) aponeurosis, patellar tendon (PT), and deep aponeurosis of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle were assessed using ultrasound imaging. Both training programs led to an increase in mean CSA of the PT (O55; +2.7%, O80; +1.7%, p = 0.002) and AT (O55; +2.8%, O80; +2.5%, p < 0.001). Force and stress were increased for all the four regions investigated, while stiffness and Young's modulus assessed at a common force level were only increased for the AT and VL aponeurosis. No interaction between group and time was demonstrated for any of the outcomes. No interaction between time and the four tendon sites was observed for any of the outcomes at common force. A supervised short‐term heavy or moderate slow resistance training of equal volume yielded an increase in tendon size and altered mechanical properties of tendinous tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrant ideology is a resonant, reverberating, electrifying set of ideas that are produced by (and producing of) the affective intensity of a strike. From the fraught atmospheres of conflict at the picket line to joyful imbricating solidarities in social spaces of organisation, the strike is affectively intense. Vibrant ideology names a form of ideology that emerges from these shared experiences, and which organises and amplifies these shared experiences. To understand this sense of ideology, the article deploys a Bergsonian line of thinking in Georges Sorel, which is heavy on the affective vibrance, and light on the ideology; and the generative workerist analysis of labour refusal in Nanni Balestrini's fiction, which rebalances matters somewhat. In each, we see a turning towards the self-generative power of the workers in strike which reorients them ideologically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past decades have seen substantial efforts devoted to observing, assessing, and documenting the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. However, the discrepant criteria of non-urban references and ambiguous distinctions between urban and rural landscapes pose great challenges in measuring UHI magnitudes and spatial extents. This study goes beyond the conventional urban-rural dichotomy and introduces a new two-step approach based on the continuous transition of thermal environments along urban-rural gradients. The approach is applied to quantify Surface UHI (SUHI) intensities and footprints across 283 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2018 using multiple satellite-derived data sources. The results include: 1) The two-step approach avoids the limitations in subjective rural reference selections and provides reliable quantification of SUHI characteristics in various cities over time. 2) The SUHI footprints extracted by our approach are more reasonable than those obtained by two existing methods, with footprint ratios generally ranging within 0 − 6 times the urban area. 3) The two-step approach provides more concentrated estimates of SUHI intensity. Typically, ignoring heat sources in non-built-up areas can cause an overestimation of SUHI effect and misidentification of remote rural areas with high temperatures. Overall, the two-step approach enables more accurate estimates of SUHI effect, thereby facilitating policy-making for SUHI mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In communication, emotional information is crucial, yet its preservation in tweet embeddings remains a challenge. This study aims to address this gap by exploring three distinct methods for generating embedding vectors of tweets: word2vec models, pre-trained BERT models, and fine-tuned BERT models. We conducted an analysis to assess the degree to which emotional information is conserved in the resulting embedding vectors. Our findings indicate that the fine-tuned BERT model exhibits a higher level of preservation of emotional information compared to other methods. These results underscore the importance of utilizing advanced natural language processing techniques for preserving emotional context in text data, with potential implications for enhancing sentiment analysis and understanding human communication in social media contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt manganese oxide (CoMn2O4) material production and characterization are presented in this work in preparation for their possible application in supercapacitors. The synthesis process used is a top‐down solid‐state strategy that is both economical and environmentally benign. After 500 °C post‐calcination, phase purity is verified by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. In the CoMn2O4, significant metal oxide vibrational modes are shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize structure, through elemental color mapping, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), researchers analyze morphological characteristics. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) experiments distinctly demonstrate that plasma treatment enhances the material properties including intensity, bending vibrations, morphology, and capacitance. After being exposed to air plasma, the resultant CoMn2O4 shows a notable capacitance of 961 F/g at 0.5 mA/g in a 2 M KOH electrolyte. These findings together suggest that CoMn2O4 has potential as an electrode material for supercapacitor research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—A new probabilistic approach to the problem of estimating the regional maximum possible magnitude and some parameters of seismic impact is proposed. The methodology of its practical application is described, which is based on considering the maximum magnitude in the future time interval T as a random quantity and using its quantile with a given level of confidence as the regional maximum magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the role of pain catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy as possible mediators of race-based differences in pain intensity and to evaluate the possible moderating role of race on the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy with pain outcomes among persons with chronic spinal pain receiving physical therapy. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized trial. Participants were persons with chronic spinal pain in outpatient physical therapy clinics who consented to complete assessments at baseline and after 2 weeks and 12 weeks. Assessments included pain intensity, physical function, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy. Baseline comparisons between Black and non-Hispanic White participants were made. Mediation analyses used a regression-based framework to examine whether baseline pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy mediated the association between race and pain intensity. Moderation analyses used multiple linear regression to evaluate the role of race in the relationship of baseline pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy with 12-week pain intensity outcomes. Results A total of 274 participants were included (51 [18.6%] Black and 223 [81.4%] non-Hispanic White; mean age = 51.6 years [standard deviation = 14.9]; 180 [65.7%] female). At baseline, Black participants had higher pain intensity scores (mean difference = 0.80; 95% CI =1.5 to 0.12). Both pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between race and baseline pain intensity. Race moderated the relationships between baseline pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy and 12-week pain intensity scores. Conclusion Pain catastrophizing and self-efficacy had differential impacts on pain intensity based on race for both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses among persons receiving physical therapy for chronic spinal pain. Impact Improved understanding of the differences in pain experience based on factors such as race, ethnicity, cultural background, and experience with the health care system may help reduce disparities in pain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental changes have an impact on agriculture, especially the production of poultry. These changes have caused grave concerns that will negatively affect the health and productivity of chickens. We must consider illumination, density, and dietary aspects when determining the optimal environmental conditions for poultry rearing and output. Each of these variables influences the performance and behavior of birds uniquely. A crucial aspect of evaluating animal well-being is that it understands animal behavior. Artificial lighting has been widely investigated in poultry production over the last fifty years to enhance muscle gain and egg production while preserving an effective feed conversion ratio, bird health, and well-being. Yet, researchers and breeders still disagree over the ideal light quality and quantity, density, and feeding levels for poultry farming, particularly for chickens. This evaluation, therefore, covered the most up-to-date practical methods for enhancing illumination, density, and feeding-related aspects of poultry behavior, health, and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between the intensity of emotional expressions in facial stimuli and receivers' decoding accuracy for six basic emotions: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. A laboratory experiment was conducted using the forced‐choice method, in which the intensity of each stimulus was manipulated at every 10% interval using the morphing technique. To explore whether a linear relationship would be observed when the intensity was finely manipulated at 10% intervals, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. The mean percentage of correct responses for each stimulus was the dependent variable, and the linear, quadratic, and cubic terms of the stimulus intensity were the independent variables. The results showed that the linear model was not adopted as the final model for all facial expressions; that is, the effect of the squared term of intensity was significant for anger, disgust, fear, and sadness, while the effect of the cubic term of intensity was significant for happiness and surprise. Our findings indicate that a higher intensity of emotional expression does not yield higher decoding accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity is universally acknowledged for its benefits to mental health; however, the specific intensities and timings that best benefit adolescents' mental health, crucial due to their significant influence on daily schedules, have not been thoroughly investigated. This study addresses the substantive research gap by exploring the varied effects of physical activity intensity (light versus moderate to vigorous) and timing (weekdays versus weekends and holidays) on adolescent mental health. Utilizing a large-scale longitudinal dataset (NT1 = 84,054; NT2 = 44,623) from 158 schools, this research describes the current state of adolescent physical activity and investigates the effects of physical activity on mental health outcomes, including positive (i.e., life satisfaction, positive mental health) and negative indicators (depression, anxiety), over a 6-month period. Participants were adolescents aged 9–19 years (mean age = 12.73 ± 2.43 years, 48.9% female), with the analysis adjusted for potential confounding factors. Results showed that as adolescents grow older, their engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during both weekdays and weekends/holidays tends to decrease, while light physical activity during weekdays increases. Multilevel regression analysis indicated that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during weekends/holidays at Time 1 positively correlated with better mental health outcomes at Time 2 (six months later), featuring enhanced positive indicators and reduced negative ones. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on weekdays at Time 1 was positively linked to mental health at Time 2. Light physical activity during weekends/holidays at Time 1 positively predicted life satisfaction and positive mental health at Time 2. In contrast, light physical activity on weekdays at Time 1 negatively correlated with life satisfaction at Time 2. The study underscores the importance of promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, particularly on weekends and holidays, to improve mental health outcomes among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the historical development of aerobic conditioning. The many physiological effects of aerobic conditioning are presented including the effects on cardiovascular, muscular, and neuromuscular health leading to increased physical endurance and increased lifespan. Aerobic exercise prescription follows the frequency, intensity, time, and type, as well as the volume and progression principles. Frequency recommendations are at least 3 d/wk and 3 to 5 d/wk appears to be conducive to meeting overall physical activity recommendations. Intensity determination is based on several methods that include heart rate methods, ratings of perceived exertion (Borg and OMNI), the talk test, and the counting talk test. Time recommendations include at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activities. Type recommendations include any aerobic activities involving major muscle groups used in a continuous or intermittent manner. Volume recommendations include >500 to 1000 metabolic equivalent minutes per week and approximately 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity activity. Progression recommendations include the gradual advancing of the exercise duration, frequency, and intensity, making sure that the progressions allows for the best adherence to aerobic exercise on an ongoing basis. The benefits of aerobic exercise have been shown to be important for every aspect of living a healthy lifestyle across the age span, particularly for aging adults, adults with chronic conditions, and adults with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plateau Meteorology is the property of Plateau Meteorology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the design of a strain-sensitive, dual ball-shaped tunable zone (DBT) taper structure for light intensity modulation. Unlike conventional tapered optical fibers, the DBT incorporates a central light field modulation zone within the taper. By precisely controlling the fusion parameters between single-mode fiber (SMF) and polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF), the ellipticity of the modulation zone can be finely adjusted, thereby optimizing spectral characteristics. Theoretical analysis based on polarization mode interference (PMI) coupling confirms that the DBT structure achieves a more uniform spectral response. In cantilever beam strain tests, the DBT exhibits high sensitivity and a highly linear intensity–strain response (R² = 0.99), with orthogonal linear polarization mode interference yielding sensitivities of 0.049 dB/με and 0.023 dB/με over the 0–244.33 με strain range. Leveraging the DBT's light intensity sensitivity, a temperature-compensated intensity difference and ratio calculation method is proposed, effectively minimizing the influence of light source fluctuations on sensor performance and enabling high-precision strain measurements with errors as low as ±6 με under minor temperature variations. The DBT fiber device, combined with this innovative demodulation technique, is particularly suitable for precision optical sensing applications. The DBT structure, combined with the novel demodulation method, is particularly well-suited for high-precision and stable measurements in industrial monitoring, aerospace, civil engineering, and precision instruments for micro-deformation sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous foods are used to prepare delicious delicacies (Imefino) in South Africa, and are consumed for their medicinal, food security, and nutritional value. Many of them are rich in macro- and micronutrients and contribute to improving the households' income. However, the commercialization of many indigenous foods remains problematic with poor market penetration. This study investigates the commercialization status and determinants of indigenous floral food (IFF) commercialization using descriptive statistics, and the double- and triple-hurdle analysis. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional data from 240 rural households in Amathole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The result shows that most (60%) of the rural households rely solely on agriculture and agricultural-related activities as their source of employment. Ironically, among the rural household heads who are solely engaged in agriculture, most (83%) do not sell IFFs despite being involved solely in agriculture. More so, there is poor commercialization of IFF with the evidence of a low-commercialization index and low-income generation from IFF. However, IFF consumed for medicinal value has a higher commercialization index. Indigenous foods show potential for commercialization if well harnessed. The results also show that if the rural householder is a male and adds value to indigenous floral foods, he is more likely to make a decision that entails him being involved in the commercialization of indigenous floral foods. The result further proves that the influence of households' willingness to pay for the improved seed of IFFs will not necessarily affect the intensity of IFF commercialization. Household size is among the determinants of IFF commercialization. Commercialization indicators reveal that rural household heads are committing to IFF commercialization. Based on the study's overall findings, factors such as seasonality, price, demand fluctuation, and other identified challenges in this study affect IFF commercialization. Programs addressing value addition and the domestication of indigenous floral foods, application of marketing philosophy, and marketing mix, among others, are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: University students frequently prepare for exams or presentations in self-organized study groups. For this purpose, they often use videoconferencing software. During their collaboration, they need to regulate emerging problems to ensure effective learning. We suppose that regulation is facilitated when (1) the group perceives their regulation problems homogeneously, (2) they choose regulation strategies that have the potential to solve the problems immediately, and (3) they execute these strategies with sufficient intensity. Aims: We investigated which problems occur during online collaborative learning via videoconferencing and how homogeneity of problem perceptions, immediacy of the chosen strategies, and intensity of strategy use are related to regulation success. Sample: University students (N = 222) from two lectures in pre-service teacher education and educational sciences in 99 study groups. Methods: Students collaborated in a self-organized manner, that is, without a teacher present, to study the material of one lecture using videoconferencing software. After the collaboration, group members rated, individually, the intensity of different problems during collaboration, reported which strategies they used to overcome their biggest problem, and rated the success of their problem regulation, their satisfaction with their collaboration, as well as their learning gain. In addition, they answered a knowledge test. Results: We found that most students rated technical issues as their biggest problem. Multilevel modeling showed that homogeneous problem perception moderated by problem intensity--contrary to immediate and intensive strategy use--predicted successful problem regulation and satisfaction with the collaboration but not knowledge gain. Case analyses illustrate the assumed mechanism that a homogeneous problem perception facilitates socially shared regulation. Conclusion: We conclude that even in only slightly structured learning contexts, students might only need to jointly identify their problems, whereas the best possible regulation of these problems seems less relevant. Therefore, training students to foster regulation competencies might prioritize identifying problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating pain levels is crucial for patients with serious illnesses, those recovering from brain surgery, and those receiving intensive care etc. An automatic pain intensity estimator is proposed in this study that gathers information about pain and intensity from the user's expressions. The faces in the database are first cropped using a 'Chehra' face detector, which performs well even in wildly uncontrolled environments with a wide range of lighting and position fluctuations. The suggested technique extracts the beneficial and distinct patterns from facial expressions using novel Statistical Frei-Chen Mask (SFCM)-based features and DenseNet-based features. As it offers quick as well as accurate pain identification and pain intensity estimation, the Radial Basis Function Based Extreme Learning Machine (RBF-ELM) is employed for pain recognition and pain intensity level estimation using the characteristics. All the data is kept, updated and protected in the cloud because availability and high-performance decision-making are so important for informing physicians and auxiliary IoT nodes (such as wearable sensors). In addition, cloud computing reduces the time complexity of the training phase of Machine Learning algorithms in situations where it is possible to build a complete cloud/edge architecture by allocating additional computational resources and memory in use. The facial expression images from the UNBC-McMaster Shoulder Pain Expression Archive and 2D face dataset are used to test the proposed method. The measurement of pain intensity uses four stages. When compared to the results from the literature, the proposed work attains enhanced performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the variability and trends in 115 years (1909–2023) of daily precipitation observed at three hydrometeorological stations in southern (Kaisaniemi), central (Kajaani), and northern (Sodankylä) Finland. We also identified the most significant climate teleconnections influencing daily precipitation variability at these three stations during the period 1951–2023. The daily precipitation records were primarily classified into six grades, including very light (≤1 mm), light (1–≤5 mm), moderate (5–≤10 mm), heavy (10–≤15 mm), very heavy (15–≤20 mm), and extreme (>20 mm). On average, the most intense daily precipitation was determined at the Kaisaniemi station in southern Finland. At this station, however, very light and light precipitation showed the lowest frequency, but other graded daily precipitation events were the most frequent. At all three stations, the intensity of very light precipitation significantly declined during the past 115 years, while its frequency increased. The highest rates of such decreases and increases in the intensity and frequency of very light daily precipitation were found at the Sodankylä stations in northern Finland, respectively, but the lowest rates were at the Kaisaniemi station in the south. At the Kajaani station in central Finland, the intensity of light precipitation decreased, but very heavy precipitation intensified. At this station, however, the number of both moderate and heavy precipitation events increased over time. Finally, historical variations in both the intensity and frequency of graded daily precipitation events in Finland showed significant relationships with different climate teleconnections, particularly the Scandinavia (SCAND) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil‐transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a common problem in Ethiopia. This parasite affects the physical and mental development of children, causing malnutrition and iron deficiency anaemia. However, there are inadequate studies that demonstrate the extent of STHs and associated factors among kindergarten children in South Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, intensity, and associated factors of STH infection among kindergarten students in Bule Hora town. Methods: An institution‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 235 kindergarten children in Bule Hora town from January to February 2023. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect information on associated factors. EpiData and SPSS were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Results: In the present study, the prevalence of STH was 28.5% (95% CI: 22.7%–34.3%). A. lumbricoides 26 (11.1%) was the most common parasite identified. The arithmetic mean (+SD) of the egg counts for each species of STHs was as follows: A. Lumbricoides 1886.9 (+2103.2), T. Trichiura 299.2 (+305.8), and hookworms 756.1 (+739.4). Factors that showed significant association in the current study were hand washing after the toilet (AOR: 2.992, 95% CI: 1.299–6.891,), fingernail trimming (AOR: 3.646, 95% CI: 1.704–7.798,), and shoe wearing habit (AOR: 2.143, 95% CI: 1.170–3.924,). Conclusion: STH infection is a health problem among kindergarten children in Bule Hora town. Comprehensive health education on the value of hygienic habits, improved sanitation, and routine deworming of kindergarten children should be included in prevention and control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study systematically evaluated global tropical cyclone (TC) activity in a new global atmospheric reanalysis dataset named the "40‐year Global Reanalysis" (CRA40) against the best track data. For comparison, four state‐of‐the‐art reanalyses—ERA5, JRA55, CFSR, and MERRA2—were also assessed. The results showed that there is a general underestimation of global TC genesis frequency and intensity in both CRA40 and other reanalyses. A detailed investigation of spatial distribution, seasonality, interannual variation, and long‐term trend for TC genesis frequency, as well as pressure–wind relationship for TC intensity, revealed similarities and differences among these reanalyses datasets. Overall, CRA40 does not exhibit clear advantages over other reanalyses in these aspects, but its biases are also not more pronounced. However, regarding TC translation speed, CRA40 outpeforms other reanalyses, evident by its high level of consistency with the observation in the zonal average pattern, meridional distribution at peak latitudes, and interannual variation, suggesting its reasonable capability in capturing large‐scale atmospheric characteristics. Our findings indicate that the use of CRA40 is appropriate for conducting TC‐related studies, within the scope of its limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to collect and to examine the positive effects of various physical activity (PA) programs on individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This included a combination of aerobic exercises and resistance training, with varying intensities, in order to compare which approach yielded better outcomes for T2DM management; This systematic review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines, focusing on the period from 1991 to 2024. Studies included in this review involved both experimental procedures and questionnaire-based surveys to assess the impact of PA on T2DM patients. The primary outcome was the effect of PA on T2DM, with secondary outcomes including changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glycemic control; A total of 23 studies, encompassing 1752 participants (515 men, 546 women, and 691 unspecified), met the inclusion criteria. The studies highlighted the positive effects of exercise, such as improvements in glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles. Most studies recommended a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises performed 3-4 times per week for 30-60 minutes per session; This systematic review confirms that regular PA is instrumental in managing T2DM. Health care providers should integrate PA programs into treatment plans for T2DM patients to optimize glycemic control and overall health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guideline recommends administering an effluent volume of 20–25 mL/kg/h during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for acute kidney injury. Recent evidence on CRRT initiation showed that less intervention might be beneficial for renal recovery. This study aimed to explore the association between early-phase low CRRT intensity and acid-base balance corrections and clinical outcomes. Methods: This was a single-centre, retrospective, observational study at a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) in Japan. All adult patients requiring CRRT in the ICU were included. Eligible patients were classified into the Low group (dialysate flow rate [QD] 10.0–19.9 mL/kg/h) and the Standard group (QD ≥20 mL/kg/h) by the intensity of CRRT at the beginning. The primary outcomes were acid-base parameters 6 h after CRRT initiation. We used an inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis to estimate the association between the intensity group and the outcomes. Results: Overall, 194 patients were classified into the Low group (n = 144) and the Standard group (n = 50). The Standard group presented with more severe acid-base disturbances, including lower pH and base excess (BE) at baseline. At 6 h after CRRT initiation, pH, BE, and strong ion difference values were comparable, even after adjusting for baseline severity. Despite the efficient correction, no evident differences were observed in clinical outcomes between the two groups. Conclusions: The initial standard intensity appeared to be efficient in correcting acid-base imbalance at the early phase of CRRT; however, further studies are needed to assess the impact on clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretically, males should increase their ejaculate expenditure when the probability of sperm competition occurring (or risk) is high but decrease ejaculate expenditure as the number of competing ejaculates (or intensity) increases. Here we examine whether male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) transferred to females by rival males at mating to assess the risk and intensity of sperm competition and adjust their ejaculate accordingly. Unmated females and those perfumed with CHCs extracted from one, three, or five males could be distinguished chemically, providing a reliable cue of the risk and intensity of sperm competition. In agreement with theory, males mating with these females increased sperm number with the risk of sperm competition and decreased sperm number with the intensity of sperm competition. Similarly, as the risk of sperm competition increased, males produced a larger and more attractive spermatophylax (an important non-sperm component of the ejaculate) but these traits did not vary with the intensity of sperm competition. Our results therefore demonstrate that both sperm and non-sperm components of the male ejaculate respond to the risk and intensity of sperm competition in different ways and that CHCs provide males with an important cue to strategically tailor their ejaculate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• As expected, a higher volume of physical activity was associated with reduced odds of both hypertension and obesity. • When considering the volume of physical activity, the frequency or intensity of physical activity did not significantly impact the odds of hypertension. • An increased proportion of vigorous physical activity relative to the total volume was associated with a small additional reduction in the odds of obesity. • Overall, physical activity volume seems to be more important than specific patterns of accumulation for preventing hypertension and obesity in women. Optimal patterns of accrual of recommended levels of physical activity (PA) for prevention of hypertension and obesity are not known. The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether different patterns of accumulation of PA are differentially associated with hypertension and obesity in Australian women over 21 years. Specifically, we investigated whether, for the same weekly volume of PA, the number of sessions (frequency) and vigorousness of PA (intensity) were associated with a reduction in the occurrence of hypertension and obesity in women. Data from the 1973–1978 and 1946–1951 cohorts of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were analyzed (n = 20,588; 12%–16% with a Bachelor's or higher degree). Self-reported PA, hypertension, height, and weight were collected using mail surveys every 3 years from 1998/2000 to 2019/2021. Generalized Estimating Equation models with a 3-year lag model were used to investigate the association of PA volume (metabolic equivalent min/week) (none; 33–499; 500–999; ≥1000, weekly frequency (none; 1–2 times; 3–4 times; 5–7 times; ≥8 times), and the proportion of vigorous PA to total volume of PA (none; 0%; 1%–33%; 34%–66%; 67%–100%) with odds of hypertension and obesity from 2000 to 2021. The cumulative incidence of hypertension was 6% in the 1973–1978 and 23% in the 1946–1951 cohort; 27% of women in the 1973–1978; and 15% in the 1946–1951 cohort developed obesity over the period. Overall, a higher volume of PA was associated with reduced odds of hypertension and obesity. When the volume of PA was considered, the odds of hypertension did not vary according to the frequency or intensity of PA. However, increased proportion of vigorous PA to the total volume of PA was associated with a small additional reduction in the risk of obesity. PA volume appears to be more important than the pattern of accumulation for the prevention of hypertension and obesity. Incorporating more sessions, particularly of vigorous-intensity PA, may provide extra benefits for the prevention of obesity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the reporting completeness of the TIDieR items 8-12, in particular intensity, dose, and dosage, in active pediatric upper limb neurorehabilitation trials. We searched PubMed Central, Scopus, CINAHL, OTseeker, and Web of Science for eligible publications. We included publications analyzing active pediatric upper limb neurorehabilitation interventions and assessed the reporting completeness of 11 items for each intervention and control group. Two raters independently screened titles and abstracts and selected the publications using the RYYAN platform. We unblinded the results after the raters had completed their selection and resolved the disagreements by discussion. We used the same procedures to review the full texts. We included 52 randomized controlled trials with 65 intervention and 48 control groups. Authors did not report all 11 items in any of the study groups. The overall reporting completeness varied between 1% (intensity) to 95% (length of the intervention). The reporting completeness of the TIDieR items ranged from 2% (modifications) to 64% (when and how much). We found no significant differences in the reporting completeness between the intervention and control groups. Information essential for dose-response calculations is often missing in randomized controlled trials of pediatric upper limb neurorehabilitation interventions. Reporting completeness should be improved, and new measures to accurately quantify intensity should be discussed and developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiparty alliances (MPAs) are increasingly used to deliver large utilities infrastructure projects on‐time, on‐budget, and to specified quality. In theory, MPAs should help buyers to coordinate suppliers, enable concurrent scheduling, and create process innovations. On the other hand, these governance structures are inherently less stable than dyadic relationships due to their additional complexity and greater opportunities for free riding. We conduct a multi‐source, longitudinal study, investigating how a buyer actively manages the dynamics between competition and cooperation during the formation of an MPA consisting of a lead organization and directional relationships between all partners. We contribute to MPA and coopetition literature by exploring cooperation and competition dynamics that are associated with the MPA structure that would largely be absent in dyads, and unpack the process by which a buyer orchestrates these dynamics by sequentially introducing new initiatives that seek to balance coopetition. MPAs have been recommended by governments and industry bodies as one solution for time and cost overruns in the utilities infrastructure sector, our study also provides guidance to buyers on the management of the alliance during the critical formation stage of the relationship lifecycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than a billion people worldwide eat fish as their primary source of high-quality protein. Fish parasites have a direct impact on fish productivity, and a secondary impact on human health. This study was carried out to assess the occurrence of endoparasites in Tilapia zillii (Gervais, 1848) from Tono reservoir, Navrongo, Ghana. A total of 120 fish samples were collected from the up-stream, mid-stream and downstream regions of the reservoir using cast nets. All the collected fish samples were transported to the research laboratory in the University for Development Studies and examined for ectoparasites during January 2022 to August 2022. Five ectoparasites namely Trichodina sp. of Protozoans ciliates, Dactyolgyrus sp. of Monogenean, Argulus sp. and Lernaea sp. of Crustaceans and the Diplostomum sp were identified. Overall prevalence of the fish parasites was 52.32 %. The intensity of the parasites observed ranged between 1.58% and 3.52%. Highest prevalence (70%) was reported in the dry season, while the lowest (31.67%) was reported in the rainy season. Female fish samples had a higher prevalence (64.47%) than males (27.27%). Fish of the down-stream had the highest prevalence (92.5%) than the up-stream (17.5%). Fish samples with maximum length and weight were highly (65.15%) infected than small-sized fish with low body length and weight (33.33%). This study shows that the dry season (January, February, March, and April) affects the fish business and results in poor quality fish meat with risk of disease infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study is aimed to determine the geospatial, seasonal, age and gender prevalence and intensity of UgS; and to establish disease maps in the Ase-Niger River communities for effective drug administration. Study Design: This study employed a 24 months longitudinal study design for parasitological investigations in 11 riparian communities of the Ase-Niger River basin, taking into cognizance their GPS locations imported into QGIS software for schistosomiasis mapping. Methods: A total of 7,219 urine samples with WHO structured questionnaires were retrieved and subjected to parasitological evaluation using swinnex urine filtration techniques. Results: An overall prevalence of 48.10% was established. Geospatially, prevalence ranges from 34.27% (Ivrogbo) to 52.29% (Ase) with seasonal significant difference (p < 0.05) accounting for 76.19% of the total variance. Ashaka had the highest prevalence for both males (55.73%) and females (53.32%) with significant difference in the study sites (p < 0.05) accounting for 96.47% of the total variance. Age-group 11–20 years consistently maintain a high prevalence at all sites. The peak geometric mean intensity of 105.69 was obtained in the dry season at Lagos Iyede. Ashaka, Igbuku, Iyede-Ame, and Onogboko had heavy-intensity levels in both seasons. Overall, the intensity was lower during the wet season than the dry season, with significant variations (p < 0.05) at Awah and Itobi-Ige. Geospatial prevalence and intensity have a robust and strong positive correlation (r = 0.7178; p = 0.0129), with 51.53% of intensity variability being influenced by prevalence (R2 = 0.5153). Conclusion: UgS is a significant public health issue in the Ase-Niger River basin, with prevalences surpassing the national average of 29.0% which calls for MDA in these settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the associations between physical activity (PA) intensity, occupational PA engagement, and sarcopenia in younger adults. Methods Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (from 2011 to 2018) were used for the study. PA data were extracted for the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the ratio of limb muscle mass (ALM) to body mass index (BMI) was used to determine sarcopenia. Multiple logistic regression was performed, and dose-response curves were drawn to evaluate the associations. Results Of the 8802 adults aged 20 to 59 years, 770 (8.7%) were identified as having sarcopenia. Compared to those in the reference group, the participants in the “low”, “moderate”, and “high” total METs groups had lower risks of sarcopenia (low: OR = 0.730, 95% CI = 0.583; 0.915; moderate: OR = 0.643, 95% CI = 0.485; 0.853; high: OR = 0.560, 95% CI = 0.457; 0.687). The risk of sarcopenia decreased in the high-intensity recreational PA group; however, such a significant association was observed only in the high-intensity occupational PA group. The relationship between total METs and sarcopenia showed a nonlinear U-shaped trend. Conclusions A greater intensity of PA is associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia among younger adults, regardless of whether moderate or vigorous PA is performed. Moreover, recreational PA may particularly advantageously contrast with occupational PA in lowering the risk of sarcopenia.

Abstract The Orang Asli (OA), Malaysia’s indigenous minority, continue to experience ongoing soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections despite efforts including the Resettlement Programme (RPS). This study explores STH epidemiology and associated risks of moderate-to-heavy infections among 259 indigenous Negritos across four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Stool samples, anthropometrics, haemoglobin levels (finger-prick) and sociodemographic and environmental-sanitation factors via pretested questionnaires were collected. Parasitological examinations (direct faecal smear, formol-ether concentration, and Kato-Katz techniques) were thoroughly performed. The study revealed a 63.3% overall STH prevalence, with Trichuris trichiura (57.9%) being the most common, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (35.5%) and hookworm (8.9%). Moderate-to-heavy infections were observed in 39.3% for T. trichiura and 48.9% for A. lumbricoides, with mixed infections of these two species being the most prevalent (50.6%). The risk for moderate-to-heavy infection increased significantly if other household members were infected (P

In this article, the authors consider the noise characteristics of traffic flows in urban conditions. The unevenness of traffic flows in time and space entails a change in noise effects on the environment. The main source of noise pollution is the internal combustion engine, which produces aerodynamic noise and structural noise. Noise level measurements are carried out separately for vehicles in motion and for stationary vehicles. The noise level is directly influenced by the mode of movement of cars, the speed of traffic flow, and the intensity of traffic flow. Deterioration of working and leisure conditions with a high level of traffic noise can lead to a decrease in labor productivity and the occurrence of nervous disorders. Therefore, the protection of the population from the noise generated by transport is not only of social, but also of economic importance. Purpose: to analyze the level of noise impacts of traffic flow in urban conditions. Method and methodology. The methods of observation, statistical analysis, and synthesis were used in the article. Results: noise level measurements were carried out on the selected section of the road network, and calculated data were obtained based on the declared characteristics of the traffic flow. Scope of application of the results: research activities to improve the environmental safety of the traffic flow.

Background Most studies done on Vitamin D deficiency in migraine focused more on headache frequency than intensity and severity of the condition. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between serum Vitamin D levels and severity of migraine in a Nigerian setting. Materials and Methods Using a cross-sectional analytical study design, adult patients with migraine consecutively attending the neurology clinic at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, were recruited on fulfilling the study criteria. Their age- and sex-matched healthy headache-free controls were also recruited. Demographic information and clinical parameters were obtained with an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Headache severity and pain intensity were documented using incorporated headache disability index (HDI) and numerical rating scale (NRS) tools, respectively. Serum levels of Vitamin D, calcium and albumin were assayed for all study participants. Results The participants comprised 35 migraine and 50 control subjects. The migraine subjects comprised 10 males and 25 females, with mean ages of 29.4 ± 9.3 and 40.0 ± 11.1 years respectively (P = 0.01). The mean serum Vitamin D levels among migraine and control participants were 43.45 ng/ml ± 16.84 and 48.78 ng/ml ± 23.33, respectively (P = 0.31). The mean NRS was 7.3 ± 1.2 while the mean HDI was 44.7 ± 19.1 among migraine patients. There was no significant correlation between serum Vitamin D levels and pain intensity (r = 0.29, P = 0.9), and no correlation with HDI (r = 0.004, P = 0.96). Conclusion The serum Vitamin D levels among migraine and control participants were not significantly different. No significant relationship was found between serum Vitamin D level and headache severity index or pain intensity in migraine patients.

In order to understand the long-term evolution of meteorological drought in Chongqing， the localized revised meteorological drought comprehensive index （RMCI） of 34 national stations in Chongqing from 1960 to 2022 was used in conjunction with local standard for regional meteorological drought process evaluation to synchronously compare with the meteorological drought comprehensive index （MCI） process data from 1981 to 2020， then analysed the data structure and spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the historical 63 a RMCI.The conclusion was as follows： （1） The cumulative frequency of the 40a RMCI single station process in Chongqing was 4.2% higher than that of MCI， and the frequency-intensity fitting of both showed a significant exponential distribution.The difference rate in the start time between RMCI and MCI single station processes was only 8.1%.The northeast of Chongqing was a consistently high incidence district of drought at all levels for RMCI and MCI single station processes， while the frequencies were relatively low in the central urban area， southwest， and middle districts.（2） The daily data of Chongqing's 63 a RMCI showed a normal distribution overall， with small（significant） differences in the distribution of mild， moderate， and severe drought（extreme drought） daily data across whole region and various districts.The daily data of RMCI severe and extreme drought in the central urban area was consistently relatively high and low compared to other districts， respectively.The frequency-intensity of RMCI single station process and regional process data were significantly inversely correlated， with the station-averaged frequency of mild， moderate， and extreme droughts for single station processes occurring in the western district of Chongqing being the highest， and the absolute range of extreme drought in regional process data was the highest， followed by moderate drought.（3） The intensity trends of RMCI single station and regional meteorological drought processes in Chongqing during the 63 a were not significant， but both showed a significant decreasing trend from 1962 to 2013.The overall weakening of both processes intensity in Chongqing after 2013 was related to the interdecadal decrease in high-temperature days since the 21st century.It could be considered that meteorological drought process events had complex interannual and interdecadal signals.The RMCI single station process events mainly exhibited periodic oscillations of 2~6 a and quasi-20 a， with the "drying out" of single station process events occurring in parts of Chongqing northeastern and southeastern districts being particularly significant.The RMCI regional process events exhibited periodic oscillations of 2~3 a， 4~6 a， and 8~12 a， with the highest frequency and strongest intensity of regional process events starting during the hot summer drought period and July， while the frequency and intensity of autumn drought period and December was relatively lowest and weakest， respectively.

Abstract The traditional airborne LiDAR point clouds vehicle recognition algorithms only utilize the contained geometric information and are not sufficient to recognize vehicles accurately, especially in complex urban scenes. And their applicability in super-high density UAV-LiDAR point clouds is unknown. Therefore, a 3-D algorithm combining geometric and intensity information from super-high density UAV-LiDAR point clouds is presented. The proposed algorithm firstly converts the original point clouds into a 3D multivalued image which fuses intensity, elevation and density information simultaneously. Thereafter, the potential vehicle voxels are extracted according to the intensity, elevation and density consistency of vehicles. Subsequently, individual vehicles are recognized using the potential vehicle voxel’s spatially connected set with vehicle size constraint. Finally, the quantified attribute information of each individual vehicle, containing the spatial location, type, and size, is determined. The results for recognized vehicles are evaluated using UAV-LiDAR data with different densities and demonstrate an average quality (Kappa coefficient) of 96.58% (96.04%) without being significantly affected by occlusion and the very close vehicle arrangement.

Abstract Estimating pain levels is crucial for patients with serious illnesses, those recovering from brain surgery, and those receiving intensive care etc. An automatic pain intensity estimator is proposed in this study that gathers information about pain and intensity from the user’s expressions. The faces in the database are first cropped using a ‘Chehra’ face detector, which performs well even in wildly uncontrolled environments with a wide range of lighting and position fluctuations. The suggested technique extracts the beneficial and distinct patterns from facial expressions using novel Statistical Frei-Chen Mask (SFCM)-based features and DenseNet-based features. As it offers quick as well as accurate pain identification and pain intensity estimation, the Radial Basis Function Based Extreme Learning Machine (RBF-ELM) is employed for pain recognition and pain intensity level estimation using the characteristics. All the data is kept, updated and protected in the cloud because availability and high-performance decision-making are so important for informing physicians and auxiliary IoT nodes (such as wearable sensors). In addition, cloud computing reduces the time complexity of the training phase of Machine Learning algorithms in situations where it is possible to build a complete cloud/edge architecture by allocating additional computational resources and memory in use. The facial expression images from the UNBC-McMaster Shoulder Pain Expression Archive and 2D face dataset are used to test the proposed method. The measurement of pain intensity uses four stages. When compared to the results from the literature, the proposed work attains enhanced performance.

Background: Optimal patterns of accrual of recommended levels of physical activity (PA) for prevention of hypertension and obesity are not known. The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether different patterns of accumulation of PA are differentially associated with hypertension and obesity in Australian women over 21 years. Specifically, we investigated whether, for the same weekly volume of PA, the number of sessions (frequency) and vigorousness of PA (intensity) were associated with a reduction in the occurrence of hypertension and obesity in women. Methods: Data from the 1973–1978 and 1946–1951 cohorts of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were analyzed (n = 20,588; 12%–16% with a Bachelor's or higher degree). Self-reported PA, hypertension, height, and weight were collected using mail surveys every 3 years from 1998/2000 to 2019/2021. Generalized Estimating Equation models with a 3-year lag model were used to investigate the association of PA volume (metabolic equivalent min/week) (none; 33–499; 500–999; ≥1000, weekly frequency (none; 1–2 times; 3–4 times; 5–7 times; ≥8 times), and the proportion of vigorous PA to total volume of PA (none; 0%; 1%–33%; 34%–66%; 67%–100%) with odds of hypertension and obesity from 2000 to 2021. Results: The cumulative incidence of hypertension was 6% in the 1973–1978 and 23% in the 1946–1951 cohort; 27% of women in the 1973–1978; and 15% in the 1946–1951 cohort developed obesity over the period. Overall, a higher volume of PA was associated with reduced odds of hypertension and obesity. When the volume of PA was considered, the odds of hypertension did not vary according to the frequency or intensity of PA. However, increased proportion of vigorous PA to the total volume of PA was associated with a small additional reduction in the risk of obesity. Conclusion: PA volume appears to be more important than the pattern of accumulation for the prevention of hypertension and obesity. Incorporating more sessions, particularly of vigorous-intensity PA, may provide extra benefits for the prevention of obesity.

Previous studies have shown that Physical Activity (PA) has a positive association with emotional health and intelligence in adolescents but none have focused on the relationship of PA duration and intensity on Emotional Intelligence (EI). The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally assess the association of PA measures on overall EI and its domains in a cohort of 2 029 adolescents aged 10–13 years of age in the National Longitudinal Survey for Children and Youth (NLSCY) from Canada. Multivariable linear regression analysis of EI was adjusted for age, sex, annual household income, and health status. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to relate PA duration measured in minutes, frequency, and intensity categories with continuous GEI scores and also the corresponding scores for domains of GEI. The mean GEI scores were (28.3 ​± ​6.6) for 0–30 ​minute (min) PA duration, (30.0 ​± ​6.5) for 30 to ​

In What is Philosophy?, Deleuze and Guattari critique the relationship between formal logic and philosophy. They argue that since philosophy is the creation of concepts that are intensional, and formal logic reduces concepts to their extension, formal logic then has no special providence to decide philosophical questions. This may strike the logic-inclined philosopher as outdated given that there are now formal intensional logics designed to model meaning rather than reference. However, it will be shown that these logics too fail to express the concept in a way that preserves its philosophical import. Doing so requires contrasting Deleuze and Guattari's account of the concept with Frege's to show how the latter persists even in intensional logics in the form of mathematical functions that are ultimately referential. This then results in support for Deleuze and Guattari's claim that formal logic is a useful tool, but that it is incapable of adjudicating philosophical disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that Physical Activity (PA) has a positive association with emotional health and intelligence in adolescents but none have focused on the relationship of PA duration and intensity on Emotional Intelligence (EI). The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally assess the association of PA measures on overall EI and its domains in a cohort of 2 029 adolescents aged 10-13 years of age in the National Longitudinal Survey for Children and Youth (NLSCY) from Canada. Multivariable linear regression analysis of EI was adjusted for age, sex, annual household income, and health status. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to relate PA duration measured in minutes, frequency, and intensity categories with continuous GEI scores and also the corresponding scores for domains of GEI. The mean GEI scores were (28.3 ± 6.6) for 0-30 minute (min) PA duration, (30.0 ± 6.5) for 30 to < 60 min, (30.8 ± 6.7) for 60-120 min, and (30.1 ± 6.5) for ± 121 min. There was a statistically significant linear trend across PA duration categories, p = 0.000 4. Post-hoc pairwise comparison revealed that compared to the referent category (< 30 min PA category) was statistically significantly lower GEI than each of the other two PA categories (30-59 min; and 60-120 min), both p-values < 0.01. Meeting World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for duration and vigorous intensity were positively associated with the higher overall EI and its domains except for Stress Management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of different resistance training protocols with equated volume load on acute mechanical and metabolic responses. Methods: In a randomized order, 18 men performed 8 different training protocols in the bench press exercise consisting of (sets, repetitions, intensity, and interset recoveries) 3 × 16, 40% 1-repetition maximum (1RM), 2 and 5 minutes; 6 × 8, 40% 1RM, 2 and 5 minutes; 3 × 8, 80% 1RM, 2 and 5 minutes; and 6 × 4, 80% 1RM, 2 and 5 minutes. Volume load was equalized between protocols (1920 arbitrary units). Velocity loss and effort index were calculated during the session. Movement velocity against the 60% 1RM and blood lactate concentration pre–post exercise were used to assess the mechanical and metabolic responses, respectively. Results: Resistance training protocols performed with heavy load (80% 1RM) resulted in a lower (P <.05) total number of repetitions (effect size = −2.44) and volume load (effect size = −1.79) than the scheduled ones when longer set configurations and shorter rest periods were used in the same protocol (ie, higher-training-density protocols). Protocols including a higher number of repetitions per set and shorter rest times induced higher velocity loss, effort index, and lactate concentrations than the rest of the protocols. Conclusions: Our results suggest that resistance training protocols with similar volume load but different training variables (ie, intensity, number of sets and repetitions, rest between sets) produce different responses. Implementing a lower number of repetitions per set and longer rest intervals is recommended to reduce the intrasession and postsession fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This paper documents changes in the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Geshiyaro project in the Wolaita zone of Southern Ethiopia. Methods The Geshiyaro project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into the Arm 1 pilot (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide mass drug administration MDA (cMDA) with intensive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) interventions. Arm 2 involves 18 districts with cMDA interventions plus the existing government-led One WaSH program, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA (sMDA) interventions plus the existing government-led One WaSH program in three districts. The study is designed as a cohort investigation over time, with the establishment of longitudinal sentinel sites where infection levels are assessed annually. A total of 45 longitudinal parasitological surveillance sentinel sites are being used across all three intervention arms to monitor STH prevalence and intensity of infection. From each of the 45 sentinel sites, 150 individuals were randomly selected, stratified by age and gender. The t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the three study arms over time. Results The prevalence of STH decreased significantly from 34.5% (30.6%, 38.5%) in 2019 to 10.6% (8.3%, 13.4%) in 2022/2023 (df = 1, P