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Measurement of time evolution of fluorescence of a probe solute has been a quintessential technique to quantify how dipolar solvent molecules dynamically minimize the free energy of an electronically excited probe. During such solvation dynamics in bulk liquids, a substantial part of relaxation was shown to complete within sub-100 fs from time-gated fluorescence measurements, as also predicted by molecular dynamics simulation studies. However, equivalent quantification of solvation timescales by femtosecond pump–probe and broadband fluorescence measurements revealed an exponential nature of this initial relaxation having quite different timescales. Here, we set out to unveil the reason behind these puzzling contradictions. We introduce a method for estimating probe wavelength-dependent instrument response and demonstrate that the observation of the Gaussian vs exponential nature of initial relaxation is indeed dependent on the method of data analysis. These findings call for further experimental investigation and parallel development of theoretical models to elucidate the molecular-level mechanism accounting for different types of early time solvation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional practices in handling cross-sectional data treated the explanatory variables as fixed variables without measurement errors. This article proposed a novel autocorrelated unreplicated linear functional relationship model (AULFR) model to accommodate the autocorrelated errors in the measurement errors model. Some basic properties of the model have been derived. A modified backshift operator is used in transforming the autocorrelated error into uncorrelated error. Simulation studies show that AULFR outperforms other benchmarking models even with a relatively small training data percentage or a sample size of 100 training observations. The application of the AULFR model on an actual economic case shows consistent results with simulation studies. The advantages of the proposed model are (i) it models the relationship between a time-based dependent variable and a set of time-based explanatory variables which subjected to measurement errors, and (ii) it can predict the current or future values of both dependent and explanatory variables using historical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cancer frequently leads to psychological challenges, among them emotion regulation problems. These can be alleviated with the help of mindfulness therapies or neurofeedback (NF) interventions. Possible intervention effects on emotion procession can be detected in clinical EEG studies by exploring event-related potentials, e.g., early posterior negativity (EPN), which recently has been established to investigate emotional processing and represents very early attention to affective stimuli. Therefore, this clinicalexperimental study investigated the efficacy of mindfulness and NF (10 sessions each) on the EPN in oncology patients. Method: The study enrolled 42 cancer patients (age: 31-73 years; gender: 28 female, 14 male). The study design was an RCT with a parallel group [NF (n = 21) versus mindfulness (n = 21)] waitlist paradigm. EEG recordings in an oddball task with neutral, rare positive and negative valence and high and low arousal stimuli were performed at three measurement time points (T0 = before waitlist, T1 = before intervention, T2 = after intervention). Following preprocessing, data from electrodes O1, Oz and O2 were analyzed for EPN amplitudes. Results: Response time did not differ across groups and conditions. Comparing EPN at T1 and T2, there was a significant interaction of time, valence, and intervention (p = 0.042). Descriptive statistics showed increased EPN for negative stimuli after the NF intervention (T1 to T2), while EPN for positive stimuli only slightly increased. For mindfulness, positive stimuli evoked stronger amplitudes after the intervention, while EPN for negative stimuli increased from T1 to T2. Conclusion: Distinct effects were observed for the EPN for pictures with negative valence. Here, it is presumed that mindfulness treatment led to a refocusing of attention with a focus on positive valence, whereas NF seems to entail a different processing of images with negative valence and is therefore to be seen more in the sense of a confrontational approach. Our results suggest that both interventions are suitable for modulating EPN. However, it is not clear to what extent the effects are due to the interventions alone and how other factors might have affected the amplitudes, which highlights the need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonics-assisted methods for microwave frequency measurement (MFM) show great potential for overcoming electronic bottlenecks and offer promising applications in radar and communication due to their wide bandwidth and immunity to electromagnetic interference. In common photonics-assisted MFM methods, the frequency-to-time mapping (FTTM) method has the capability to measure various types of signals, but with a trade-off between measurement error, measurement range, and real-time performance, while the frequency-to-power mapping (FTPM) method offers low measurement error but faces great difficulty in measuring signal types other than single-tone signals. In this paper, a two-step high-precision MFM method based on the combination of FTTM and FTPM is proposed, which balances real-time performance with measurement precision and resolution compared with other similar works based on the FTTM method. By utilizing high-speed optical sweeping and an optical filter based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), FTTM is accomplished, enabling the rough identification of multiple different signals. Next, based on the results from the previous step, more precise measurement results can be calculated from several additional sampling points according to the FTPM principle. The demonstration system can perform optical sweeping at a speed of 20 GHz/μs in the measurement range of 1–18 GHz, with a measurement error of less than 10 MHz and a frequency resolution of 40 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cross section was measured at center of mass (c.m.) energies from the threshold to 1908 MeV. The experiment to measure the cross section has been carried out at the VEPP-2000 collider in 13 energy points. The SND detector is used to detect the produced neutron–antineutrons () events. A special time measurement system on the calorimeter was used to select the time-delayed events. The measured cross section is 0.4–0.6 nb. The neutron effective timelike form factor in the energy range under study varies from 0.3 to 0.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro‐Raman mapping is an approach that is well suited to study the distribution of molecules over a surface of typically several cm2, such as the pigment distribution on a painting. During such an experiment, thousands Raman spectra are recorded in a predefined array of points. As there can be a huge difference in Raman sensitivity between different molecules, an alternative approach is proposed, where measurement times are adapted according to the quality of the Raman scatterer. Therefore, an iterative process is implemented, involving recording short accumulations, followed by a quick evaluation. As soon as the accumulated spectrum reaches a quality criterium, measurement of the next point is started, while in the other case further accumulations are added. The influence of using multiple accumulations opposite to a single measurement for a prolonged period has been assessed by comparing the overall measurement time and the spectral intensity of the main Raman band (520.5 cm−1) of silicon. Another prerequisite for this algorithm to be successful is the need for a quick and reliable evaluation of the spectral quality. This was examined by applying this function on the accumulations of Raman spectra of 49 paint samples from a colour chart. Finally, the variable‐accumulation algorithm is applied during a macro‐Raman mapping experiment of a watercolour painting on paper. Despite a significant gain in overall measuring time, this novel approach yields a qualitative data set that can be used for creating clear Raman maps, using different data processing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While numerous studies have explored psychological capital (PsyCap), there has been a limited endeavor to offer a comprehensive overview of PsyCap within the realm of hospitality and tourism. This study conducted a meta-analytical review, seeking to elucidate the direction and magnitude of effect sizes pertaining to the relationships between PsyCap, its antecedents and outcomes, while also considering the moderating effects of national culture, measurement and time lag. To test the proposed hypotheses, altogether, 68 empirical studies (21 antecedents and outcomes, total sample size N = 22,071) were collected and utilized. The results demonstrated that PsyCap had significant associations with antecedents such as leaderships and organizational context and outcomes including work attitudes, emotional labor, role conflicts and stressors, organizational contexts, performance, wellness and life satisfaction and intention to stay or leave. The findings also highlighted the moderating effects of national culture, measurement and time lag on the relationships between PsyCap and its outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis of PsyCap in the context of hospitality and tourism. In addition, the current research adds value by examining various moderators, which has not been done in previous review articles of PsyCap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habituation refers to the physiological adaptation to recurrent stressors, which can be measured by cortisol levels, and is considered a central mechanism in reducing allostatic load. Resilience, a potential factor influencing stress reduction, is the focus of this study. Specifically, the study aims to investigate the impact of resilience, as assessed by the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), on habituation. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used as the recurrent stressor, and it was administered to each of the 56 subjects at 4 consecutive measurements. To assess habituation, various physiological parameters including the area under the curve with respect to the ground (AUCg) and with respect to the increase (AUCi), cortisol peak, slope from baseline to peak, and recovery were calculated. Mixed linear models were employed to examine the differences in the influence of resilience on habituation across the different time points. The findings indicate that the influence of resilience significantly varies from the first to the fourth measurement time point for AUCg (p =.048), while no significant differences were observed for the other cortisol parameters. The effects plot suggests that individuals with higher levels of resilience exhibit lower AUCg values throughout the measurements. These findings provide initial evidence supporting resilience as a predictor of cortisol habituation. However, future studies should also consider dynamic resilience models, utilizing longitudinally assessed resilience as a predictor for habituation, to explore whether resilience acts as a determinant of habituation or if habituation itself constitutes a resilience mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proven that Data Envelopment Analysis is an efficient method to compare different decision making units with multiple inputs and outputs, but traditional Data Envelopment Analysis models suffers some difficulties: (a)- the inputs and outputs are not supposed to be given in terms of ratio. Thus, when the data are partially available, the decision maker will be unable to access missing data from the present data; (b) in measuring the efficiency of a set of decision making units for some periods, the conventional Data Envelopment Analysis based technique cannot handle the problem posed in a periodic form where the costs, profits and revenue efficiency of the main problems in the network structures are required. The contribution of this paper is four folded: (1) the cost, revenue and profit efficiency of each stages are calculated from the proposed method depends on the performance of the unit in both stages. (2) Our method evaluates the total cost, revenue and profit efficiency in a whole t (t = 1, . . ., T) time periods derived from all periodic and every stage efficiency, (3) The proposed method in this study yields the efficiency measures deals with ratio data, (4) To elucidate the details of the proposed method, the proposed multi-period DEA-R method was employed to measure the efficiency of ten units in three separate time periods. Numerical examples are also provided to explain the presented methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosing perioperative anaphylaxis (POA) is often challenging. Although a guideline recommends measuring tryptase rather than histamine, there is little evidence for this. We aimed to examine the diagnostic performance and appropriate timing of tryptase and histamine measurements for diagnosing anaphylaxis, and the association between Hypersensitivity Clinical Scoring Scheme (HCSS) scores and elevated biomarkers. We measured tryptase and histamine levels thrice: 30 min, 2 h, and at least 24 h after an anaphylactic event for patients with suspected anaphylaxis, and at the induction of general anesthesia and 30 min and 2 h after the start of surgery for control patients without a reaction. Absolute values and the magnitude and rate of change from baseline were evaluated. We determined the thresholds of tryptase and histamine levels with the best diagnostic performance and compared their performance. Forty-five patients with perioperative anaphylaxis were included in this study. The control group included 30 patients with uneventful general anesthesia and 12 patients with a suspected but unconfirmed diagnosis of perioperative anaphylaxis. Comparison at the same measurement timings showed that tryptase generally had better diagnostic performance than histamine. Both showed better diagnostic performance when assessed using multiple measurements rather than a single measurement. The best diagnostic performance was seen with the percentage change in the higher tryptase value, whether measured at 30 min or 2 h after anaphylaxis onset, as compared to baseline. However, neither tryptase nor histamine levels correlated with HCSS scores. Overall, tryptase showed better diagnostic performance than histamine. When multiple tryptase measurements are possible, parameters calculated using two acute phase measurements and the baseline level have better diagnostic performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws upon media agenda‐setting theory to investigate the relationship between negative media coverage around environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and the quality of integrated reporting (IR). In particular, we examine the top 100 South African listed companies in the 2013–2018 timeframe for 317 firm‐year observations. Our results reveal that IR quality is positively related to negative ESG media coverage. Thus, a company exposed to more media pressure issues higher‐quality IR consistent with its need to face scrutiny and potential reputational damage and to restore or maintain its legitimacy. Results are robust to different measures of negative ESG media coverage, controlling for ESG disclosures, and are confirmed by analyses aimed at addressing endogeneity (instrumental variable approach, firm‐fixed effects, and matched samples). Subsample analyses show that financial sector reputational concerns do not impact our results. Additional tests show no long‐term effects of negative media coverage on IR quality and that sustainability embeddedness alleviates a company's response to negative ESG news in terms of enhanced reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the state estimation problem based on non-fragile set-membership filtering for a class of measurement-saturated memristive neural networks (MNNs) with unknown but bounded (UBB) noises, mixed time delays and missing measurements (MMs), subject to cyber-attacks under the framework of weighted try-once-discard protocol (WTOD protocol). Considering bandwidth-limited open networks, this paper proposes an improved set-membership filtering based on WTOD protocol to partially solve the problem that multiple sensor-related problems and multiple network-induced phenomena influence the state estimation performance of MNNs. Moreover, this paper also discusses the gain perturbations of the estimator and proposes an improved non-fragile estimation framework based on set-membership filtering, which enhances the robustness of the estimation approach. The proposed estimation framework can effectively estimate the state of MNNs with UBB noises, estimator gain perturbations, mixed time-delays, cyber-attacks, measurement saturations and MMs. This paper first utilizes mathematical induction to provide the sufficient conditions for the existence of the desired estimator, and obtains the estimator gain by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities. Then, a recursive optimization algorithm is utilized to achieve optimal estimation performance. The effectiveness of the theoretical results is verified by comparative numerical simulation examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Recovery in sport. Background: The study aimed to evaluate the immediate effect of Heat-Compression-Therapy with Game Ready equipment (GR-HCT) on biomechanical properties at different treatment times. Reducing the duration of stimulation through HCT can help optimize recovery processes in sports. Methods: Twenty male MMA fighters (26.5 ± 4.5 years, BMI 24.75 ± 3.0, training experience: 10.3 ± 5.0 years) performed two experimental sessions: (a) 5 min heat-compression therapy (HCT) stimulation (GR-HCT-5); and (b) 10 min heat-compression therapy (GR-HCT-10). All registered parameters, tissue perfusion (PU), tissue temperature (°C), muscle tone (T-Hz) stiffness (S—N/m), elasticity (E—arb), pressure pain threshold (PPT—N/cm) and isometric muscle strength (Fmax—kgf), were measured at rest (r—2 min before GR-HCT stimulation) and 1 min after GR-HCT (p-post) for the flexor carpi radialis muscle (MFCR) and the brachioradialis muscle (MBR). Results: The Friedman's test for MBR revealed significant differences between GR-HCT5min vs. GR-HCT10min for PU (p < 0.0001), S (p = 0.008), and for MBR and MFCR for °C (p < 0.0001). The pairwise comparisons for PU, S, and °C showed significant differences between rest vs. post values for 5 min as well as between rest vs. post values for 10 min. Further, there was a significant interaction effect (5 min-10 min × Rest-Post p < 0.0001) for PU for MFCR. The post hoc comparison for the interaction effect showed significantly higher PU for post- compared to premeasurement in 5 min PU and 10 min PU (p < 0.001). Further, there was a significant main effect of condition for Fmax both for MFCR and MBR (5 min vs. 10 min p < 0.001); The post hoc comparison for the main effect of condition showed a significantly higher Fmax for post- compared to premeasurement in 5 min and 10 min (p < 0.001). Further, there was a significant main effect of condition for pressure pain threshold [N/cm] both for MFCR and MBR and for T for MBR time of measurement rest vs. post (p < 0.001; p = 0.006; p < 0.001, respectively). The post hoc comparison for the interaction effect showed a significantly lower PPT for post vs. rest in 5 min (p < 0.001 only for MFCR) and in 10 min (p < 0.001). The delta values for PU (post-rest) and ΔTemp °C showed significant differences between the 5 min and 10 min conditions (MFCR; p < 0.0001); (MBR p < 0.001) and (MFCR p < 0.0001); (MBR p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results show that GR-HCT significantly affects recovery of muscle biomechanical parameters, pain threshold, strength, tissue perfusion, and temperature. Our findings show that a 5 min effect can be sufficient when compared to a 10 min one which is a clue for designing effective recovery protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of West China Journal of Stomatology is the property of Sichuan University, West China College of Stomatology 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.)

Stakeholders increasingly expect to be engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas through dialogue; the joint creation of meaning between firms and stakeholders, or among stakeholders. Dominant conceptions of stakeholder dialogue in CSR prioritize firm interests, and uncertainty as to what constitutes stakeholder dialogue, and how it should be practiced, permeates theory and practice. What is (and is not) stakeholder dialogue and how does it generate positive impacts for business and society? To unpack this question, we systematically reviewed 374 scholarly outputs across the CSR and stakeholder dialogue literatures over a 30‐year timeframe. Operating at the intersection of these two literatures, we identify 'conceptualizations' of stakeholder dialogue in CSR as either integral (an intrinsic component of CSR) or incidental (a communicative response to CSR), as well as the 'contours' (i.e., boundaries) and 'contexts' of stakeholder dialogue in CSR. In doing so, we posit that the key to generating effective stakeholder dialogue for business and society lies not only in greater cohesion between CSR and stakeholder dialogue literatures, but in practicing dialogue that is ongoing, stakeholder (rather than firm) focused and avoids idealization. Herein, we stimulate a research agenda for scholars interested in communication and CSR at a time when the social and environmental demands placed on firms continue to escalate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission of high-order harmonics from solids under intense laser-pulse irradiation is revolutionizing our understanding of strong-field solid-light interactions, while simultaneously opening avenues towards novel, all-solid, coherent, short-wavelength table-top sources with tailored emission profiles and nanoscale light-field control. To date, broadband spectra in solids have been generated well into the extreme-ultraviolet (XUV), but the comparatively low conversion efficiency in the XUV range achieved under optimal conditions still lags behind gas-based high-harmonic generation (HHG) sources. Here, we demonstrate that two-color high-order harmonic wave mixing in a fused silica solid is more efficient than solid HHG driven by a single color. This finding has significant implications for compact XUV sources where gas-based HHG is not feasible, as solid XUV wave mixing surpasses solid-HHG in performance. Moreover, our results enable utilizing solid high-order harmonic wave mixing as a probe of structure or material dynamics of the generating solid, which will enable reducing measurement times compared to the less efficient regular solid HHG. The emission intensity scaling that follows perturbative optical wave mixing, combined with the angular separation of the emitted frequencies, makes our approach a decisive step for all-solid coherent XUV sources and for studying light-engineered materials. High-order harmonic generation in solids could develop into a compact, coherent, short-wavelength source. This study shows that two-colour noncollinear wave mixing in silica significantly enhances HHG efficiency over single-color methods, offering a novel pathway for advancing all-solid XUV sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Within the United Kingdom, the third sector has an important yet increasingly challenging role in providing employability support for people with complex barriers to work, as organisations face an ever‐tighter and more uncertain funding landscape. Whilst the obstacles posed by short‐term funding are raised in numerous publications from third sector professional and campaigning organisations, academic contributions on the effects of short‐term funding for the third sector remain scarce. This article presents a qualitative analysis of the impacts of short‐term programme funding on a third sector employability project in the North of England, as it navigated the post‐Brexit transition from European grants to regionally allocated shorter‐term funding under the first tranche of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with frontline employability keyworkers, the article illuminates the multiple detrimental effects on project delivery, keyworker practices and client experience brought about by a reduction in funding timeframe and associated future uncertainties. Alongside practical implications, the study offers novel insights into the emotional impacts of short‐termism on those delivering at the frontline, which we interpret via the theoretical lens of ‘moral distress’. Findings also reveal a risk that, under tighter operating timescales, third sector organisations may feel increasingly pushed towards the selective recruitment of participants who are easier to help, potentially undermining their deeply held commitment to supporting those furthest from the labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compressive sensing (CS) has been widely used to sense the wideband spectrum with fewer measurements by taking advantage of radio spectrum underutilization. As new smart devices, such as IoT devices, smart home devices, and wearables, use batteries and have limited memory, more research is needed to reduce the overuse of cognitive radio (CR) resources through spectrum sensing. To reduce the number of compressive measurements required for spectrum recovery, researchers proposed approaches like weighted and sequential compressive sensing. In this paper, we estimate the primary user's (PU) behavior statistics and use the estimated information in a novel weighted sequential compressive spectrum sensing approach. Our proposed approach can reduce and adapt the number of measurements and the sensing time to the changing number of active channels in a dynamically changing wideband spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigate the application of phase-shifting digital holography for the real-time characterization of electromagnetic sources in the THz frequency range. We use an off-the-shelf terahertz detector array composed of 64 × 64 power-sensitive pixels, over an area of 96 mm × 96 mm , to record intensity interferograms cast between the coherent radiation emitted from a reference source and an unknown antenna under test. This approach parallelizes the acquisition process with respect to conventional near-field point scanning methods, reducing the measurement time by orders of magnitude. In our system, the measurement time is limited only by the refresh rate of the detector array and the speed of a delay line stage that is used to phase-shift the reference wave. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, we map the 2D near-field distribution and estimate the far-field radiation pattern emitted by a plano-convex PTFE spherical lens antenna illuminated by a diagonal horn at 290 GHz frequency with ∼ 1 Hz refresh rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging from the modeling of intricate structures formed by bacterial motion in nutrient-deficient environments, the doubly degenerate nutrient taxis system ut = ∇⋅ (uv∇u) −∇⋅ (u2v∇v) + u − u2, vt = Δv − uv is considered in smoothly bounded domains Ω ⊂ ℝ2. In contrast to frameworks devoid of logistic growth where only small-data global solutions have so far been found in the literature, quadratic degradation in the logistic growth is shown to markedly amplify the overall dissipative effects to the extent that, for arbitrary smooth initial data, an associated no-flux type initial-boundary problem possesses global continuous weak solutions. Central to our findings is the identification of an advantageous dissipative structure subtly embedded in the system, the exploitation of which leads to the establishment of a positive lower bound for nutrients levels within any finite time interval, thereby ruling out the appearance of cross-degeneracies within such timeframes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal respiratory rates (RR) for children under five in the tropics are well-documented, but data for older children are limited. This study tracked RR changes with age and examined associations with nutritional status and environmental factors. We monitored rural Gambian children aged 6 months to 14 years, recording RR during home visits twice weekly over two rainy seasons. Using a generalized additive model, we constructed RR reference curves, and a linear mixed-effect model identified factors influencing RR. A total of 830 children provided 67,512 RR measurements. Their median age was 6.07 years (interquartile range 4.21–8.55) and 400 (48.2%) were female. Age, stunting, ambient temperature, and time of RR measurement were independent predictors of respiratory rate. Strikingly, children showing signs of illness had greater variability in repeat RR measurements. We constructed a RR reference chart for children aged one to 13 years and proposed a cutoff of > 26 breaths/min for raised RR among children aged > 5 years bridging an important gap in this age group. Although the time of data collection, nutritional status, and ambient temperature were predictors of RR, their effect size is not clinically significant enough to warrant a change in the current WHO guidelines owing to the prevailing uncertainty in the measurement of RR. The finding that RRs between repeat measurements were more variable among children with signs of illness suggests that a single RR measurement may be inadequate to reliably assess the status of sick children—a population in which accurate diagnosis is essential to enable targeted interventions with lifesaving treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Technisches Messen is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

Purpose To assess the reliability and accuracy of an automated Cobb angle measurement (ACAM) using a convolutional neural network (CNN) for scoliosis evaluation and to compare measurement times. Materials and Methods ACAM was applied to spine radiographs in 411 patients suspected of scoliosis. Observer 1 (consensus of two musculoskeletal radiologists) and observer 2 (a radiology resident) measured Cobb angle (CA). CA measurements were categorized using observer 1's measurements as the reference standard. Inter-observer reliability and correlation were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, respectively. Accuracy and measurement time of ACAM and observers were evaluated. Results ACAM demonstrated excellent reliability and very high correlation with observer 1 (ICC = 0.976, Spearman's rank correlation = 0.948), with a mean CA difference of 1.1. Overall accuracy was high (88.2%), particularly in mild (92.2%) and moderate (96%) scoliosis. Accuracy was lower in spinal asymmetry (77.1%) and higher in severe scoliosis (95%), although the CA was lower compared to the observers. ACAM significantly reduced measurement time by nearly half compared to the observers (p < 0.001). Conclusion ACAM using CNN enhances CA measurement for assessing mild or moderate scoliosis, despite limitations in spinal asymmetry or severe scoliosis. Nonetheless, it substantially decreases measurement time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within a Māori cultural context, the manifestation of mauri instilled in all living things, both animate and inanimate gives life. Previous research suggests Māori can experience somatic exchanges of energy such as mauri from both other people, as well as within the natural environment. Accordingly, Mauri Hono: A Mauri Sensory Methodology provides a foundation to understanding knowledge by tuning into our senses and using mauri states to help elicit meaning about ourselves and our relationships with natural environments when immersed in those environments. In this study, four key phases of the methodology are detailed; Rongo, Mōhio, Mārama and Mātau and applied to a case study which sought to understand how Māori draw meaning from their experience of being immersed in a natural environment. Ten participants undertook a hīkoi (walk) within a national forest park of regenerating, native, bush. Findings revealed the importance of tuning into one's senses and having the time and space to interpret different experiences. Furthermore, Mauri Hono, as a Māori methodology is predicated on the belief that experiential knowledge aids in providing a more complete understanding of phenomena than theoretical knowledge alone. It further highlights that whilst knowledge can come into fruition within the timeframe of the project, there is opportunity for insights to arise afterwards, comprising various layers of knowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have demonstrated the superior efficacy of bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafts compared to other graft methods in treating coronary artery disease. Competitive flow (CF) is a primary factor contributing to graft failure in the long term. For the first time, the CF of the BITA-Y graft has undergone rigorous numerical analysis. Through the application of transit time flow measurement (TTFM) and hemodynamic parameters, this study provides a new perspective on graft performance. Simulation results indicate that average flow, TTFM, and hemodynamic parameters fall within the critical range for stenosis severities below 90%. Specifically, at 80% stenosis, the mean graft flow (MGF) and pulsatility index (PI) of the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) were 0.071 cc/s and 27, respectively, while those of the right internal thoracic artery (RITA) were 0.211 cc/s and 11. With increasing stenosis severity, TTFM parameters remained within the clinical permissible limit (MGF > 0.34 cc/s and PI < 5). At 95% stenosis severity, the MGF and PI for LITA were 0.526 cc/s and 1.2, respectively, while those for RITA were 0.790 cc/s and 0.9. The results indicate the presence of competitive flow within the BITA-Y graft for stenosis severities below 90% area reduction, suggesting a potential risk of graft failure in the long term. Additionally, the results indicated that when there are significant differences in stenosis severity between the two native arteries, the BITA-Y graft is not optimal due to CF, characterized by low MGF and high reverse flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of mixing time in a water model of soft-stirring steelmaking ladles is practically facing a problem of bad repeatability. This uncertainty severely affects both the understandings of transport phenomenon in ladles and the measurement accuracy. Scaled down by a ratio of 1:4, a water model based on an industrial 260-ton ladle is used. This paper studies the transport process paths and mixing time of salt solution tracers in the water model of eccentric gas-stirred ladles with a low gas flow rate. After a large number of repeated experiments, the different transport paths of the tracer and the error of the mixing time in each transport path are discussed and compared with the numerical simulation results. The results of a large number of repeated experiments on the water model show that there are five transport paths for the tracer in the ladle. The tracer of the first path is mainly transported by the left-side main circulation flow, which is identical to the numerical simulation results. The tracer of the second and third paths are also mainly transported by the left-side circulation flow, but bifurcations occur when the tracer in the middle area is transported downward. In the third path, the portion and intensity of the tracer transferring to the right side from the central region is higher than in the second path. The fourth path is that the tracer is transported downward from the left, middle, and right sides with a similar intensity at the same time. While the tracer in the fifth path is mainly transported on the right side, and the tracer forms a clockwise circulation flow on the right side. The mixing times from the first transport path to the fifth transport path are 158.3 s, 149.7 s, 171.7 s, 134 s and 95.7 s, respectively, among which the third transport path and the fifth transport path are the maximum and minimum values among all transport paths. The error between the mixing time and the averaged mixing time at each monitoring point in the five transport paths of the tracer is between −34.7% and 40.9%. Furthermore, the error of the averaged mixing time of each path and the path-based average value is between 5.5% and 32.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the clinical application of the parallel external fixator, medical practitioners are required to quantify deformity parameters to develop corrective strategies. However, manual measurement of deformity angles is a complex and time‐consuming process that is susceptible to subjective factors, resulting in nonreproducible results. Accordingly, this study proposes an automatic measurement method based on deep learning, comprising three stages: tibial segment localization, tibial contour point detection, and deformity angle calculation. First, the Faster R‐CNN object detection model, combined with ResNet50 and FPN as the backbone, was employed to achieve accurate localization of tibial segments under both occluded and nonoccluded conditions. Subsequently, a relative position constraint loss function was added, and ResNet101 was used as the backbone, resulting in an improved RTMPose keypoint detection model that achieved precise detection of tibial contour points. Ultimately, the bone axes of each tibial segment were determined based on the coordinates of the contour points, and the deformity angles were calculated. The enhanced keypoint detection model, Con_RTMPose, elevated the Percentage of Correct Keypoints (PCK) from 63.94% of the initial model to 87.17%, markedly augmenting keypoint localization precision. Compared to manual measurements conducted by medical professionals, the proposed methodology demonstrates an average error of 0.52°, a maximum error of 1.15°, and a standard deviation of 0.07, thereby satisfying the requisite accuracy standards for orthopedic assessments. The measurement time is approximately 12 s, whereas manual measurement requires about 15 min, greatly reducing the time required. Additionally, the stability of the models was verified through K‐fold cross‐validation experiments. The proposed method meets the accuracy requirements for orthopedic applications, provides objective and reproducible results, significantly reduces the workload of medical professionals, and greatly improves efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common methods for the determination of setting times of cements are the various penetration tests. One of the most important of these is the Vicat method, which is the current standard measurement (EN 196-3) to determine the setting time of cement. However, there are alternative methods that can be used to monitor the setting process and eliminate several issues that arise from the Vicat method, such as intermittent measurement, measurability of cement pastes of non-standard consistency, testing mortars and concretes. One such method is semi-adiabatic calorimetry (SAC), which can be an alternative to penetration tests in appropriate circumstances. In this study, determination of setting times of two sources of CEM I 42.5 N cement was observed, using semi-adiabatic calorimetry at different (0.25; 0.27; 0.29; and, 0.31) water to cement ratios (w/c). During our measurements, we observed that the ratio between the setting time of a given source of cement and the time it took to reach the maximum rate of heat development was almost constant for the same cement and w/c ratio, which enables a simple and inexpensive routine measurement of setting times of Portland cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the findings of a systematic literature review focusing on the impact of interferences in host materials on Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) measurement, and the development of a validated method of calibration for RCS instrumentation for in-field use. The impact of interferences in host materials on RCS measurement has been shown to be critical information required for in-field use of portable RCS devices. Portable RCS instruments such as FTIR and XRD have been established to have good sensitivity for measurement but relatively low specificity due to interference in host materials. It has been shown that correction factors are needed to be applied to account for known interferences, especially when calibrating portable RCS instrumentation in-field. The potential to obtain reliable and repeatable results from RCS analysis instrumentation has also been demonstrated. There was significant evidence that interference materials could be present in host materials, and they influence RCS measurement. There is the potential and possibility of using portable RCS instrument for in-field measurement however the challenge is the calibration of such instrumentation in the field to account for changing host materials and thus potential interferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern data are often collected in a matrix form. In this paper, we consider modelling the varying coefficient regression with matrix valued covariate X and scalar index variable U. The proposed model simultaneously makes principal component analysis for both the row and column dimensions of the matrix objects, maintaining the matrix structure while achieving substantial dimension reduction. We develop an iterative estimation method for the involved principal parameters and nonparametric functions. Under regularity conditions, the asymptotic distributions of the estimators are derived. In addition, by incorporating the estimation with the adaptive group Lasso and the group SCAD penalties, variables of X in entire rows or columns are selected. The proximal gradient algorithm is further utilised to solve the regularised optimisation problems. The asymptotic properties of the penalised estimators are also studied. Our model and estimation methods are demonstrated by simulated experiments. Real applications to the primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) data reveal that the effects of the blood measurements to the survival time vary with levels of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short empirically-supported scales or individual items are preferred in comprehensive surveys, brief screeners, and experience sampling studies. To that end, we examined the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS) to evaluate empirical support for the interchangeability of items to measure perfectionistic strivings (Standards) and perfectionistic concerns (Discrepancy). Based on a large and diverse sample (N = 1,103) and tests of tau-equivalence (equal factor loadings) for each respective set of items, Study 1 advanced a subset of SAPS items to measure Standards (2 items) and Discrepancy (3 items). Cross-sectional gender and race/ethnicity invariance were supported, and in structural equations analyses, the SAPS5 factors were significantly associated with depression, state anxiety, life satisfaction, and gratitude. Study 2 cross-validated Study 1 measurement and structural findings with a new U.S. sample (N = 803). The three items representing the Discrepancy (perfectionistic concerns) factor also were supported in a cross-national comparison between the U.S. sample and a scale development sample in New Zealand (N = 3,921). For the most part, across both studies and all analyses, the three Discrepancy items were empirically interchangeable indicators of perfectionistic concerns and comparably strong predictors of psychological outcomes, supporting their use in studies or other contexts with space or time restrictions for measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectively using a Cutometer equipment. Patients and Methods: Patients received 26 Gy to the whole breast and 30 Gy to the tumoral bed in 5 fractions using an automated hybrid-VMAT approach with the option for the breath hold technique if necessary. Acute and late toxicities were clinically evaluated at baseline, 1- and 6-months after treatment using the CTC-AE v.5.0 scale. An instrumental evaluation of the skin elasticity was performed using a Cutometer® Dual MP580. Two parameters per patient, R0 (the total skin firmness) and Q1 (the elastic recovery), were registered at the different timelines. Results: From June 2022 to January 2024, 30 patients, stage T1-T2, N0 were enrolled in the study. Four out of 30 (13.3%) patients reported G2 acute skin toxicities. At 6 months, G2 late toxicity was registered in 3 patients (10%). A total of 2160 measures of R0 and Q1 were recorded. At 1 month after treatment, no correlation was found between measured values of R0 and Q1 and clinical evaluation. At 6 months after treatment, clinical late toxicity ≥ 1 was strongly associated with decreased R0 and Q1 values ≥ 24% (p = 0.003) and ≥ 18% (p = 0.022), respectively. Conclusion: Ultra-hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy, when supported by advanced treatment techniques, is both feasible and safe. No severe adverse effects were observed at any of the different timeframes. Acute and late skin toxicities were shown to be lower in contrast to data presented in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The rig state plays a crucial role in recognizing the operations carried out by the drilling crew and quantifying Invisible Lost Time (ILT). This lost time, often challenging to assess and report manually in daily reports, results in delays to the scheduled timeline. In this paper, the Naive Bayes algorithm was used to establish a novel rig state. Training data, consisting of a large set of rules, was generated based on drilling experts' recommendations. This dataset was then employed to build a Naive Bayes classifier capable of emulating the cognitive processes of skilled drilling engineers and accurately recognizing the actual drilling operation from surface data. The developed model was used to process high-frequency drilling data collected from three wells, aiming to derive the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to each drilling crew's efficiency and quantify the ILT during the drilling connections. The obtained results revealed that the established rig state excelled in automatically recognizing drilling operations, achieving a high success rate of 99.747%. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for drillers and rig supervisors, enabling real-time visual assessment of efficiency and prompt intervention to reduce ILT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the design of a calibration device for measuring the residual torque of the vehicle brake. It informs about the problems and purpose of the brakes, requirements placed on the brake system, and the design of vehicle brake systems. The practical part of the research contains the design of four versions of the calibration device and the 3D model of the proposed calibration device. There is also a new calibration methodology and calculation of the theoretical fault of the calibration device. An analysis and comparison of the original and new torque sensor calibration methods are presented at the end of this paper. By comparing the original and new calibration methods, it was revealed that the deviations from the required torque value compared to the original calibration version decreased from an average value of 0.154 Nm to 0.0047 Nm, and the variance of the measured values decreased on average from 0.00276 Nm to 2.07 × 10−6 Nm. The proposed new torque sensor calibration method has shown a positive contribution to the accuracy of torque sensor calibration, which as a result will significantly increase the reliability and accuracy of measuring the residual torque of automobile brakes and shorten the measurement time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wi-Fi round-trip time (RTT) ranging has proven successful in indoor localization. Here, it is shown to be useful outdoors as well—and more accurate than smartphone code-based GNSS when used near buildings with Wi-Fi access points (APs). A Bayesian grid with observation and transition models is used to update a probability distribution of the position of the user equipment (UE). The expected value (or the mode) of this probability distribution provides an estimate of the UE location. Localization of the UE using RTT ranging depends on knowing the locations of the Wi-Fi APs. Determining these positions from floor plans can be time-consuming, particularly when the APs may not be accessible (as is often the case in order to prevent unauthorized access to the network). An alternative is to invert the Bayesian grid method for locating the UE—which uses distance measurements from the UE to several APs with known position. In the inverted method we instead locate the AP using distance measurements from several known positions of the UE. In localization using RTT, at any given time, a decision has to be made as to which APs to range to, given that there is a cost associated with each "range probe" and that some APs may not respond. This can be problematic when the APs are not uniformly distributed. Without a suitable ranging strategy, one can enter a dead-end state where there is no response from any of the APs currently being ranged to. This is a particular concern when there are local clusters of APs that may "capture" the attention of the RTT app. To avoid this, a strategy is developed here that takes into account distance, signal strength, time since last "seen", and the distribution of the directions to APs from the UE—plus a random contribution. We demonstrate the method in a situation where there are no line-of-sight (LOS) connections and where the APs are inaccessible. The localization accuracy achieved exceeds that of the smartphone code-based GNSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted protein degraders (TPDs), an emerging therapeutic modality, are attracting considerable interest with the promise to address disease‐related proteins that are not druggable with conventional small molecule inhibitors. Despite their novel mechanism of action, the PK/PD relationship of degraders is still approached with a mindset deeply rooted in inhibitor drugs. Here, we establish how predictive mechanistic modeling specifically tailored to TPDs can significantly enhance the value of the available information during lead generation and optimization. By integrating the results from in vitro assays with routinely collected PK data, modeling accurately predicts degradation in vivo. These predictions transform the prioritization of compounds for in vivo studies as well as the selection of optimal dose schedules and most informative measurement time points with the least number of animals. Moreover, the comprehensive modeling framework (1) identifies the PK/PD driver of targeted protein degradation and subsequent downstream pharmacodynamic effects, and (2) uncovers the fundamental difference between degrader and inhibitor PK/PD relationships. The practical utility of our predictive modeling is demonstrated with relevant use cases. This framework will allow researchers to transition from current, mostly serendipity‐based approaches to more sound model‐informed decision making. Going forward, the presented predictive PK/PD modeling framework lays out a rational path to incorporate inter‐species differences in the pharmacology and thus promises to help with getting the dose right in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of traditional Chinese theatres is closely related to the development of traditional Chinese opera. The acoustic quality of the theatre plays a crucial role in the performance effect of Chinese opera. As one of the five major traditional Chinese opera genres, Yue opera has a significant number of existing traditional theatres in the Shaoxing area. This study conducted on-site measurements of the reverberation time in traditional courtyard Yue opera theatres. The results indicate that the mid-frequency EDT values in the main viewing areas range from 0.6 to 0.7 s, and T 30 is around 0.7 s. Furthermore, aiming to investigate the optimal reverberation time for Yue opera performance spaces and the factors influencing preferences, subjective experiments using auralization technology and a paired comparison method were conducted. The results show that the optimal reverberation time for Yue opera performance spaces is around 0.8 s. There was no difference in the optimal reverberation time between the ordinary group and the experienced group, but the ordinary group tended to show a higher preference for shorter reverberation times. Compared to singing clips, recitation clips obtained higher preference scores for short reverberation times, indicating that audiences require higher clarity when listening to recitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decline of Senegalia senegal (Acacia senegal) in its natural range has been observed and attributed mainly to harsh environmental conditions such as frequent drought occurrences. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of water stress on growth, biomass allocation and photosynthetic capacity in Senegalia senegal seedlings. Seeds were collected from seven provenances in Senegal and grown under greenhouse conditions in a randomized complete block design with 5 replications. Seedlings were subjected to three cyclic droughts by watering them when average soil moisture content dropped to 4.7%, 2.7%, and 2.1% during the first, second, and third dry down cycles, respectively. With the exception of net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration at the second and third dry down cycles, no drought by provenance interaction was found for any trait measured. Ngane provenance had a lower root/shoot ratio and allometric analysis revealed that Ngane allocated less biomass to roots than shoots. Ngane developed superior growth traits and biomass production, despite similar net photosynthetic rate with other provenances before treatments started. Overall, drought stress significantly reduced biomass, stem height, diameter and leaf gas exchange. Total biomass was reduced by 28.5%, whereas root/shoot ratio was increased by 25% compared to control. Significant interaction on leaf gas exchanges at the second and third dry down cycles reveals different sensitivity levels to drought among provenances with the Ranerou provenance exhibiting no decline in leaf gas exchange. No significant difference of stomatal limitation among genotypes was found, which is indicative of the complex process of photosynthesis and the need for extended times scales for measurements to better depict physiological sensitivity of Senegalia senegal to drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesDesignMethodResultsConclusionsThis study explored whether several subgroups of athletes representing distinct trajectories of intensity and direction of pleasant and unpleasant emotions (anger, anxiety, dejection, excitement, and happiness) could be shown to exist within the latent growth analysis (LCGA). A secondary objective was to examine whether athletes belonging to distinct trajectories of intensity and direction of emotions reported distinct scores of adaptive defense mechanisms (ADM) and maladaptive defense mechanisms (MDM).A longitudinal four-wave measurement design was used in the present study.380 athletes completed the sports emotion questionnaire direction across four measurement times and the defense style questionnaire at the beginning of the season.Results of LCGAs revealed several distinct emotional trajectories for each emotion intensity and emotion direction. Moreover, athletes belonging to distinct (adaptive or maladaptive) trajectories reported significantly different scores of ADM and MDM. Higher scores of ADM were reported by athletes belonging to adaptive trajectories of the direction of emotions.Sports psychologists should try to promote ADM and defensive flexibility to help athletes perceive their emotions as facilitative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo‐charging of semiconductors stores electrons for decoupled solar utilization, overcoming intermittent sunlight availability. However, the sluggish photo‐charging process impedes responsive charge storage. Herein, a bipolar charge storage junction is demonstrated to expedite the photo‐charging process within a renowned ionic‐CN/Co3O4 configuration, benefiting from their mismatched photo‐charging kinetics. Rapid photo‐hole storage associated with structural evolution at geometrically dependent Co sites in Co3O4 improves sluggish electron storage for ionic‐CN, while slow recovery of altered [CoO4] and [CoO6] structures delayed electron‐hole recombination. By passivating individual atomic sites, rapid hole storage is attributed to synergistic contributions of tetrahedral Co2⁺ and octahedral Co3⁺ species. The bipolar charge storage junction is photo‐charged at 0.86 A g−1, rivaling the electrical charging rate in ion batteries. With 60 s photo‐charging, the junction yields 0.27 mmol g−1 of “dark” hydrogen, the benchmark for such a short photo‐charging timeframe. This proof‐of‐concept design empowers the fast photo‐charging ability of bipolar charge storage junctions, advancing responsive photo‐charge storage for decoupled solar utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper offers a small slice of ‘autosociobiography’: autobiographical reflections which situate these impressions in a wider social context (Ernaux, 2022, Jaquet, 2023, Twellman & Lammers, 2023). These particular autosociobiographical reflections are about my experiences of university, and how they have offered both positive and sometimes more problematic forms of community. The first part of the article pursues this by considering the social contexts of my routes taken to university, narratives of social mobility, and the forces shaping higher education over that timeframe in the UK, in that particular geographical and social conjuncture. The second part of the article shifts its attention to the present day and considers the forms of ‘carewashing’ pushed by the contemporary university in the increasingly uncaring, and difficult, UK context of marketized higher education. It ends by considering the ‘micro’ and ‘meso’ forms of community and care which are today often used to attempt to cope with and survive such contexts, as well as the ‘macro’ changes discussed throughout the article that are urgently needed to redress such ‘structural carelessness’. In the process, through these combined lenses, the article aims to consider relationships between care, community and ‘the university’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study explores the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for estimating wheat biomass, focusing on the impact of phenotyping and analytical protocols in the context of late-stage variety selection programs. It emphasizes the importance of variable selection, model specificity, and sampling location within the experimental plot in predicting biomass, aiming to refine UAV-based estimation techniques for enhanced selection accuracy and throughput in variety testing programs. Results: The research uncovered that integrating geometric and spectral traits led to an increase in prediction accuracy, whilst a recursive feature elimination (RFE) based variable selection workflowled to slight reductions in accuracy with the benefit of increased interpretability. Models, tailored to specific experiments were more accurate than those modelling all experiments together, while models trained for broad-growth stages did not significantly increase accuracy. The comparison between a permanent and a precise region of interest (ROI) within the plot showed negligible differences in biomass prediction accuracy, indicating the robustness of the approach across different sampling locations within the plot. Significant differences in the within-season repeatability (w2) of biomass predictions across different experiments highlighted the need for further investigation into the optimal timing of measurement for prediction. Conclusions: The study highlights the promising potential of UAV technology in biomass prediction for wheat at a small plot scale. It suggests that the accuracy of biomass predictions can be significantly improved through optimizing analytical and modelling protocols (i.e., variable selection, algorithm selection, stage-specific model development). Future work should focus on exploring the applicability of these findings under a wider variety of conditions and from a more diverse set of genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This study developed algorithms to enhance the data write performance for exceptionally high sampling rate measurements, such as acoustic emission measurements, using conventional hard disk drives. This study aimed to enhance the data write performance in measurements with exceptionally high sampling rates, such as acoustic emission measurements. This is particularly crucial when employing conventional hard disk drives to store data. This study introduced algorithms for handling binary formats, thereby reducing the data file size, increasing write rates, and ultimately shortening data write times during measurements. The suggested approaches included utilizing specialized binary formats and implementing self-created buffers. These approaches resulted in a remarkable write time reduction of up to 40×. Furthermore, employing multiple drives for writing significantly enhanced performance compared with that of using a single drive. Therefore, the proposed algorithms offer promising results for managing large amounts of data in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A voltammetric method for determining itopride hydrochloride (ITP) based on titration of the analyte with a solution of photogenerated iodine obtained by irradiation of an auxiliary solution containing potassium iodide and a mixture of sensitizers (nsodium eosinate:nuranine = 1:1) at pH 5.68 was developed. Stabilization of the current in the amperometric unit circuit indicated the reaction of the titrant with ITP was complete and provided control of the ITP content in the preparation by the change in the current strength because the iodine content in the solution was controlled by a voltammetric method. Further irradiation of the solution and measurement of the generation time required to replenish the lost titrant also allowed regulation of the ITP content in the preparation. The dependence of the analytical signal on the ITP concentration was linear in the range 8.0 – 40.0 mg. The calculated limits of detection (LD) and quantification (LQ) were 33.0 and 11.0 mg by varying the current and generation time, respectively. The developed method met requirements given in the manual on validation of bioanalytical methods, was easy to use, and did not require expensive equipment and reagents. Therefore, it could be recommended for routine control of drug quality parameters in any analytical laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we consider historical geomagnetic satellite data obtained during a strong magnetic storm on March 8−9, 1970. In addition to the data of the Soviet satellite Kosmos-321, data from the American satellite OGO-6, which performed geomagnetic measurements at the same time, were used. We analyzed time variations of external magnetic fields recorded in satellite and ground-based observations of the magnetic field. The research also gave impetus to the creation of the improved software implementation of the auroral oval model APM, which enables reconstruction of its position and precipitation intensity in both the past and near real time. The magnetic variations originating in the near-Earth space from various sources were identified. In particular, we revealed the signatures of the storm-time ring current and equatorial and auroral electrojects. The paper highlights the enduring value of historical data of magnetic field observations stored in data centers and continuously digitized by their staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient calculation tool for rigorously optimizing the instrument parameters of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) is demonstrated in this work. Optimization of MALDI‐TOF MS has been an experience‐based, time‐consuming process without a rigorous theoretical principle. Based on the comprehensive calculation model reported previously, we developed a software tool, MAXTOF, to rapidly determine instrument parameters providing ultimate mass resolving power (MRP). The software conducts big data analysis of most instrument parameters to predict the MRP, including instrument dimensions, voltages, mass‐to‐charge ratio of ions, and ion extraction delay. It can complete the calculation in seconds, providing parameters that serve as the starting point for subsequent optimization that greatly accelerates the optimization process. Experimental validation using a commercial instrument demonstrates MAXTOF's efficacy in predicting optimal parameters and enhancing MRP. The predicted ion extraction delays for bradykinin fragment, P14R polypeptide, and insulin chain B ions were within 5% of the values observed through long‐term optimization. The observed MRP of those ions ranged from 2800 to 4500. Results show that the method and software are highly advantageous for fast and precise measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To review the baseline and clinical characteristics of patients referred to a New Zealand Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) service across a 4-year timeframe. Method: We compared two cohorts, and identified variables associated with being accepted or declined, and reasons for decline, by an EPI service between 2013 and 2017. Results: There were 576 people with suspected psychosis referred to the EPI service for assessment: 300 (52%) were accepted, 221 (38%) declined and 55 (10%) were not processed. Reasons for being declined by EPI services were a long duration of psychosis (DUP, 48%) and no evidence of psychosis (47%). There were no significant differences between the accepted and declined group in Emergency Department presentations for self-harm or suicide attempts and acute admissions to a psychiatric inpatient unit over the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusion: To optimise the identification of true positive cases, EPI services require clear entry criteria. Replicating this study in other EPI services with different entry criteria may provide evidence to develop a more uniform screening process. Improved outcomes may be enhanced by measuring effectiveness and liaising with other EPI services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]