Structural health monitoring (SHM) is critical for ensuring the safety of infrastructures like bridges. This article presents a digital twin solution for SHM of railway bridges using low-cost wireless accelerometers and Machine Learning (ML). The system architecture combines edge on-premises computing and cloud analytics to enable efficient real-time monitoring and complete storage of relevant time-history datasets. After train crossings, accelerometers stream raw vibration data, which is processed in the frequency domain and analyzed via machine learning to detect anomalies indicating potential structural issues. The digital twin approach is demonstrated on an in-service railway bridge, where vibration data was collected over two years under normal operating conditions. By learning allowable ranges for vibration patterns, the digital twin model identifies abnormal spectral peaks, suggesting changes in structural integrity. The long-term pilot proves that this affordable SHM system can provide automated and real-time warning of bridge damage and also supports the use of in-house designed sensors of lower-cost and edge computing capabilities than those used in the demonstration. The successful on-premises-cloud hybrid implementation provides a cost effective and scalable model for expanding monitoring to thousands of railway bridges, democratizing SHM to improve safety by avoiding catastrophic failures.

Marked changes in temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) content, and nutrient content typically occur in marine thermoclines, which are key factors that affect the corrosion of metals. Offshore platforms have required marine metals to be exposed to deep-sea environments and have thus increased their penetration into the marine thermocline. This study investigates the galvanic corrosion of E690 steel in a marine thermocline using a simulated marine thermocline (SMT). Specifically, the corrosion of E690 steel was analyzed using the wire beam electrode (WBE) technique, linear polarization (LP), corrosion morphology, and weight loss measurement. Results indicated that the SMT had a stable multilayer structure, and the variations of temperature, DO, pH and nutrient concentration in the SMT were similar to those in the natural marine thermocline. Galvanic corrosion occurred after the intrusion of E690 steel into the marine thermocline. The driver of galvanic corrosion was the of E690 steel at various depths of the marine thermocline. The Ecorr of E690 steel was influenced by the temperature, pH and DO of seawater, and the order was DO >> T > pH. The continuous reduction of Ecorr with depth contributed to the large-scale galvanic corrosion, and the oscillation variation of Ecorr with depth was the reason for small-scale galvanic corrosion. The primary anodic regions of galvanic corrosion were located in the area with the fastest temperature variation in the thermocline. The proportion of galvanic corrosion in the average corrosion rate could increase up to approximately 80% in the stable anodic region. There were many deep corrosion pits in the long-term and stable anodic region of galvanic corrosion.

Low-cost monitors have made possible for the first time measurements of long-term (months to years) potential indoor exposures to fine particles. Indoor and outdoor measurements made over nearly 5 years (2017-2021) by the largest network of low-cost monitors in the United States (PurpleAir) are compared to the prevalence of adult smokers in 1650 Zip codes within the three West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The results show that mean indoor exposures above the 75th percentile of adult smoking prevalence are more than 50% higher than those below the 25th percentile. Mean outdoor concentrations are also elevated, but by a smaller amount (20%). Both comparisons are significant at the p<0.001 level. The elevation of the PM2.5 concentrations with increasing smoking prevalence is evidence of environmental disparities in income, education, and other socioeconomic indices..

Recent advancements have revolutionized interplanetary spacecraft missions by combining low-thrust propulsion systems with planetary Gravity-Assist (GA) maneuvers. This study investigates/improved a novel dual-step efficient-robust homotopy algorithm, grounded in indirect optimal control principles, to analyze fuel-optimal bang-bang control problems. The methodology integrates efficient techniques, including the homotopic method, compatible normalization, and improved switching function detection, aimed at enhancing optimal convergence in solving low-thrust gravity-assist spacecraft missions. To illustrate practical application, an Earth-to-Jupiter interplanetary scenario utilizing Mars-GA is examined. Results demonstrate the algorithm's superior efficacy in achieving fuel efficiency, robust convergence, and remarkable accuracy compared to existing solutions.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a lifelong pathogen characterized by asymptomatic latent infection in the trigeminal ganglia (TG) with periodic outbreaks of cold sores caused by virus reactivation in the TG and subsequent replication in the oral mucosa. While antiviral therapies can provide relief from cold sores, they are unable to eliminate HSV-1. We provide experimental results that highlight non-thermal plasma (NTP) as a new alternative therapy for HSV-1 infection that would resolve cold sores faster and reduce the establishment of latent infection in the TG. Additionally, this study is the first to explore the use of NTP as a therapy that can both treat and prevent human viral infections. We investigated the antiviral effect of NTP using an in vitro model for HSV-1 cold sores, involving the application of NTP from two separate devices to cell-free HSV-1, HSV-1-infected cells, and uninfected cells. We found NTP reduced the infectivity of cell-free HSV-1, reduced viral replication in HSV-1-infected cells, and diminished the susceptibility of uninfected cells to HSV-1 infection. This triad of antiviral mechanisms of action suggest the potential of NTP as a therapeutic agent effective against HSV-1 infection.

Clinical work conducted over the last seventeen years at the EEG Institute in Los Angeles and by other neurofeedback providers around the world has demonstrated the utility of extending frequency-based neurofeedback deep into the infra-low frequency (ILF) region, using the method of endogenous neuromodulation described herein. The method is characterized by the absence of any overt reinforcements, which makes it possible to extend the clinical reach to extremely low frequencies. As the training frequency is lowered, the signal becomes more difficult to discriminate, and ultimately it can only be discerned by the brain itself, in the process of endogenous neuromodulation. The method emulates how the brain does skill learning in general: It must observe itself performing the skill, with feedback on its performance. While the immediate target of ILF neurofeedback is enhanced self-regulatory competence--with symptomatic relief and functional recovery the secondary consequences, progressive lowering of the target frequencies has led to improved outcomes in application to challenging dysfunctions such as episodic suicidality, migraine, seizures, and bipolar mood swings. The work has also yielded insights into how the frequency domain is organized. The training proceeds best at frequencies that are specific to each individual, and these are referred to as optimal response frequencies (ORFs). These frequencies differ for various placements but stand in two fixed relationships to one another, one that holds over the EEG spectral range, and another that holds over the entire ILF range. Training in the ILF region engages the dynamics of the glial-neuronal networks, which govern tonic, resting state regulation. The collective clinical experience with ILF neuromodulation within a large practitioner network supports the case for making protocol-based, individualized ‘homeodynamic’ regulation a therapeutic priority, particularly for our most impacted clinical populations: addiction, trauma formations, traumatic brain injury, and the dementias. The case is made for further outcome studies and foundational research.

Background and objectives: Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain significantly impacts physical activity and quality of life in the elderly, potentially influencing mortality. This study explored the relationship between MSK pain, physical activity, muscle mass, and mortality among older adults. Material and Methods: We studied 1000 participants of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA), a prospective, population-based cohort study of people aged 65 years or older. Survival status was tracked over a 5-year period. Correlations between Low back pain (LBP), knee pain, regular exercise, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and other variables were analyzed. Logistic regression analyzes were used to identify independent risk factors for mortality. Results: Of the total participants, 829 (82.9%) survived after a 5-year period. Survivors tended to be younger, had a higher BMI, and were more active in regular exercise. In contrast, non-survivors exhibited a higher prevalence of both LBP and knee pain, along with increased instances of multiple MSK pain. Lower ASM correlated moderately with LBP and knee pain, whereas higher ASM was associated with regular exercise Lower ASM was moderately associated with LBP and knee pain, while higher ASM correlated with engagement in regular exercise. There was a moderate correlation between LBP and knee pain, both of which were associated with a lack of regular exercise. Age, sex, ASM, and regular exercise were significant predictors, even though MSK pain itself did not directly predict all-cause mortality. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the independent association between ASM, regular exercise, and mortality. Although MSK pain did not directly correlate with all-cause mortality, the non-survivor group had higher levels of both single and multiple MSK pain. Recognizing the interplay of MSK pain, physical activity, and muscle mass for older adults, the research underscores the need for holistic strategies to enhance health outcomes in older individuals with MSK pain.

Through long-term Rayleigh lidar observations during 2010-2022, atmospheric gravity wave (AGW) activities in the middle atmosphere (30–65 km) are statistically investigated at Haikou (110.3°E, 19.9°N) in China. In total, 827 quasi-monochromatic AGW events are identified from the lidar dataset, and the vertical wavelength, observed wave period, and vertical propagation direction of dominant waves are extracted for each AGW event by analyzing the power spectra of wave-induced temperature perturbations. It is revealed that 81.7% of all AGW events were associated with upward-propagating waves, and the proportion of upward-propagating AGWs reached a maximum in autumn and a minimum in winter. The most common vertical wavelengths and wave periods were 6–11 km and 4–10 hours, respectively. In particular, 68 AGW events associated with simultaneous upward and downward propagating waves were observed by lidar, corresponding to 8.2% of the events. The occurrence of such special AGW phenomena is qualitatively discussed, and multiple formation mechanisms may exist. Comparisons are made with previously reported lidar observation results, and the statistical features of AGW activity in the low-latitude middle atmosphere may vary over a relatively wide range depending on the location and altitude. However, a majority of AGWs propagate upward in the middle atmosphere.

Understanding the evolution patterns in patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after therapy is relevant due to the dismal outcome still present in refractory or relapsed AML patients. We performed a retrospective, single-center study to evaluate the mutation profile in paired samples obtained at the time of diagnosis and at the onset of progressive or refractory disease in patients diagnosed with AML through a commercial next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel. In total, 62 patients were analyzed. Of these, 28 patients received ICT, and 34 patients underwent low-intensity treatments. In LIT patients, there were emergent mutations at progressive disease in a 64% (22/34) of the patients. Emergent mutations in the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway were observed in 35.9% (12/34) , corresponding to 54.5% of all patients with emergent mutations (12/22). These were found in 12/22 patients that received venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents. Six presented mutations in genes related to the RAS-MAPK pathway. Emerging mutations are frequently observed at progressive AML disease after therapy. In patients treated with LIT, mutations in RAS-MAPK signaling pathway might have a key role on the secondary clinical resistance, not only if they are present at diagnosis, becoming a potential target for the development of new drugs.

A problem of efficacy of crystal growth methods for crystallization from solution or melt has been investigated. Axial vibrational control (AVC) technique was considered as a perspective method to manage both heat-mass transfer and chemical component composition of the melts in the case of crystallization of complex chemical compounds. Numerical modeling and the search for generalized dependencies made it possible to predict the AVC parameters that provide optimal heat and mass transfer modes for creating flat liquid-solid interfaces, as well as the component composition of dissociated melts of various chemical compounds – Ge, NaNO3, CdTe.

In this paper, a 100CMM regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) system based on a high heating device for low-emission combustion is implemented at a volatile organic compound (VOCs) gas generation workplace. Existing RTO has a structure that repeats the inflow and discharge of VOCs gas into a cylindrical drum-type rotating disk and has excellent energy efficiency with a heat recovery rate of 95% or more. However, when used for a long time, there is a problem that rotation stops or explodes due to the discharge of pollutants due to dust and thermal expansion due to high temperature of 800℃. To overcome this, a RTO based on a high heating device was developed to reduce low-emission combustion emissions and energy use. Through 177 hours of demonstration time, the oxidation efficiency of VOCs was 97.87%; the waste heat recovery rate was reduced by 95.78%, the fuel consumption was reduced by 21.95%, and the nitrogen oxide concentration was 3.9 ppm

The pursuit of more efficient transport has led engineers to develop a wide variety of 1 aircraft configurations with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and emissions. However, these 2 innovative designs introduce significant aeroelastic couplings that can potentially lead to structural 3 failure. Consequently, aeroelastic analysis and optimization has become an integral part of modern 4 aircraft design. In addition, aeroelastic testing of scale models is a critical phase in aircraft devel- 5 opment, requiring accurate prediction of aeroelastic behaviour during scale model construction to 6 reduce costs and mitigate risks associated with full-scale flight testing. Achieving a high degree of 7 similarity between the stiffness, mass distribution and flow field characteristics of scaled models 8 and their full-scale counterparts is of paramount importance. However, achieving similarity is 9 not always straightforward due to the variety of configurations of modern lightweight aircraft, as 10 identical geometry cannot always be directly scaled down. This configuration diversity has a direct 11 impact on the aeroelastic response, necessitating the use of computational aeroelasticity tools and 12 optimization algorithms. This paper presents the development of an aeroelastic scaling framework 13 using multidisciplinary optimization. Specifically, a parametric Finite Element Model (FEM) of the 14 wing is created, incorporating parameterisation of both thickness and geometry, primarily using 15 shell elements. Aerodynamic loads are calculated using the Doublet Lattice Method (DLM) em- 16 ploying twist and camber correction factors, and aeroelastic coupling is established using infinite 17 plate splines. The aeroelastic model is then integrated within an Ant Colony optimization (ACO) 18 algorithm to achieve static and dynamic similarity between the scaled model and the reference wing. 19 A notable contribution of this work is the incorporation of internal geometry parameterisation into 20 the framework, increasing its versatility and effectiveness.

This paper reports an experimental investigation on compression after low-velocity impact response for two lay-up configurations of symmetric CFRP laminated composite specimens obtained by reversing their angle-ply orientation, namely [0/-45/45/90]s versus [90/45/-45/0]s, the impact velocity of the projectile up to the BVID level being subsequently considered. To this aim, a modified Compression-After-Impact (CAI) test device is proposed that involves clamping the specimen's upper and lower edges between two adjustable wide and flat anti-buckling plates through a removable bolt-nut assembly. Such a solution relies on the fact that the specimen's active length is shortened, reducing the risk of global buckling. Besides, the bolts carry part of the load with minor localized bearing damage, provided that the metallic plates act as washers by supporting the bolt-bearing region laterally, thus avoiding crashing failures at the specimens’ loaded edges. With these settings, roughly the same percent decrease in the average values of maximum compression load (i.e., 22%) was recorded for both lay-up configurations impacted up to their BVID threshold, whereas in terms of compressive stiffness behavior, a reduction of 17 % was found for [0/-45/45/90]s specimens compared to 6 % obtained for [90/45/-45/0]s specimens.

A novel low-power MOS-only voltage reference is presented. The Enz-Krummenacher-Vittoz (EKV) model is adopted to provide a new perspective on the operating principle. The normalized charge density, introduced as a new variable, serves as an indicator when trimming the output temperature coefficient. The proposed voltage reference consists of a specific current generator and a 5-bit trimmable load. Thanks to the well-match between the current source stage and the output stage, the non-linear temperature dependence of carrier mobility is automatically canceled out. The circuit is designed in 55 nm COMS technology. The operating temperature ranges from -40 ∘C to 120 ∘C. The average temperature coefficient of the output voltage can be reduced to 21.7 ppm/∘C by trimming. The power consumption is only 23.2 nW with a supply voltage of 0.8 V. The line sensitivity and the power supply rejection ratio at 100 Hz are 0.011 %/V and -89 dB respectively.

Nutrition and calorie intake are associated with subtle changes of thyroid function tests in subjects with intact Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid axis. Iodine deficiency and extreme fluctuations in calorie intake, such as those occurring during periods of starvation or overfeeding could lead to alterations of thyroid hormones. The dietary macronutrient composition could also influence the thyroid function. Recently, Low-Glycemic Load (LGL) diets are very popular and effective in the treatment and/or prevention of several medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and epilepsy. In this review, we report the available data from the literature regarding the association between LGL diets and thyroid function or dysfunction. Unfortunately, there are only a few studies in this field, with inconsistent findings.

This paper proposes a new method for network screening on rural low-volume roads. These roads are important as they provide critical access to agricultural land and tourist attractions. Most low-volume roads belong to the lowest functional class (local rural roads) and thus are built to lower design standards. The conventional hot spot network screening techniques may not be appropriate for low-volume roads due to the sporadic nature of crashes occurring on these roads. Contrarily sophisticated network screening approaches require extensive roadway and traffic data that are often unavailable to local agencies for lack of resources, and/or lack of technical expertise. This research attempts to address these obstacles in low-volume roads network screening which aims to identify candidate sites for safety improvements. The research used an extensive low-volume road sample from the state of Oregon and the Empirical Bayes expected number of crashes in developing the proposed models for network screening. The proposed models do not require exact measurement of roadway geometric features as all geometric variables were classified into categories that are easy to compile by local agencies. Further, the method could be used with and without traffic data, without compromising the effectiveness of the network screening process.

High-grade gliomas are extremely fatal tumors, marked by severe hypoxia and therapeutic resistance. Autophagy is a cellular degradative process that can be activated by hypoxia, ultimately resulting in tumor advancement and chemo-resistance. Our study aimed to examine the link between autophagy markers expression in low (LGG) and high-grade gliomas (HGG). In 39 glioma cases, we assessed protein expression of autophagy markers LC3B, p62, and DRAM by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and mRNA expression of autophagy genes; PI3K, AKT, m-TOR, PTEN, ULK1, ULK2, UVRAG, Beclin 1 and VPS34 using RT-qPCR. Livak’s method was used to analyze the relative changes in gene expression and multi-variate Anova test and Spearman's correlation tests were performed for statistical significance. LC3B, p62, and DRAM expression were positive in 64.1%, 51.3%, and 28.2% of glioma cases respectively. The expression of LC3B and p62 was notably higher in HGG compared to LGG. VPS34 exhibited a significant differential expression and increased fold change and demonstrated strong positive correlations with Beclin1 (rs=0.768), UVRAG (rs=0.802), and ULK2 (rs=0.786) in HGG compared to LGG, thus highlighting the potential link between autophagy and glioma progression. We Provide preliminary data for functional analysis of autophagy using cell culture model and to identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions

Recent advances in nanomaterials have been heavily influenced by low-dimensional nanocarbon allotropes. In particular, carbyne has attracted attention for its potential as a true one-dimensional carbon chain with sp1 hybridization. To maximize the capabilities of this material, we employ a focused data-driven inverse design approach based on the carbon nanomaterials genome concept. This involves using deep learning neural network models to identify key descriptors tied to desired properties, enabling property prediction and reverse engineering of nanocarbons. Our iterative approach entails: (i) gathering growth/property data on nanostructures; (ii) identifying informative numerical/categorical predictors; (iii) developing deep learning models mapping descriptors to properties; (iv) refining models with new insights; (v) determining required descriptors/conditions for target properties via inverse mapping; (vi) validating models by synthesizing predicted nanostructures; and (vii) enhancing models with validation data. This allows uncovering hidden growth-property connections, precisely tuning nanocarbons for desired attributes. We introduce new methodologies including exciting synergistic effects, synchronizing atomic vibrations, active screen plasma, energy-driven transformations, surface acoustic micro/nano-manipulation, doping and directed self-assembly to expose relationships and integrate insights into the inverse design flow. This research promises to accelerate discovery of next-generation low-dimensional nanocarbons with exceptional properties and applications.

: Low-temperature growth of diamond films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is not so widely reported and especially its initial periods of nucleation and growth phenomenon are of particular interest to the researchers. Four sets of substrates were selected for growing diamond films by linear antenna microwave plasma enhanced CVD (LA-MPCVD). Among them, silicon and sapphire substrates were pre-treated with detonation nanodiamond (DND) seeds before diamond growth for enhancement of its nucleation. On the other hand, carbon nanotube (CNT) films on Si substrates were also used as another template for LA-MPCVD diamond growth. In order to enhance the diamond nucleation during CVD growth, some of the CNT films were again pre-treated by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of diamond nanoparticles. All these substrates were then put inside the LA-MPCVD chamber for growing diamond films under variable processing conditions. Microwave input powers (1100 – 2800 W), input power modes (pulse or continuous), antenna to stage distances (5 - 6.5 cm), process gas recipes (with or without CO2), methane gas percentages (3 - 5%), deposition times (11 – 120 minutes) were altered to investigate their effect on the growth of diamond film on the pre-treated substrates. The substrate temperatures were found to vary from as low as 170oC to a maximum of 307oC during the alteration of the different processing parameters. Contrary to the conventional MPCVD, it was observed that during the first hour of LA-MPCVD diamond growth, DND seeds or the nucleating structures, do not coalesce together to make a continuous film. Deposition time was the most critical factor in fully covering the substrate surfaces with diamond film, since the substrate temperature could not become stable during the first hour of LA-MPCVD. CNT was found to be oxidised rapidly under LA-MPCVD plasma conditions; therefore, a CO2-free process gas recipe was used to reduce CNT burning. Moreover, EPD-coated CNT was found to be less oxidised by the LACVD plasma during diamond growth.

Abstruct Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) has emerged as an essential strategy for achieving environmental sustainability within organizations. However, there remains a significant gap in understanding its direct impact on sustainable performance. This study seeks to address these gaps by investigating the relationship between GHRM and sustainable performance, with a focus on the mediating role of green innovation and the moderating influence of transformational leadership. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore the interrelationships between Green HRM, green process and product innovation, sustainability, and the role of sustainable leadership. The study's findings reveal a positive and significant relationship between green HRM practices and sustainability, encompassing environmental, economic, and social aspects. The findings suggest that management support for environmental initiatives is a critical factor in enhancing the effectiveness and spread of green innovations, emphasizing the importance of GHM in the broader context of organizational change and sustainability. In addition, the study underscores the critical role of transformative leadership in fostering sustainable practices, particularly the significant moderator role of responsible leadership in driving sustainable business practices. In summary, this study provides a roadmap for businesses, particularly SMEs, to leverage HGRM as a strategic tool in their pursuit of sustainability.

Chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steels are widely used due to their high corrosion resistance, good weldability and deformability. To some extent, their application is limited by their mechanical characteristics. As a result of their austenitic structure, increasing the static and dynamic strength of the components can be achieved by surface cold work. Due to the tendency of these steels to undergo intercrystalline corrosion, another approach to improve their mechanical characteristics is the use of low-temperature thermo-chemical diffusion processes. This article proposes a new combined process based on sequentially applied diamond burnishing (DB) and low-temperature gas nitriding (LTGN) to optimally improve the fatigue strength of 304 steel. The essence of the proposed approach is to combine the advantages of the two processes (DB and LTGN) to create a zone of residual compressive stresses in the surface and subsurface layers–the enormous surface residual stresses (axial and hoop) introduced by LTGN, with the significant depth of the compressive zone characteristic of static surface cold working processes. DB (both smoothing and single-pass hardening), in combination with LTGN, achieves a fatigue limit of 600 MPa, an improvement of 36.4% compared to untreated specimens. Individually, smoothing DB, single-pass DB and LTGN achieve 540 MPa, 580 MPa and 580 MPa, respectively. It was found that as the degree of plastic deformation of the surface layer introduced by DB increases, the content of the S-phase in the nitrogen-rich layer formed by LTGN decreases, with resultant increased content of -phase, and a new (also hard) phase: stabilized nitrogen-bearing martensite.

For underwater vehicles navigating in Arctic Sea ice-covered waters, fatigue damage is a crucial issue. Many scholars have conducted low-temperature fatigue analysis on low-temperature ma-terials and substrate platforms for ships, and the results show that low-temperature is beneficial for improving the mechanical properties of materials. However, they mainly focus on low-temperature performance experiments and simulation analysis of standard components of materials, and there are very few fatigue life experimental studies on underwater vehicle me-chanical structures. This paper conducts experimental investigations on a scaled model of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in a polar environment laboratory. Using a comparative analysis method involving simulations and experiments, the low-temperature fatigue test data of the scaled underwater vehicle rudder mechanism are analyzed, and the quantified analysis be-tween fatigue and different low-temperature loading cycles, as well as the influence of icing on the fatigue life, is explored. It is indicated that the arctic environment can decrease the fatigue life of the underwater vehicle rudder mechanism by deteriorating its material properties. The paper builds the foundation for the fatigue life of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in arctic low-temperature environments.

To date, radiation adaptation response has been reported as a low-dose related phenomenon and has been associated with radiation hormesis. Well-known cancers are caused by non-radiation active reactants, in addition to radiation. A model of suppression for radiation-specific cancers was previously reported, but the model did not target radiation-nonspecific cancers. In this paper, we describe kinetic models of radiation-induced suppressors for general radiation non-specific cancers, estimating the dose that induces the maximum hormesis effect while satisfying the condition that the risk is approximately proportional to dose above 100 mSv. It was found that the radiation hormesis effect is maximal at about 20 mSv when the rate constant for generation is the same as the rate constant for decomposition. When the two rate constants are different, the dose at which the radiation hormesis effect is maximized depends on both rate constants, but the dose increases as the two rate constants approach each other, reaching a maximum of about 20 mSv. This conclusion may lead to the discovery of unknown cancer suppressors at low doses and the development of cancer suppression methods in the future.

Keywords: Green human resource management1; Green supply chain management2; Regulation and legislation3; Sustainable development goals4.

Cells execute biological functions to support phenotypes such as growth, migration, and secretion. Complementarily, each function of a cell has resource costs that constrain phenotype. Resource allocation by a cell allows it to manage these costs and optimize their phenotypes. In fact, the management of resource constraints (e.g., nutrient availability, bioenergetic capacity, and macromolecular machinery production) shape activity and ultimately impact phenotype. In mammalian systems, quantification of resource allocation provides important insights into higher-order multicellular functions; it shapes intercellular interactions and relays environmental cues for tissues to coordinate individual cells to overcome resource constraints and achieve population-level behavior. Furthermore, these constraints, objectives, and phenotypes are context-dependent, with cells adapting their behavior according to their microenvironment, resulting in distinct steady-states. This review will highlight the biological insights gained from probing resource allocation in mammalian cells and tissues.

The transportation sector stands out as California's primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating urgent action from government agencies to promote the adoption of low-carbon transportation (LCT) within the heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) and off-road equipment (ORE) sectors. This study conducts content analysis to delve into the impact of behavioral factors, specifically awareness and impression, on LCT adoption within these sectors. The analysis results are honed using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool. Positive associations emerge between the potential for LCT adoption and awareness, as well as factors linked to LCT (government incentives, environmental considerations). Notably, the study reveals that financial barriers and incentives hold greater significance for small-fleet organizations compared to their large-fleet counterparts. These findings offer actionable insights for government agencies to formulate targeted strategies, including mandates and incentives, tailored to the unique needs of organizations within the HDV and ORE sectors.

forging a resilient path towards a low carbon future, this research delves deep into the intricate dynamics of the petroleum and petrochemical industries. By uncovering the challenges posed by transitioning to a low carbon economy, this study emphasizes their transformative potential as catalysts for growth. Through an in-depth analysis of the oil and natural gas sector, it not only sheds light on the carbon footprint of Nigeria's petroleum and petrochemical industries but also identifies the opportunities for sustainable transformation within these sectors. Ultimately, this research aims to pave the way for a greener future by unraveling the complexities and intricacies of building a low carbon economy."By incorporating the unique attributes of the petroleum and petrochemical industries and considering the evolving domestic and global context, this research investigates the challenges and prospects associated with the shift towards a low-carbon economy. It delves deep into the complexities of the sector, taking into consideration the distinct characteristics of petroleum and petrochemical production. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study aims to uncover the potential barriers and opportunities that arise from the pursuit of a sustainable and low-carbon future within the petroleum and petrochemical industries. In addition, this research thoroughly examines the current global and local conditions, shedding light on the opportunities for growth and transformation within the petroleum and petrochemical sectors. By presenting insightful perspectives and recommendations, the study aims to provide valuable guidance for fostering the development of a low-carbon economy within these industries. Ultimately, the research seeks to drive positive change by offering actionable insights and strategies to propel the transition towards a sustainable future.

This study considers the values of the credit payments that are made at random values for both payment size and number. The simultaneous existence of the two random variables increases the total value of the volatility of the payment process. The dependence for the simultaneous influence of the two random variables is derived by applying conditional probabilistic formulations. Formal relations apply to animal husbandry credit payments. The credit policy was analyzed for the cases of regular payments and with a stochastic number of payments. A recommendation for the upper level of credit payments is proposed based on a model predictive approach using historical payment data. A credit management algorithm is derived, in which decision-making for credit payments is formally derived and numerically discussed. The application of derived quantitative relations is empirically applied to real data on animal husbandry. The recommendations from the dependencies obtained allow a reduction in the mean values of credit payments, which correspond to a reduction in the credits used for business management, without a change in business policy.

Запропонована методика спрямована на визначення та прогнозування технічного стану елементів мосту, що може слугувати прогресивним інженерним інструментом для оцінки надійності та довговічності. Розроблено на основі фундаментальних досліджень, які узагальнюють досвід вивчення фізико-механічних і фізико-хімічних властивостей матеріалів мостових конструкцій, що експлуатуються в реальних умовах. Теоретичною основою методики є модель надійності та прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів мосту на основі теорії Маркова. Розроблена методика призначена для оцінки технічного стану окремих елементів мосту з подальшою комплексною оцінкою всієї конструкції. За показник технічного стану прийнята надійність при експлуатації. Цей кількісний показник надійності в моделі є критерієм для: оцінки рівня безпеки елементів мосту; ранжування елементів мосту за необхідністю для конкретних видів ремонту, реконструкції або заміни; стратегічне планування витрат на ремонт або реконструкцію в умовах обмеженого фінансування; прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів. Для застосування розробленої методики запропоновано алгоритм оцінки та прогнозування технічного стану мостів. Було проведено математичний експеримент розробленої методики, який підтвердив адекватність висунутої гіпотези, тобто використання моделі надійності та прогнозування залишкового ресурсу елементів мосту. По-перше, запропоновано триступеневий механізм уточнення технічного стану мосту, суттєво підвищення точності розрахунків. Тому розроблена методика має практичне значення і може слугувати основою для інформаційно-аналітичних систем управління станом мостів.

Abstract: The establishment of a circular economy in the mining sector, taking advantage of innovations in the exploration and development of hydrocarbon reserves, [ ], their [ ], transportation [ ] and subsequent processing [ ] are significant concerns. The issues surrounding the employment of technology targeted at enhancing environmental safety to increase the productivity of the reproduction process of the natural gas and oil resource base are equally important. The paper discusses the use of green seismic technology of survey to determine the oil and gas potential of the subsoil. A methodological toolkit is proposed for carrying out technical and economic calculations to determine indicators of the environmental and economic efficiency of using innovative resource-saving technology for geological survey in areas densely planted with forests. The purpose of the work is to establish the viability of employing resource-saving technology known as Green Seismic to search for promising hydrocarbon objects in forested areas and determine the expected environmental and economic benefits of geological exploration using the suggested enhanced methodology for their evaluation. The tasks set to achieve the goal were solved using methods of geological and economic assessment of the hydrocarbon raw material potential of territories and water areas, environmental assessment of the negative influence of anthropogenic environmental impact on the natural environment, economic and statistical methods of performing technical and economic calculations to determine performance indicators for the implementation of innovative projects in the field of geological exploration. The novelty of the results obtained lies in the proposed improved algorithm for conducting an environmental and economic assessment of geological exploration for hydrocarbon raw materials, a conceptual description of the Green Seismic technology, systematization of technical, economic, and environmental risks, justification of new regional directions for geological exploration using resource-saving seismic exploration technology.

Non-alcoholic beer (NAB) or low alcoholic beer (LAB) are taking over the market with a growing sale. Sus-tainable recycling and valorization of exhausted brewer’s spent grains (BSG) coming from craft beer is a relevant issue in brewing process. In this work, recycled BSG and BSG+GJ (supplemented with 10% grape juice) were used as wort-substrate to inoculate already selected non-conventional yeasts to produce NABLAB craft beer. Results showed that wort composed by only recycled BSG produced appreciate NAB beers (ethanol from 0.12% to 0.54 % v/v) while the addition of 10% of grape juice made LAB beers (ethanol from 0.82 to 1.66 % v/v). As expected, volatile compounds production was highest with the addition of grape juice. Lachancea thermotolerans confirmed the lactic acid production and, as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is characterized by (in both worts) ethyl butyrate and isoamyl acetate, while Torulaspora delbrueckii produced relevant amounts of exanol, phenylethyl acetate and β-phenyl ethanol (wort added with grape juice). Wickeramhomyces anomalus and Pichia kluyvery showed consistent volatile production but only in wort with grape juice addition where a fermentation activity was exhibited. The overall results indicated that reused BSGs, non-conventional yeasts and grape juice is a suitable strategy for specialty NABLAB beer.

Computed tomography (CT) is a widely employed imaging modality with diverse clinical applications in pediatric and adult populations, offering numerous advantages. Despite several alternatives to imaging modalities with ionising radiation, CT scans have demonstrated persistent global popularity, contributing to a substantial amount of effective radiation doses for patients. This exposure results in hazards, including stochastic effects that amplify the radiation-induced cancer risk proportionally to the radiation dose received. CT-related radiation comprises a substantial portion of cumulative effective doses within diagnostic radiology, specifically impacting younger patient cohorts undergoing repeated investigations for chronic diseases over time. Scientific literature over recent decades has explored various methods to mitigate radiation doses during medical imaging. One notable strategy involves implementing low-dose and ultralow-dose CT protocols, maintaining diagnostic efficacy in acute and non-acute medical and surgical conditions. Utilising innovative image reconstruction algorithms, such as iterative reconstruction and emerging deep-learning algorithms based on artificial intelligence, plays a pivotal role in achieving an approximately 80% reduction in patient radiation compared to standard doses. This review article discusses the significance of low-dose protocols across a spectrum of acute and chronic medical conditions affecting different body systems.

The vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) when augmented with internet is called internet of vehicles (IoV). In the IoV, vehicles have on board units (OBUs), use communication technologies and customized software to communicate with infrastructure around them. The vehicles can have permanent connectivity and global network awareness based on cloud computing. IoV technologies are still being assessed to ensure that the network is protected from attacks, supports a dynamic vehicular mobility scenarios and meets the low latency communication requirements between the vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure. To meet these strict Quality of Service (QoS) demands, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) play a vital role in IoV ecosystems. An UAV can serve as a mobile roadside unit (mRSU) to transmit data between vehicles, stationery RSUs and other UAVs. The UAVs have better line of sight (LOS) connections which result in better channel states and lower path loss than fixed RSUs. Although the inclusion of UAVs in vehicular networks has improved the system performance by providing better resource management and routing solutions, the traditional optimization techniques with their limitations are often not applicable. Therefore, in recent years, research community is integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into UAV based IoV ecosystem to better manage resource allocation, routing and mobility management issues to optimize the overall network performance. In this survey paper we review the existing research done in AI/ML based UAV-IoV networks and communications with focus on resource management and routing from year 2019 to 2023. We have studied different AI techniques, their training attributes and architectures in various research works. The limitations of AI-based approaches in terms of required computational resources, availability of real world data and AI models’ complexity for the UAV-IoV environment are also discussed. Finally, the future directions for UAV-IoV research opportunities that can leverage the full potential of AI are presented.

This article couples human metabolic factors and heating environmental factors, and uses a 57 node human thermal physiological model to study the heating effect of radiators. It provides a way to objectively calculate and directly quantify the effect of heating equipment on human thermal physiological parameters. As the inlet speed increases, the surface temperature of the human body first increases and then decreases. At a speed of 3m/s, it basically reaches a high value. Continuing to increase the wind speed, as the indoor convection intensity further increases, the surface temperature of the human body will decrease, leading to a decrease in thermal comfort. Compared with floor radiation heating under similar indoor temperature conditions, forced convection radiator heating has similar skin temperatures in various parts of the human body after the indoor design temperature exceeds 20 ℃, and the overall thermal comfort of the two technical solutions is equivalent. Research has shown that the turbulence wind speed of convective radiators should not be too small, with a wind speed range of 2.5m/s to 3m/s. The heating effect of using horizontal air outlet from the lower part of the radiator is better than that of vertical air outlet from the upper part. Convection type radiator heating is more suitable for buildings with rooms that are not too high due to the large indoor temperature gradient.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) belongs to the ErbB family, a group of four transmembrane glycoproteins with tyrosine kinase activity, all structurally related to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These tyrosine kinases are involved in the transmission of cellular signals controlling normal cell growth and differentiation. If this transmission goes awry, it can lead to dysregulated growth of the cell. HER2 specifically can be implicated in the pathogenesis of at least eight malignancies. HER2 positivity quickly became a well characterized indicator of aggressiveness and poor prognosis, with high rates of disease progression and mortality. After realizing the implication of HER2, it first became investigated as a target for treatment in breast cancer, and later expanded to areas of research in other cancers types. To this day, the most therapeutic advancements of anti-HER2 therapy have been in breast cancer, however, there have been strong advancements made in the incorporation of anti HER2 therapy in other cancer types as well. This comprehensive review dissects HER2 to its core incorporating the most up to date information. The topics touched upon are discussed in detail and up to 200 published sources from the most highly recognized journals have been integrated. The importance of knowing about HER2 is exemplified by the groundbreaking advancements that have been made, and the change in treatment plans it has brought to the oncological world in the last twenty years. Since, its ground breaking discovery there has been significant breakthroughs in knowledge regarding the actual receptor, the receptors biology, its mechanism of action, advancements in tests to detect HER2 and significant strides on how to best incorporate targeted treatment. Due to the success of this field thus far, the review concludes by discussing the future of novel anti-HER2 therapy currently in development that everyone should be aware of.

To investigate the structural behavior of simply supported concrete beams with steel and polypropylene fiber under low velocity impact loading. In all twenty-four beams (150X200X1800 mm) with simply supported boundary condition were modeled and analyzed using ABAQUS software. Steel and polypropylene fibers of aspect ratio of 60 and 231 respectively are used. The total volumes of fibers are maintained at 1% by volume of specimen. A 100 kg hammer with tip diameter 16 mm (hemispherical contact area = 201 mm2) with four different velocities (3.13 m/s, 4.42 m/s, 5.43 m/s and 6.11 m/s) were used in the analysis. It is observed that with the addition of hybrid fibers the deflection in beams was reduced. The beams with 1% PP and 0% steel fiber shows the maximum deflection values due to low modulus of elasticity. Beams with 0.9% steel and 0.1% polypropylene fibers was less affected in terms of deflection as compared to all other beams, it is due to presence of high tensile strength fibers.

Tigrai region is one of the potential beekeeping areas in Ethiopia, which is endowed with diversified honeybee plant species. However, its honeybee plants are deforested and degraded due to natural and anthropogenic pressures. Area exclosures (AEs) has been practicing for the last three decades restore degraded habitats of the plant species in Ethiopia. Empirical data on the effectiveness of AE is still limited for restoration of honey bee plant species; this study was conducted to assess the roles of AE for species composition, density, and diversity and regeneration status of honeybee floras. Sixty quadrats were installed, 36 in AE and 24 in CGL (communal grazing lands) using a systematic sampling method. The study showed that a total of 42 honey bee plant species belonging to 23 families in AE and 33 species belonging to 17 families in CGL were recorded. The study also indicated a significant increase in the abundance, diversity, regeneration and the structure of the honey bee plant species was found in the AEs. The list presented herein provides a guide to stakeholders in establishing of AE for the foraging resource of honeybee in order to enhance the abundance, diversity and regeneration and structure. Thus, AE has made a significant contribution to solving the shortage of honeybee forages in the beekeeping industry. Therefore, the development of beekeeping is integrated with conservation of natural resources.

C-peptide is used as a measure of endogenous insulin production. Given that insulin and C-peptide are produced in equal amounts, C-peptide is typically used to differentiate between external and endogenously produced insulin in insulin-treated type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). In a clinical setting, a decline in C-peptide is regarded as a loss of beta cell function. However, physiological conditions may also be associated with low C-peptide levels. The authors of this paper use a low-carbohydrate diet, the so-called paleolithic ketogenic diet (PKD), in the treatment of various conditions and observed that C-peptide is typically low on this diet. In order to characterize C-peptide levels on this diet, we designed a study to retrospectively assess C-peptide levels in 100 non-T1DM subjects. We found that 55% of the subjects had a C-peptide level below the standard reference range. C-peptide levels correlated with glucose levels. A significant correlation was found between C-peptide and age, with younger subjects having lower C-peptide levels. Males also showed lower C-peptide levels than females. Given the increasing number of patients using low-carbohydrate diets worldwide, physicians should be aware of laboratory correlates of low-carbohydrate diets, including low C-peptide levels, most importantly to prevent incorrect T1DM diagnosis.

Smart farm is a technology that greatly helps improve the productivity and quality of crops and is being actively introduced into indoor environments such as green houses. However, it has not yet been distributed to field-grown crops. The main reason is that, unlike indoor environments, it is very difficult to collect sensor data for monitoring the growth environment of crops in open fields where weather conditions change significantly and power supply is difficult. Additionally, because various sensors are used, the data formats of the devices are different, making it difficult to process. This paper presents a field crop growth environment monitoring and big data analysis system. The proposed system first solves power supply and data communication problems using solar power generation and LPWA technology. Additionally, based on the oneM2M architecture, data from various sensors is transmitted to the server using standardized technology. The transmitted data is stored and managed on the server as big data, and can be used to predict the production and quality of field-grown crops and take appropriate measures. The proposed system is expected to create an environment optimized for the growth of field crops and help prevent and manage diseases.

Studies at the juncture of development economics and public health host considerable responsibility in addressing inequality and related mental health distress. Mental health care in economically marginalized populations requires depicting the linkages between socioeconomic status and psychological distress. In the present work, a sequential mixed-methods design was used to study 190 people in such communities in India. Gender-dependent psychological distress was found according to Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) with moderate distress in women (M= 26.30, SD= 9.15) and mild distress in men (M= 21.04, SD= 8.35). Regression analysis indicated that gender significantly predicted psychological distress, followed by age, marital status, and education of the head of the family. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of semi-structured interviews to six women who scored the highest on the distress scale unveiled three master themes: (1) Manifestation of Psychological Distress, (2) Contextual Challenges, and (3) Sources of Strength and Resilience. Overall, participants reported lack of resources, community violence, gender discrimination, and widespread substance use as major contributors to the ongoing distress. These findings can pave the way for future studies to expand beyond independent economic indicators and curate clinical interventions for culturally competent mental health care.

This paper presents the design and measurement of an IEEE 802.11ad standard compatible RF transceiver for 60GHz wireless communication system. In addition to the traditional half-duplex (HD) mode, this work supports full-duplex (FD) operation to deliver better channel utilization and faster response time for the system. The isolation between the transmitter and receiver from the architecture design to system integration for FD operation has been fully considered. A digital self-interference cancellation (DSIC) is implemented in MATLAB to verify the FD performance. The super-heterodyne architecture with an intermediate frequency (IF) of 12GHz is designed to suppress the image frequencies without using extra filters. A flexible phase-locked loop (PLL) synthesizer provides a local oscillator (LO) frequency with a 2kHz resolution. Other than the time division duplex (TDD) mode used in the conventional 60GHz system, a wide bandwidth baseband digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA) with a 3dB bandwidth of more than 4GHz also supports frequency division duplex (FDD) operation. The transceiver chip is fabricated in Tower Jazz 0.18µm SiGe BiCMOS process. With on-board antenna, the transceiver covers all four channels in 802.11ad standard with MCS-12 (7.04Gbps under 1.76GSym/s and 16-QAM) under 1.5m. In the proposed system design, the RF frontend based self-interference (SI) suppression from the local transmitter to receiver LNA is around 54dB. To achieve a practical FD application, the SI is further suppressed with the help of digital SI compensation. The measured power consumption for transmitter and receiver configuration is 194mW and 231mW, respectively, in HD mode and 398mW for FDD or FD operation mode.

The ridge-furrow plastic mulching (RFPM) system and nitrogen application have been effective strategies for improving crop productivity in the Loess Plateau of China. However, it is not clear how the ridge-furrow ratio and nitrogen fertilizer type (NT) affect the utilization of water, nitrogen, heat and radiation resources for increased rain-fed wheat production. Two nitrogen fertilizer types [Traditional urea (TU) and controlled-release urea (CRU)] and four planting patterns [conventional flat planting (F) and the RFPM system of 20 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R2F4), 40 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R4F4), and 60 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow (R6F4)] were tested from September, 2018 to June, 2021 during winter wheat growing season. The results showed that the RFPM system can increase the soil thermal time (TTsoil) by 41.0–152.1°C d compared to F. The thermal effect of the RFPM system shortens the vegetative growth period and extends the reproductive growth period by 2–7 days, promoting the increase of the leaf area index (LAI) and final dry matter (DM) accumulation. These significantly increased the grain yield (GY) in the RFPM system by 51.6–115.2% and enhanced the thermal time use efficiency (TUE) by 48–99.5%, water productivity (WP) by 37.4–76.3%, radiation use efficiency (RUE) by 16.3–34.4%, and partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) by 51.6–115.2% compared to F. Although a high ridge-furrow ratio combined with CRU increased GY and resources use efficiency, it also exacerbated the soil water depletion, especially in the 40–140 cm soil layer. Overall, applying CRU in combination with the RFPM system of 40 cm ridge with 40 cm furrow maximized resources use efficiency and increased wheat production in the Loess Plateau of China.

The circular economy is based on maintaining a circular flow of resources. Policymakers face difficulties in balancing national security and circular economy aspects in the field of mineral resources policy. With a uniquely expanded input-output table, this study estimates the final destination of several critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and dysprosium) and base metals (iron, copper and aluminum) in the Japanese economy for 2015. Our model shows quite a good similarity between the estimated composition and the actual data of products. The results reveal a detailed distribution of critical minerals and indicate prioritized implementation for creating and maintaining a circular flow of critical minerals. Developed decision flow guidance provides a comprehensive approach to national security and circular economy aspects for policymakers. For further actions, inclusive indicator development is required for policymakers to support the determination of implementation possibilities from social and technological aspects.

Phenylketonuria is an inherited metabolic disorder that leads to neurobehavioral dysfunction. The main treatment is a low-phenylalanine diet and/or the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin. Regular outpatient follow-up care and measurement of the phenylalanine level in the blood are required. We aimed to analyze the economic burden of phenylketonuria on families and the state. The pa-tients with phenylketonuria were divided into three groups according to their treatment: a low-phenylalanine diet group (n= 50), a tetrahydrobiopterin group (n= 44) and a group taking tetra-hydrobiopterin together with the diet (n= 25). A comparative cost analysis was carried out. The annual economic burden to the state was calculated to average €18801±15345 and was lowest in the diet group, then in the tetrahydrobiopterin group and highest in the tetrahydrobiopterin+diet group (p < 0.001). Out-of-pocket costs amounted to €1531±1173 per year, and indirect losses aver-aged €2125±1930 per year for all families. The economic loss was significantly lower in the fami-lies taking tetrahydrobiopterin than in the other groups (p=0.001). The combined use of medical nutrition and BH4 treatments has been shown to increase the economic harm to the state. Reim-bursing low-protein products and increasing the rate of patients eligible for financial allowances may reduce the economic harm to families.

The regions with the best economy have a greater capacity to develop low-income or social impact housing, thus contributing to the reduction of poverty, and therefore, to the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This is observed in fewer people living in extreme poverty and with fewer unmet basic needs. The present article analyzes the correlation between development by the main economic sectors in the different regions (departments) of Colombia, and the offer of low-income housing. The valid relationship found is between the economic condition of the regions (GDP) and non-social housing (more expensive commercial value) (Spearman´s Rho: 0.9). That means that there is an imbalance between regional economic capacity and the low-income housing offer because their economic potential allows them to have less of a demanding population, that is, living in poverty. This correlation is higher with activities that are mostly developed in an urban environment, such as manufacturing, construction, real estate, and finance and insurance. On the contrary, the correlation is lower with industries such as mining and agriculture, which mostly operate in rural areas. The analysis for low-income housing and economic sectors GDP yields low correlations, but are especially dismissible for more rural industries, such as mining and agriculture. The analysis shows the change of trend in the correlations for the year 2021, the beginning of the post-pandemic economic recovery.

This work aims at improving surface integrity and LCF life of machined Inconel 718. The correlation between the LCF life of Inconel 718 and various states of machined surface integrity is explored. In this paper, the surface integrity of Inconel 718 specimens is enhanced by low plasticity burnishing (LPB). The LCF life with different surface integrity specimens is predicted by micro-macro finite element method (FEM). Firstly, the LCF specimens with different surface integrity are machined by turning (turned specimen), polishing (matrix specimen) and LPB process (LPBed specimen). Secondly, the LCF experiment is carried out to reveal the effect of surface integrity on LCF life. Finally, the LCF micro-macro FEM model is proposed to predict the LCF of machined Inconel 718 specimens. The representative volume element (RVE) model is established based on the measured surface integrity and microstructure of Inconel 718 specimens. The effect of surface integrity on LCF life is transformed to equivalent load. The micro-macro FEM model combined with Tanaka-Mura dislocation crack initiation theory and extended finite element method (XFEM) is applied to predict the LCF life the machined specimens. The study results show that the LCF life of LPBed specimens can be improved by 90.5% and 36.1% compared with that of turned specimens and polished matrix specimens, respectively. The errors between FEM prediction results and experimental results are 13.1%, 9.2% and 12.2%, respectively. The proposed micro-macro FEM model could be utilized to predict the LCF life of Inconel 718 with different surface integrity, and further to apply the LCF life prediction in industry.

This study leverages the relationships between the Great Plains low-level jet (GP-LLJ) and the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) to enhance the 30-day rainfall forecast skill in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). The assessment of 30-day simulated precipitation using the Climate Forecast System (CFS) is contrasted with the North American Regional Reanalysis, searching for sources of precipitation predictability associated with extended wet and drought events. We analyze the 30-day sources of precipitation predictability using (1) the characterization of dominant statistical modes of variability of 900-mb winds associated with the GP-LLJ, (2) the large-scale atmospheric patterns based on 200-mb geopotential height (HGT), and (3) the use of GP-LLJ and CGT conditional probability distributions using a continuous correlation threshold approach to identify when and where the forecast of NGP precipitation occurs. Two factors contributing to the predictability of precipitation in the NGP are documented. We found that multi-scale geospatial interactions occur at the daily and sub-seasonal time windows. The CFS reforecast suggests that the ability to forecast sub-seasonal precipitation increases in response to the enhanced simulation of the GP-LLJ and CGT. Finally, the multi-dimensional analysis of covariance reveals that high-precipitation forecasting skill is associated with a better prognostic of GP-LLJ and CGT.

A cross-flow ultrafiltration harvesting system of a pre-concentrated microalgae culture was tested in an innovative anaerobic-based WRRF. The microalgae culture was cultivated in a membrane photobioreactor fed with the effluent from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating sewage. These harvested microalgae biomass was then anaerobically co-digested with primary and secondary sludge from the water line. Depending on the needs of this anaerobic co-digestion, the filtration harvesting process was evaluated intermittently over a period of 212 days for different operating conditions, mainly the total amount of microalgae biomass harvested and the desired final total solids concentration (up to 15.9 g·L1 with an average of 9.7 g·L1). Concentration ratios of 15-27 were obtained with average transmembrane fluxes ranged from 5 to 28 L·m2·h1. Regarding membrane cleaning, both backflushing and chemical cleaning resulted in transmembrane flux recoveries that were, on average, 21% higher than those achieved with backflushing alone. The carbon footprint assessment shows promising results as the GHG emissions associated with the cross-flow ultrafiltration harvesting process could be less than the emissions savings associated with the energy recovered from the biogas production from the anaerobic valorisation of the harvested microalgae.

In the field of delta-sigma modulators, reducing system power consumption without sacrificing accuracy has become a challenge. The summing circuit, as the main part of the cascade-of-integrator-in-feedforward delta-sigma modulator, consumes a significant amount of power in active summing. On the other hand, passive summing circuits have low power consumption but can cause attenuation in the summing results. This article proposes a low-power multi-bit delta-sigma modulator based on passive and attenuationless summation scheme. The summation circuit achieves multiplication of the voltage signal carried on the summation capacitor through bidirectional sampling technique, compensating for the inherent attenuation caused by passive summation, thus eliminating the need for active OTA to achieve perfect summation. A 2-order delta-sigma modulator based on 4-bit 1-order passive noise-shaping (NS) SAR quantizer is designed to verify the scheme. By combining a passive NS SAR as the 4-bit quantizer and the third-stage integrator of the system, and incorporating an energy-efficient cascode floating inverter amplifier (FIA) structure as the core active OTA, these elements have significantly enhanced the energy-efficiency of the modulator. Simulation results show that at a supply voltage of 1.2 V and a bandwidth of 20 kHz, the SNDR reaches 102.62 dB, power consumption is only 148.32 μW, and Schreier figure-of-merit (FoM) of SNDR is 183.92 dB.

For two-dimensional forward-looking sonar imaging, high sidelobes significantly degrade the quality of sonar images. The cosine window function weighting method is often applied to suppress the sidelobe levels in the angular and range dimensions at the expense of the main lobe resolutions. Therefore, the improved spatially variant apodization imaging method for forward-looking sonar is proposed to reduce the sidelobes without degrading the main lobe resolution in angular-range dimensions. The proposed method is a nonlinear post-processing operation in which the raw complex-valued sonar image produced by a conventional beamformer and matched filter is weighted by a spatially variant coefficient. To enhance the robustness of the spatially variant apodization approach, the array magnitude and phase errors are calibrated to prevent beam sidelobe heightening from occurring prior to beamforming operations. The analyzed results of numerical simulations and a lake experiment demonstrate that the proposed method can greatly reduce the sidelobes to approximately -40 dB, while the main lobe width remains unchanged. Moreover, this method has an extremely simple computational process.

Use of fingerprints found at a crime scene is a common practice for identifying suspects in criminal investigations. Over the past two decades, attempts have been made to obtain additional information from fingerprints, beyond locating suspects as part of an investigation. This includes gender, age and nationality. Researchers demonstrated 75%-90% accuracy in gender classification based on fingerprint images. Nonetheless, despite promising results, these studies have several significant shortcomings with respect to their practical feasibility. First, they ignore the low quality and quantity of fingerprints collected from the crime scene since typically the scene of a crime has only one fingerprint collected, and the fingerprint might be partially or of poor quality as well. Second, as most results are based on a single database, public or private, it is difficult to generalize the most suitable method. Third, studies miss the untapped potential of Data-Centric AI (DCAI) approaches for improving results. The aim of this study was to compare, for the first time, the gender classification from a fingerprint using several datasets and with varying fingerprint image quality. The results from four databases are compared, three public and one internal private database. In addition, we utilize the latest Data-Centric AI (DCAI) approaches for improving classification results. The results demonstrate that a conservative Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) such as VGG is sufficient for this task. Classification accuracy ranges from 80% to 95% depending on the quality of the fingerprint, with DCAI approaches adding 1%-4% improvement. For partially or low-quality fingerprint images, the periphery of a fingerprint is the most significant area for determining gender. The source code is also provided here for practical application.

This study delves into the dynamics of relational energy (RE) within organizational context, examining some of its antecedents and decedents. Specifically, it investigates the influence of psychological capital (PsyCap) and humor on RE, and subsequently, the latter’s impact on job performance (JB) mediated by job engagement (JE). A research model based on structural equation modelling carried out with 481 employees in private service industries demonstrates several key relationships. It reveals that both PsyCap and affiliative humor positively affect RE, while aggressive humor exerts a negative influence. Furthermore, RE shows positive association with JE and JP, with JE serving as a mediator. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to present an integrated model encompassing this exact combination of influencers and consequences of RE as well as to be investigated within Western Balkans cultural context. Therefore, it represents a novel approach. Additionally, the research addresses crucial questions regarding the existence and strategic significance of RE within organizational interactions. The findings offer valuable insights for organizations seeking to enhance employee engagement, performance, and wellbeing – even during health crises such as COVID-19 – by fostering RE. The study advances the understanding of RE in organizational settings and provides a foundation for future research in this domain.

Recruitment is a fundamental aspect of Human Resource Management to drive organizational performance. Traditional recruitment processes, with manual stages, are time-consuming and inefficient. Artificial Intelligence (AI), which demonstrates its potential in various sectors such as healthcare, education and notable cases of ChatGPT, is currently reshaping recruitment by automating tasks to improve efficiency. However, in Thailand, where there is a growing demand for talents, the application of AI in recruitment remains relatively limited. This research focuses on human resources (HR) and recruitment professionals in Thailand, aiming to understand their perspectives on the integration of AI in recruitment. It extended the Unified Theory for Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, customized to suit the specific requirements of Thai recruitment practices. The study explores the factors influencing users' intention to adopt AI in recruitment. Survey questionnaire items were created based on prior literatures and refined with insights from HR and recruitment experts to ensure applicability in the context of recruitment in Thailand. A survey involving 364 HR and recruiting professionals in Bangkok metropolitan area supplied comprehensive responses. The research reveals that several factors, including Perceived Value, Perceived Autonomy, Effort Expectancy, and Facilitating Conditions, significantly impact the intention to adopt AI for recruitment. While Social Influence and Trust in AI Technology do not have a direct influence on intention, Social Influence directly affects Perceived Value. Trust in AI Technology positively influences Effort Expectancy. This study provides valuable benefits for HR and recruitment professionals, organizations and AI developers by offering insights into AI adoption and sustainability, enhancing recruitment processes and promoting the effective use of AI tools in this sector.

Efforts to enhance carbon storage in forest ecosystems through policy and management decisions rely on accurate forest biomass assessments. However, most forest inventories consider tree mortality the only form of aboveground biomass loss, overlooking other important factors, such as wood decay in living trees. In this study, using linear mixed-effects models, we delve into the sustainability of mature and over-mature deciduous forests in Latvia by conducting a comprehensive analysis of stem rot severity, identifying species for which the impact of stem rot on their carbon stock reduction was most significant. The analysis focused on determining the proportion of discolored wood, decomposed wood, and hollow spaces within the stems of 190 living deciduous trees commonly found in hemiboreal forests. The study reveals a greater extent of stem rot and more extensive decay in Populus tremula trees than in Betula spp., Alnus glutinosa, and Alnus incana. It emphasizes the influence of tree species, age, and diameter at breast height on stem rot proportions. The stump rot area significantly predicts the amount of decomposed and discolored wood within the stem. The study provides valuable insights for sustainable forestry practices and highlights challenges in estimating stem rot severity, emphasizing the need for comprehensive diagnostic methods.

When disposing of waste metal resources in landfills, environmental issues such as soil contamination may arise. Recycling these resources not only recovers valuable metals but also mitigates environmental pollution. Platinum (Pt), a valuable metal used in fuel cells for its high water production activity, will see increased future demand as a fossil fuel alternative. This study analyzes the environmental and resource reduction effects of recycled Pt, considering the growing emphasis on its recycling for stable supply and demand of Pt. The environmental impact and resource consumption of recycled Pt with primary Pt (from natural mines) were compared and analyzed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique. Results revealed that resource consumption for primary Pt was 8.25E+01 kg Sb-eq./kg, significantly more than the 5.45E+00 kg Sb-eq./kg for recycled Pt. This represents an environmental reduction effect of approximately 93%. In the case of greenhouse gas emissions, primary Pt emitted 1.35E+04 kg CO2-eq./kg, while recycled Pt emitted 6.94E+02 kg CO2-eq./kg, resulting in an environmental reduction effect of approximately 95%. In conclusion, recycling Pt, compared to primary extraction, offers substantial environmental and resource reduction benefits. This study underscores the significance of recycling and highlights the potential environmental improvements achievable through sustainable practices.

This paper presents a Modified Gate Diffusion Input (MGDI) design with four inputs for Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) technology. QCA is a promising nanotechnology that offers benefits such as low power consumption, and high density, making it a potential alternative to CMOS technology. The proposed planar cell design has advantages over previous designs, including a 19% reduction in the number of cells, a 29% reduction in total energy consumption, and a 44% reduction in average energy loss at the same occupancy level. The proposed block is capable of implementing 21 basic combinational functions and various sequential functions. The simulation of functions in 18nm technology and energy consumption calculation indicates that the resulting circuits have improvements of 41%, 27%, 27%, and 20% compared to multiplexers, comparators, four-bit parity circuits, and single-bit memory, respectively. Additionally, the number of cells in the proposed circuits has improved by 10%, 7%, 22%, and 19%, respectively.

This study presents the design and implementation of a PLC microprocessor adhering to the IEC-61131-3 standard, executed on a Cyclone-V FPGA using a DE10-NANO development board. Our microprocessor optimizes the central processing unit by streamlining the data path, achieving a remarkable simulated response time of approximately 60 ns, equivalent to three clock cycles at a 50MHz frequency for Boolean operations. To substantiate our approach, we conducted practical experiments utilizing a FESTO conveyor station, employing relays as actuators, and incorporating optical and inductive sensors. The results underscore the feasibility of our proposed approach and serve as practical validation of its efficacy. This work introduces a promising avenue for the development of cost-effective PLCs employing SoC FPGA variants. Additionally, a thorough comparison of execution times with other early reported architectures. Our microprocessor outperforms even well-established PLCs like the S7-312, with substantial reductions in execution times of 94.54% for floating-point operations, 71.42% to 93.33% for word operations, and up to 78.57% for bit operations.

Obesity and overweight are associated with many metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, which are closely related to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise. Aerobic exercise effectively increases the high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and decreases the triglyceride (TG) levels. The consumption of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®) is also effective in enhancing the HDL-C quantity and HDL functionality to treat dyslipidemia and hypertension. On the other hand, no study has examined the effects of a combination of high-intensity exercise and policosanol consumption in obese subjects to improve metabolic disorders. In the current study, 17 obese subjects (average BMI 30.0±1.1 kg/m2, eight male and nine female) were recruited to participate in a program combining exercise and policosanol (20 mg) consumption for 12 weeks. After completion, their BMI, waist circumference, total fat mass, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased by approximately 15% (p=0.022), 12.7% (p=0.008), 33% (p=0.006), 11% (p<0.046), and 13% (p=0.007), respectively. In the serum lipid profile, at week 12, they showed a remarkable decrease in the total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, up to 17% (p<0.019) and 54% (p<0.002) from the baseline, respectively. Although the serum HDL-C was increased by approximately +12% from the baseline, the percentage of HDL-C in TC, HDL-C/TC (%), was increased by up to +32% (p=0.007) at week 12. The serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) level was increased 1.2-fold in all participants at week 12 from the baseline. In particular, the male participants showed a 1.4-fold increase (p=0.027) from the baseline. The larger increase in serum CoQ10 was correlated with the larger increase in the serum HDL-C during 12 weeks. The hepatic function parameters were improved; the serum -glutamyl transferase decreased at week 12 by up to 55% (p<0.007), while the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase levels decreased within the normal range. In the lipoprotein level, the extent of oxidation and glycation were reduced significantly in VLDL and LDL, with a remarkable decrease in the TG content in particles. The antioxidant abilities of HDL2 and HDL3, such as paraoxonase (PON) and ferric ion reduction ability (FRA), were enhanced significantly by up to 1.8-fold (p<0.001) and 1.6-fold (p<0.001) at week 12. The particle size and number of HDL2 were increased up to +10% during the 12 weeks with a remarkable decrease in the TG content, glycation extent, oxidation up to 32% (p=0.032), 18% (p=0.043), and 11% (p=0.023), respectively. The particle number and diameter of HDL3 were increased by up to +9% with a remarkable increase in the PON activity, FRA activity, and TC content of +82% (p<0.001), +56% (p<0.001), and +32% (p=0.009), respectively. Expression of apolipoproteinA-I in HDL2 and HDL3 were significantly elevated more in both gender around 30~48% with more distinct band intensity and less glycation at week 12. These improvements in HDL quality and functionality were linked to the higher survivability of adult zebrafish and their embryos. Under the co-presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML), a microinjection of HDL2 to zebrafish embryo from week 0 resulted in approximately 47% survivability with developmental defects and attenuated speed. On the other hand, the HDL2 microinjection from week 12 resulted in remarkably higher survivability (~ 70%). In conclusion, 12 weeks of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®, 20 mg) consumption with high-intensity exercise showed significant improvement in blood pressure, body fat mass, blood lipid profile without liver damage, CoQ10 metabolism, and renal impairment. At week 12, all participants showed a remarkable decrease in oxidation and glycation extent in the VLDL and LDL with a decrease in the TC and TG content. Significant enhancement of the qualities and functionalities in HDL2 and HDL3 by the policosanol consumption were also detected: increase in apoA-I content, TC content, particle size, and particle numbers along with antioxidant abilities, such as PON and FRA.

The rapid advancement of technology has led to increased electronic consumption and a corresponding rise in e-waste generation. To address this issue, this study develops a low-carbon e-commerce closed-loop supply chain (LCE-CLSC) system with remanufacturer, platform, and the government as key stakeholders. An evolutionary game approach is employed to investigate the system's dynamics, analyzing the impact of stakeholder strategies on system equilibrium. Numerical simulations reveal important findings: Firstly, government initiatives promoting recycling, carbon taxes on traditional products, can incentivize remanufacturers to produce low-carbon items and encourage platform investment in recycling services. Secondly, higher sales revenues motivate remanufacturers to produce low-carbon products. Thirdly, consumer sensitivity to recycling services strengthens waste recovery when platforms increase investments in these services, leading to remanufacturers choosing low-carbon production. Lastly, government subsidies may become ineffective if the cost of remanufacturers' carbon reduction and platforms' recycling services exceeds their affordability. These findings offer insights for the sustainable development of obsolete electronic product recycling systems.

In space application, hybrid pixel detectors of the Timepix family have been considered mainly for measurement of radiation levels and radiation dosimetry in low earth orbits. By the example of the Space Application of Timepix Radiation Monitor (SATRAM), we demonstrate the unique capabilities of Timepix-based miniaturized radiation detectors for particle separation. Using a novel method for proton spectrum reconstruction, we were able to measure the spectrum of protons trapped in the inner Van-Allen radiation belt, for the first time with a single-layer detector. We assess the measurement stability and the resiliency of the detector to the space environment demonstrating that, even though degradation is observed, data quality has not been affected significantly over more than 10 years. Based on the SATRAM heritage and the capabilities of the latest-generation Timepix-series chips, we discuss their applicability for use in a compact magnetic spectrometer for deep-space mission or in the high radiation environment of the Jupiter radiation belts, and their capability for use as single-layer X- and γ-ray polarimeter. The latter was supported by measurement of the polarization of scattered radiation in a laboratory experiment, where a modulation of 80% was found.

This paper investigates if the polar groups induced by a plasma treatment can increase the lap shear strength of laser joined metal and plastic hybrids. Optimal laser joining parameters for cold-rolled AISI304 – Polyamide 6.6 and sandblasted AISI304 - Polypropylene hybrids are developed. The OWRK-method was utilized to identify the change in surface free energy of a low-pressure plasma treatment. Plasma treated samples were joined and tested. The fractured surfaces were investigated via light microscopy and SEM. The arithmetic means of the plasma treated hybrids lap shear strength with polyamide 6.6 varied slightly but all measured values were within the range of the untreated samples. The lap shear strengths of the polypropylene hybrids were significantly reduced. This was attributed to an overaging and the development of low molecular weight oxidized materials which lead to a weak boundary layer. No correlation between surface free energy and the lap shear strength could be found.

We offered the circuit of a discrete analog filter (DAF) low frequencies of second-order on switchable capacitors, which differs from the known ones in that three capacitors with one terminal are connected to a common bus, and the frequency of the DAF pole depends not only on the ratio of the capacitances of the frequency-setting capacitors, but also on the ratio of resistances two additional resistors in the feedback. This allows at constant values ​​of the capacitances and a fixed switching frequency of electronic switches, control the pole frequency by changing the resistance ratio of additional resistors. Computer simulation of the developed circuit was performed in the Micro-Cap environment. It has been established that the DAF has a transmission coefficient close to minus one at very low frequencies and a transmission coefficient close to zero at higher frequencies.

A millimeter-wave microstrip leaky-wave antenna array based on the substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) and the complementary split-ring resonator (CSRR) is proposed in this paper. The slow wave characteristics of the SIW are enhanced by etching two rows of symmetrical CSRR-type slots on the surface of the SIW layer. The magnetic coupling between the CSRR-SIW layer and equally spaced circular patches array on the upper layer realizes the radiation of electromagnetic energy. In the 23~30 GHz (relative bandwidth 26.4%) operating frequency band, the horizontal polarization radiation beam scanning from -62° to -2° is realized, with a peak gain of 9.6~11.7 dBi, and the cross-polarization ratio is more than 43.8 dB.

Background: Hemangiomas are an aberrant proliferation of blood vessels and are the most frequent benign pediatric soft tissue tumors. Despite their being common, genital localisation is rare. This study aimed to assist doctors in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of paediatric vulvovaginal hemangiomas by conducting a review of the literature and also gathering some cases of patients from our clinic.Methods: We conducted a literature review including papers published between October 2021 and April 2023, and we described the cases of 3 patients who referred to our clinic with vulvovaginal hemangioma.Results: While most of hemangiomas are usually indolent and resolve with time, in some cases, especially vaginal and cervical ones, they might present with severe symptoms like heavy bleeding and need further instrumental investigation for diagnosis, like CT or MRI. As for the treatment many options are available with medical therapy or expectant management being the first choice.Conclusions: Vulvovaginal pediatric hemangiomas are rare and, so, more research should be done to how to detect and manage this lesions, especially the symptomatic and the psychologically impacting ones. For the time being treatment should personalized based also on the patient situation and clinician’s expertise.

The improvement of agricultural low-carbon efficiency is an important path to promote the realization of the "double carbon" goal in the Yellow River Basin. In the context of rapid urbanization development, it is of great significance to explore whether the promotion of urbanization will affect the agricultural low-carbon efficiency. Based on the panel data of 75 cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020, this paper uses super-DEA model, three-dimensional kernel density model and Markov chain model to measure and analyze the spatio-temporal evolution of agricultural low-carbon efficiency in the Yellow River Basin, on this basis, the panel Tobit model is used to analyze the relationship between urbanization and low-carbon efficiency in agriculture. The results show that: (1) The level of agricultural low-carbon efficiency in the Yellow River Basin is low and has not reached the effective state, showing a slow downward trend in general, among which, the agricultural low-carbon efficiency in the lower reaches is higher than that in the middle reaches, and the upper reaches is the lowest. (2) The agricultural low-carbon efficiency in the Yellow River Basin has a negative trend of transferring to the low level on the whole, and tends to maintain the original state level, and it is difficult to realize the leapfrog transfer between states. Agricultural low-carbon efficiency has obvious spatial spillover effect and "club convergence" phenomenon, high efficiency area has a positive driving effect on the neighborhood area, while low efficiency area has a negative impact on the neighborhood area. (3) The level of urbanization has a significant positive impact on the low-carbon efficiency of agriculture in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin, which plays an important role in promoting the green development of agriculture. Finally, based on the above research conclusions, relevant policy recommendations were put forward, in order to provide references for promoting the improvement of low-carbon agricultural efficiency and promoting high-quality agricultural development in the Yellow River Basin.

Drowning remains a prominent global pediatric health concern, necessitating preventive measures such as educational initiatives for children and caregivers. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and educational effectiveness of an interactive puppet show centered on water safety for children and parents. A 30-minute original theater performance, featuring two actors and three puppets (a girl, a crab, and a lifeguard), was conducted. Subsequently, 185 children (aged 4 to 8) and their 160 parents (134 mothers and 26 fathers) participated in this quasi-experimental study. Pre- and post-show tests were administered to evaluate knowledge and behaviors in aquatic environments. Prior to the puppet show, 78% of children exhibited basic aquatic competency. Only 33% considered swimming alone risky. Following the intervention, 81.6% of children changed their perception of the risks of solo beach activities, showing improved knowledge of emergency number activation (from 63.2% to 98.9%, p&lt;0.001). The intervention increased parents' intention to visit lifeguard-patrolled beaches and improved their CPR knowledge for drowning victims by 58.8%. In conclusion, a drowning prevention puppet show positively impacts children and parents, potentially enhancing safety behaviors during water-related leisure activities, warranting consideration as part of comprehensive drowning prevention strategies.

Objective: To analyze the relation between alterations in the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis during the first 6 months of life and weight in children born in the Lower Middle São Francisco region. Methods: This is an analytical cohort, with a quantitative approach and a translational perspective. Thirty children with low and normal birth weight were initially identified in a hospital and reapproached at 3 and 6 months of age. Birth weight and alterations in GH/IGF-1 curves at birth, third month, and sixth month of life. Results: Weight gain during the 6 months of follow-up in newborns with low birth weight was greater compared to newborns with normal birth weight. All children who were born with low birth weight had an altered GH/IGF-1 curve at birth (p = 0.002). Most newborns with low birth weight maintained the alteration in the GH/IGF-1 curve at the third month of life (p = 0.027). Regarding the GH/IGF-1 curve at the sixth month, alteration persisted in greater proportion among children with low birth weight. Conclusion: Alterations in insulin resistance markers, demonstrated by increased GH without a proportional increase in IGF-1, were observed to be significant in children with low birth weight, with greater adiposity in this group, which may increase the risk of metabolic diseases in later life.

Abstract: High power semiconductor laser is a kind of photoelectric device with high efficiency and high stability, the performance of its drive system directly affects its output characteristics and service life. In order to solve the problems of stability and robustness of the output power of semiconductor laser, a semiconductor laser driving power supply with high efficiency, low ripple and strong anti-interference ability was developed. The power supply adopts full-bridge LCC resonant power topology. Firstly, a mathematical model is established to analyze the relationship between LCC resonator parameters and output current gain. Secondly, a LCC resonator parameter design method is proposed to reduce the current stress of components, and the variable frequency phase shift (PFM-PWM) composite control strategy and linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) algorithm are proposed, which not only ensures the zero voltage (ZVS) conduction of MOS tube, but also reduces the on-off loss of MOS tube. Improved power efficiency and suppressed output current ripple; At the same time, the instability of the output current is ensured due to the input voltage, load and parasitic parameter change of the circuit. Finally, the simulation and experimental results show that the power supply can be continuously adjustable in the output current range of 0-40A, the current ripple is less than 0.8%, and the working efficiency is up to 92%. It has the characteristics of high stability, small ripple, high efficiency, low cost and good robustness.

Carsharing has become increasingly popular in recent years as a sustainable transportation solution, offering individuals access to shared vehicles on a short-term basis. One-way carsharing, in particular, presents unique challenges due to its flexible nature, allowing users to pick up and drop off vehicles at different locations within a designated service area. This flexibility increases the service ridership but comes at the expense of vehicle imbalance among the stations, as some stations may have excess vehicles while other stations have vehicle shortages. Therefore, carsharing companies need to decide on strategies to ensure a balanced distribution of vehicles among the stations. This is essential as unbalanced vehicle distribution can lead to the unavailability of vehicles when needed or, conversely, result in an increased number of unnecessary rebalancing trips, thereby exacerbating traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Such issues can potentially undermine the overall contribution of carsharing to urban sustainability. To this end, this paper reviews the vehicle imbalance problem that arises in this field and the solution algorithms that solve them.

Background. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the intensity and frequency of low back pain (LBP) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and the patient's knowledge of physiotherapeutic methods of combating. Methods. In this study, patients with confirmed multiple sclerosis were selected. The study was carried out using an original survey questionnaire and a numerical pain intensity scale (Visual Analogue Scale). PwMS were divided into 3 age groups: 18-30 years, 31-50 years, and over 50 years. Results. Ninety PwMS (68 women and 22 men) aged 18 to 60 years were included in the study. The mean duration of the disease was 9.5±4.9 years, and the mean EDSS was 3.5±1.6. Most of the patients had a relapse-remitting form. 68.9% of PwMS felt lower back pain (n = 62). The relationship tested was statistically significant (p=0.0000012), and the strength of the relationship was high (rc=0.695). The average level of low back pain among PwMS was 4.7 out of 10 on the VAS scale. The prevalence of LBP was higher in female patients (p<0.001), with a secondary progressive form (p<0.001) and with a longer duration of the disease (p=0.023). The most widely used methods of LBP therapy were kinesitherapy and manual therapy. Conclusions. LBP is common in multiple sclerosis. A female sex, a secondary progressive form of MS, and a longer duration of the disease increased the risk of LBP. It is important to implement properly planned physiotherapy activities and educate patients on how to combat LBP.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and identify risk factors for schistosomiasis among school-aged children in low- and middle-income communities. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, involving the examination of 24 034 children for Schistosoma haematobium ova. Data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Logistic regression was employed to determine the factors associated with schistosomiasis. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis in the study population was 75%, with higher rates observed in rural-dominated areas, particularly Bushbuckridge (73%) and Nkomazi (51%). Age, a history of bilharzia, and the presence of blood in urine were significantly associated with schistosomiasis, while being a female child was found to be a protective factor. This study underscores the importance of implementing robust screening procedures and the necessity for health education to mitigate the high prevalence of schistosomiasis and prevent its further spread.

Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP), defined as pain persisting for at least 12 weeks, is a significant public health issue, with prevalence intensifying due to an ageing global population, amassing approximately 619 million cases in 2020 and projected to escalate to 843 million by 2050. Given the multitude of therapeutic modalities available for CLBP, this research sought to ascertain their respective efficacies in ameliorating pain and disability. We specifically scrutinized Multidisciplinary Biopsychosocial Rehabilitation (MBR) among adults enduring non-specific low back pain for over 12 weeks, excluding acute pain conditions and pre-study surgical interventions. MBR is an approach encompassing various modalities, including exercise, behavioral therapies, educational programs, and work conditioning aspects, necessitating a comprehensive Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) to fully grasp the extensive scope of its impact. The constructed network comprised diverse MBR modalities (behavioral, educational, and work conditioning) alongside exercise therapy (ET), minimal intervention, and usual care, serving as controls with pain and disability as outcomes. Through the analysis of 4,619 initially identified studies, 93 were included, encompassing a total of 8,059 participants. The NMA conducted substantiated that both ET and MBR modalities were notably effective in alleviating CLBP, with education-oriented MBR emerging as the most efficacious for pain mitigation and behavior-focused MBR for disability reduction. Nevertheless, the discerned differences amongst the treatments were minimal and uncertain, highlighting that no modality was definitively superior to the others. The analysis revealed low global and local inconsistency within the network, underscoring the reliability of the observed outcomes. Given the intricate nature of CLBP, embodying various facets, our findings advocate for a combined therapeutic approach to optimize treatment efficacy. Nonetheless, the presence of high study heterogeneity and potential biases necessitates cautious interpretation of the results, prompting future research.

Rural areas, as a system, face multiple challenges. Among these are population decline and attendant economic and social maladies namely demographic issues considering a scarce population. Pull factors for immigrants to go to other countries are known, nevertheless, to comprehend factors for remaining in rural areas after arriving could support a strategic local policy, and for an informed practice. The purpose of the study is to explore motivations shaping immigrants’ intentions to stay in the Alentejo, a depopulated region in Portugal, using a qualitative approach. Research questions are: What motivates immigrants to remain living in depopulated regions in Portugal? Furthermore, what contributions can practitioners and immigrants give for local policy and practice? Eight practitioners and fifteen non-European Union immigrants living in this region were interviewed between 2020 and 2021. Empirical data were analysed, supported by MaxQDA software. Results point out that the intention to remain in rural areas arise from a progressive construction, it is a process that immigrants experience to become motivated to stay long-term. Factors influencing the process include four components: 1. instrumental and material motivations; 2. emotional and social motivations; 3. motivations based on quality of life; and 4. motivations based on political dimensions. Components are conditioned by the availability of : stable and suitable jobs, access to decent and affordable housing, as well as quality of education and health services for their children; additionally to socio-emotional satisfaction, as family reunification, migrants network, integration and real intercultural living in the host community, close relationships to practitioners from social services; and quality of life, such as lower rents, peaceful and secure living conditions, granted a better future for their children as in any another place in Europe, associated finally to the simplified policy enabling one to become a legal citizen. Conclusions highlight implications for policy and practice, suggesting more investment for rural regions to reverse depopulation reality.

The rising prevalence of autism internationally has been accompanied with an increased appreciation of the poorer mental health experienced by people with this condition and also of their family care-givers. In particular higher incidences of anxiety and depression are reported in high income nations and these conditions are likely to be under-recognised and under-reported in lower resourced regions or countries. Mainstream mental health services seem to be ill-equipped to respond adequately to the needs of autistic persons and their care-givers. This scoping review of 30 recently published literature reviews covering over 1,000 journal articles, summarises the insights and strategies that have been shown to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of autistic persons. In particular, a focus on family-centred, community-based supports is needed that aim to enhance social communication, extend social connections and promote an individual’s self-esteem, self-determination and social motivation. These low-cost interventions are especially pertinent in low resourced settings but they can be used internationally to prevent mental illness and assist in the treatment of anxiety and depression in autistic persons and their family carers. The priority is to focus on primary care responses with cross-sectoral working rather than investing in high-cost psychiatric provision.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have been shown as selective and environmentally friendly solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds. However, studies on the solubility of low molecular weight carbohydrates (LMWC) in NADES are scarce. In this work, new solubility data of LMWC in NADES are provided and a new approach based on the use of these solvents for the efficient fractionation of bioactive carbohydrates was explored for the first time. Several mono- and disaccharides and three NADES based on choline chloride (ChCl) and different donors [2-ethylene glycol (EtG), glycerol (Gly) and ethanedioic acid dihydrate (Eth)] were considered. While degradation of carbohydrates, mainly ketoses, was detected with ChCl:Eth due to its acidic nature, ChCl:EtG and ChCl:Gly were found to be useful alternatives for selectively separating bioactive ketoses and their corresponding aldoses (e.g. lactulose/lactose and tagatose/galactose) present in equimolar binary mixtures. In addition, the usefulness of ChCl:EtG for the selective enrichment of lactulose to be used as food ingredient or nutraceutical was proven (from a 25% in the reaction mixture to a 56% in the purified sample). NADES could be used for the selective fractionation of value-added carbohydrates from interfering sugars for several applications including food science, engineering or pharmaceuticals.

Product introductions play a pivotal role in the success and competitiveness of manufacturing, particularly in the context of new product development. Low-volume manufacturing companies exhibit distinct characteristics that significantly influence the product introduction process. Notably, the quality of information exchange between product design and production interfaces becomes paramount in this high-mix and low-volume industry. Consequently, there exists a pressing need to explore various methods for adapting and customizing management mechanisms and strategies to align with the unique requirements and characteristics of low-volume manufacturing and its associated product introduction processes. While the need for this knowledge is critical in the context of low-volume manufacturing, a majority of existing studies predominantly focus on the management aspects within high-volume manufacturing. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to investigate the customization of product introduction management strategies to enhance the quality of information content within the realm of low-volume manufacturing. Drawing upon a longitudinal analysis of new product introductions within a low-volume manufacturing company, this study narratively elucidates how the examined company implemented product introduction management strategies to facilitate the enhancement of information content quality during the product introduction phase. The study presents its findings on management strategies across three key stages: pre-implementation, post-implementation, and subsequent modification and refinement of strategies following the initial round of implementation. By shedding light on these strategies, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of management approaches in the context of low-volume product introduction. As a result, it makes a valuable contribution to the discourse on information management and interface management in the high-mix, low-volume manufacturing literature.

The manufacturing geometrical variability in axial compressors is a stochastic source of uncertainty, implying that the real geometry differs from the nominal design. This causes the real geometry to lose the ideal axial symmetry. Considering the aerofoils of a stator vane, the geometrical variability affects the flow traversing it. This impacts the downstream rotor, especially when considering the aeroelastic excitation forces. Optical surface scans coupled with a parametrization method allow for acquiring the information relative to the real aerofoils geometries. The measured data are included in a multi-passage and multi-stage CFD setup to represent the mistuned flow. In particular, low excitation harmonics on the rotor vane are introduced due to the geometrical deviations of the upstream stator. The introduced low engine orders as well as their amplitude depend on the stator geometries and their order. A method is proposed to represent the phenomena in a reduced CFD domain, limiting the size and number of solutions required to probabilistically describe the rotor excitation forces. The resulting rotor excitation forces are reconstructed as a superposition of disturbances due to individual stator aerofoils geometries. This indicates that the problem is linear in in the combination of disturbances from single passages.

Oxidative stress is one of the primary instigators of the onset of various human ailments, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. Particularly, oxidative stress has a severe effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, leading to several detrimental health effects. Thereof, in this study, the effect of beeswax alcohol (BWA) was evaluated to prevent LDL oxidation, enhancement of paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and zebrafish embryo survivability. Furthermore, the implication of BWA consumption on the oxidative plasma variables was assessed by a preliminary clinical study on middle and older human subjects (n=50). Results support BWA augmentation of PON-1 activity in a dose-dependent manner (10-30 μM), which was significantly better them the effect exerted by coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Moreover, BWA significantly curtails CuSO4 (final 0.5 μM) evoked LDL/apo-B oxidation and a marked reduction of lipid peroxidation in LDL. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed a healing effect of BWA towards the restoration of LDL morphology and size impaired by the exposure of Cu2+ ions (final 0.5 μM). Additionally, BWA counter carboxymethyllysine (CML, 500 ng) induced toxicity and rescued zebrafish embryos from development deformities and apoptotic cell death. A completely randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled preliminary clinical study on middle and older-aged human subjects (n=50) exhibited that 12 weeks of BWA (100 mg/day) supplementation efficiently diminished serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total hydroperoxides, and enhanced total antioxidant status by 25%, 27%, and 22%, respectively, compared to the placebo control and baseline values. Furthermore, the consumption of BWA did not exhibit any noteworthy changes in anthropometric profile, lipid profile, glucose levels, and biomarkers pertinent to kidney and liver function, thus confirming the safety of BWA for consumption. Conclusively, BWA prevents LDL oxidation, enhances PON-1 activity in HDL, and has a positive impact on the oxidative variables of human subjects.

Global croplands, pastures, plantations, and human settlement areas have expanded in recent decades, accompanied by large increases in energy, water, and fertilizer consumption, along with considerable losses of biodiversity. In sub-Saharan Africa, policies are implemented without critical consideration e.g., agricultural expansions impair ecosystem services of the several river basins. The current study has studied landuse/cover and associated rate of change for four-time epochs i.e., 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021. This employed remote sensing and GIS techniques for LULC analysis while future projection was modelled using cellular automata and Markov chain. The Kappa coefficient statistics were used to assess the accuracy of final classified image while reference images for accuracy assessment were developed based on ground truthing. Overall change results between 1991 and 2021, showed that major percentage loss in area were experienced by water, forest, woodland and wetland which decreased by 8,222Ha (44.11%), 426,161Ha (35.72%), 399,584Ha (35.01%) and 105,186Ha (34.82%). On the other hand, percentage increase in area during the same period were experienced in cultivated land, built up areas and grasslands which increased by 659,346Ha (205.28%), 11,894Ha (159.93%) and 33,547Ha (98.47%). However, even with the expanding thirsty sectors water discharged out of the catchment is on increment at a rate of 498.6 m3/s/year. For dualistic benefits, agroforest practices are recommended along with participatory law enforcement and capacity building of local communities through their institutions.

Water scarcity challenges have necessitated the adoption of water-saving techniques in protected and nom-protected farming. This study aimed to assess the performance of a water-saving soil-less cultivation technique and to compare it with conventional soil-based cultivation in protected farming. The soilless technique used local gravel and a mixture of peat-moss, humin-substrate, and perlite in ratios of 4:3:1.5. Three irrigation regimes were imposed using emitters 8Lh-1 design discharge (D1) emitters with 6Lh-1 design discharge (D0.75) and 4Lh-1 de-sign discharge (D0.5) for the two cultivation methods during the growth cycle of tomato by drip irrigation. The vegetative growth, fruit yield and water consumption were measured and water productivity was determined. Moreover, an economic assessment was carried out by estimating and comparing economic coefficients for the two cultivation methods. Estimated coefficients include revenues, net profit, benefit-cost ratio, break-even levels of production and prices, revenues over variable cost, and revenues on investment. The tomato fruit yield under soil-based cultivation overtopped the yield under soilless cultivation. The water productivity under the soilless cultivation was almost twice that (24.3 kg m-3) of the soil-based cultivation (15.5 kg m-3). The soilless cultivation saved 50% of irrigation water applied by the conventional soil-based method, saving energy and soil from deterioration. Revenues and net profits stimulated by higher yield coupled with lower variable cos supported the soil-based cultivation. The economic assessment showed that both cultivation methods were economically viable. However, the soil-based cultivation method was more profitable due to its higher fruit yield. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the soilless cultivation technique is a viable option for wa-ter-saving cultivation. However, the soil-based cultivation method is still more profitable due to its higher fruit yield

: Healthcare workers are affected by mental health issues, burnout and turnover, and this burden is even greater during epidemics and pandemics, such as COVID-19. The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the measures introduced or supported in the institutions of Quebec’s health and social services network during the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of protecting healthcare workers’ mental health. An online questionnaire survey was administered in 2021 among human resources department personnel in health and social services network institutions involved in workplace mental health in Quebec. A total of 223 key informants representing 31 of the 34 public health and social services institutions in the province of Quebec in Canada responded to the questionnaire. Measures that focus on the needs of staff, involve all levels of authority and the ones that provide flexibility, support and recognition at work were more successful, according to the advisors surveyed. Future research into whether the same measures are considered effective or ineffective outside of a pandemic context is needed.

To systematically assess the effect size of different methods for patients with low back pain. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. databases were searched in January 2023. This study has been developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. The key search terms were: “Low back pain”, “Back pain”, “SF-36”, “VAS”, “VASP”, “Roland-Morris”, “Oswestry Disability Index”, and “conservative treatment”. The risk of bias was determined for each randomized trial using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and the methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS). The outcomes included SF-36 Mental, SF-36 Physical, VAS, Roland-Morris, and Oswestry Disability Index. R 4.0.5 software was used, and standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes, random model. Twenty-five studies were included. Depending on the outcome being measured, the effect size of different methods in treating low back pain varies from small to large as follows: SF-36 Mental (SMD = 0.39, p &lt; 0.0001), SF-36 Physical (SMD = 0.55, p &lt; 0.0001), VAS (SMD = -0.84, p &lt; 0.0001), Roland-Morris (SMD = -0.45, p &lt; 0.0001), and Oswestry Disability Index (SMD = -0.61, p &lt; 0.0001). Our meta-analysis indicates the positive effects of applying different methods in the treatment of low back pain. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022371282

Under the "dual carbon" target in China, virtual power plants (VPPs) play an important role in improving grid security and promoting clean and low-carbon energy transformation. VPPs can integrate and control distributed resources to participate in the energy market and make full use of distributed resources. However, the intermittency and volatility of renewable energy and the "heat-driven" working mode of CHP units create contradictions that seriously affect the peak-shaving ability of VPPs and lead to high carbon emissions. To solve these problems, this paper aggregates CHP units, wind power, photovoltaics, carbon capture, hydrogen energy storage, and electric boilers into a new type of virtual power plant. The "hydrogen energy storage-electric boiler" joint decoupling CHP working mode is used to strengthen the coupling relationship between electric-thermal-hydrogen load. At the same time, a tiered carbon trading mechanism is considered, with the net profit of the VPP as the optimization objective, balancing economic and environmental considerations. A low-carbon economic dispatch model for VPPs is established, and a genetic algorithm is used for optimization. Three different scheduling strategies are set, and simulations are conducted in three different seasonal scenarios. The results show that the net profit in the cooling season increased by 50.4%, and carbon emissions decreased by 42.3%. In the transitional season, the net profit increased by 39.2%, and carbon emissions decreased by 44.9%. In the heating season, the net profit increased by 19.4%, and carbon emissions decreased by 43.4%. Overall, the proposed dispatch strategy can improve the new energy consumption capacity and total revenue of VPPs while achieving the goal of reducing carbon emissions.

Several studies have shown that physical activity (PA) is related to physical and mental health. Yet, there are few studies on the frequency of PA as it relates to health and a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the frequency of practicing different types of physical activities (dependent variables), living a healthy lifestyle (BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption), physical health (sum of all doctor visits except psychiatrists) and mental health (a sum of visits to psychiatrists) at different ages (independent variables). We fo-cused on three types of PA: (1) medium to high-intensity aerobic exercises; (2) low to medium intensity relaxing and stretching exercises, (3) outdoor leisure PA. 9,617 participants (ages: 19 -81) were included in the study (with health registries over a period of 10 years prior to a cross-sectional survey). Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression on frequencies of three types of PA and factors related to health and healthy lifestyles, as well as age and sex, were performed in this study. The results indicate that a higher frequency of practicing PA had a higher probability of association with the following factors: lower BMI, less or non-smoking behavior (types 1 & 3); higher education (types 1 & 2); higher age (types 2 & 3) and better physical health (type 1). Occasional (practicing sometimes) PA, type 2, was positively associated with poorer mental health (higher number of psychiatrist visits). Women were more likely to practice PA type 2, and men – PA types 3 & 1. Conclusion: In general, a higher frequency of PA is related with better health and healthy life styles; with the exception of PA type 2 that is related to poorer mental health.

The airflow carried by artificial aeration provides oxidant O2 for microbial growth and mineral dissolution in heap bioleaching. To investigate the effect of forced aeration rate on bioleaching of low-grade copper sulfide ores, column bioleaching experiments with six columns were conducted in the aeration range of 0~150 L/h at 30~45 ℃. The results showed that when the aeration rate was higher than 95 L/h, the proportions of heap settlement and fine particles mass were much greater than that without aeration. The final total Fe concentration and bacterial cell numbers in pregnant leach solution increased with the increase of aeration rate.The final concentrations of Cu2 + in the mother liquor under aeration conditions of 60-150 L / h were 1.411, 1.432, 1.498, 1.491 and 1.583 g / L, respectively, which were higher than 1.345 g / L under non-aeration conditions. When the aeration rate was 150 L / h, the final Cu leaching rate was 80.1 %, which was 11.4 % higher than that without aeration ( 68.7 % ). Furthermore, in the early stage of leaching, copper leaching rate with 95 L/h aeration rate remained the highest. 结论Artificial aeration accelerates the bioleaching of low-grade copper sulfide ores by improving porosity structure, temperature range of bacterial activity and microbial catalyzed dissolution of targeted minerals.

Camera malfunctions or loss of storage elements in imaging devices may lead to loss of important image information or random impulse noise interference. Low rank is one of the important prior information in image optimization processing. This paper uses different low-rank constraint models of the image matrices to recover the impulse interference satellite images. Firstly, an overview of image inpainting models based on nuclear norm, truncated nuclear norm, weighted nuclear norm, and matrix-factorization-based F-norm is presented, and corresponding optimiza-tion iterative algorithms are provided. Then, we conducted experiments under three types of pulse interference and provided visual and numerical results. Finally, it is concluded that the WSVT_ADMM method based on the weighted nuclear norm can obtain the best image inpainting results; The UV_ADMM method based on F norm of matrix factorization has the least computa-tion time and can be used for large-scale low-rank matrix computation; The WSVT_ADMM method based on weighted nuclear norm and the TSVT_ ADMM method based on truncated nuclear norms can significantly improve the repair effect compared to the nuclear norm-based methods such as SVT, SVP, and n_ADMM.

Conclusion: When applied to the air-abraded Filtek™ Bulk Fill Flowable Restorative composite surface, 10-MDP-containing adhesives perform better than 10-MDP-free adhesives. The binding strength was unaffected by the 10-MDP-containing adhesives' chemical makeup. The bond strength endurance of adhesives containing 10-MDP decreases with age. Keywords: keyword 1; keyword 2; keywords: low-viscosity bulk fill composite, universal adhesives, self-etch adhesive, 10-MDP, aging, bond strength.

Iterative Stochastic decoding is an alternative to standard fixed-point decoding of Low-density parity check codes (LDPC) to reduce inter-node routing. In this paper, we propose a Flexible Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-Based Stochastic decoding (SD) hardware architecture for LDPC codes in the Fifth-Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) Standard that supports decoding of set of various code rates. This decoder’s runtime flexibility is desirable to switch a better performing code rate automatically based on the channel conditions without the extra time needed for reprogramming of FPGA. An offline design method is implemented to generate the hardware description language (HDL) code description of the decoder for the required code-rate set, which is further synthesized and integrated into the Xilinx Kintex-7 series FPGA board to determine the hardware resource utilisation and processing throughput. The Synopsys design tools were employed during both the simulation and synthesis stages, in combination with TSMC 65-nm CMOS standard cell technology, to facilitate comparative analysis. Compared with state-of-the-art designs, the proposed architecture reduces hardware utilization by up to 26% and achieved energy efficiency by 52%.

In this paper, the problem of autonomous optimal absolute orbit keeping for a satellite mission in Low Earth Orbit using electric propulsion is considered. The main peculiarity of the approach is to support small satellite missions in which the platform is equipped with a single thruster nozzle which provides acceleration on a single direction at a time. This constraint implies that an attitude maneuver is necessary before or during each thrusting arc to direct the nozzle into the desired direction. In this context, an attitude guidance algorithm specific for the orbit maneuver has been developed. A Model Predictive Control scheme is proposed, where the attitude kinematics are coupled with the orbital dynamics in order to obtain the optimal guidance profiles in terms of satellite state, reference attitude, and thrust magnitude. The proposed control scheme is developed exploiting Formation Flying techniques where the reference orbit is that of a virtual spacecraft that the main satellite is required to rendezvous with. In addition to the controller design, the closed loop configuration is presented supported by numerical simulations. The efficacy of the proposed autonomous orbit keeping approach is shown in several application scenarios.

This study examined the impact of Vibration-Assisted Drilling (VAD) on hole quality and residual stress in Ti-6Al-4V ELI material. Ti-6Al-4V ELI possesses excellent mechanical properties but presents challenges in machining, including chip evacuation, burr formation, and elevated cutting temperatures. VAD, particularly Low-Frequency Vibration-Assisted Drilling (LF-VAD), has been explored as a potential solution to address these issues. The research com-pares LF-VAD with conventional drilling (CD) under various cutting and cooling conditions. LF-VAD exhibits higher maximum cutting forces under specific conditions, which result in accel-erated tool wear. However, it also demonstrates lower RMS (Root Mean Square) forces com-pared to CD, offering better control over chip formation, reduced burr formation, and improved surface roughness within the hole. Furthermore, LF-VAD generates greater compressive residual stresses on the hole's inner surface compared to CD, suggesting enhanced fatigue performance. These findings indicate that LF-VAD holds promise for improving hole quality, fatigue life, and overall component durability in Ti-6Al-4V machining applications.

This randomized control trial aims to test the hypothesis that twice-daily nurse-administered saline enema(SE) is comparable to physician-administrated SE in very low birth weight infants (VLBW) with meconium obstruction of prematurity (MOP). MOP is defined as no bowel opening for 48 h, and treatment failure is defined as the need for additional intervention and safety. Twice-daily SE was administered by accredited nurses, surgeons/neonatologists using standardized protocols. The outcomes were comparability of nurse to physician-administered SE in terms of frequency of administration, catheter insertion length and volume of enema, daily maximum meconium output, and treatment failure, defined as the need for additional intervention. Safety outcomes were evaluated. Twenty-eight infants were managed with SE. 389 SE were administered, 96 and 293 in 750-999g and 1000-1500g birth weight groups, respectively. Nurses administered 72.9% and 81.5% of SE in 750-999g and 1000-1500g birth weight groups, respectively. Physicians performed the rest of the SE. Daily meconium output was comparable in nurse and physician-administered SE in both groups. There were no treatment failures or adverse events in both SE group. SE administered by nurses was found to be comparable in terms of safety, efficacy, and frequency of administration to that of physician-administered SE.

Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is an important mechanism to limit the negative environmental impact of traffic pollution in an urban area. Car traffic in the zone is strictly regulated to meet certain technical and environmental criteria. Such solutions of urban environment protection are gaining popularity, especially in European conurbations. Nowadays there are above 300 zones in Europe, mostly established in Italy and Germany. So far there are no LEZs in Eastern and Central European countries. However, the Warsaw authorities are just discussing launching of a LEZ in the city in 2024. According to the ongoing project, the zone is to be launched gradually, in five phases between 2024 and 2032, with the traffic criteria being tightened accordingly. The progressive emission reductions of the predominant pollutants in LEZ in consecutive phases were estimated on the basis of the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test, carried out in 2020 by the ICCT. The gradually reduced emissions of NOx and PM were subsequently utilized as the input dataset for the regional CALPUFF model predictions, to calculate concentrations of these main traffic-induced pollutants within the LEZ area. The direct effect of the zone activation is reduction of air pollution in the urban center, which is mostly exposed to the pollution risk due to heavy traffic. Computer simulations reveal that implementation of the zone in the case of Warsaw will result in a quite significant reduction of NOx concentrations within the LEZ, such that its mean concentration in the zone becomes comparable to the rest of the conurbation. However, it will bring only a slight reduction of PM2.5 concentrations. This situation is due to the long-standing dominance of coal combustion in the Polish economy, which also applies to the urban municipal sector. As a consequence, particulate matter emissions of this sector are clearly predominant over the road traffic contribution. Balance can be achieved once the ongoing de-carbonization of the national economy has been completed.

NUSES is a planned space mission aiming to test innovative observational and technological approaches related to the study of low-energy cosmic rays, gamma rays and high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. Two scientific payloads will be hosted onboard the NUSES space mission: Terzina and Zirè. Terzina will be an optical telescope readout by SiPM arrays, for the detection and study of Cerenkov light emitted by Extensive Air Showers generated by high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos in the atmosphere. Zirè will focus on the detection of protons and electrons up to a few hundred MeV and to 0.1-10 MeV photons and will include the Low Energy Module (LEM). The LEM will be a particle spectrometer devoted to the observation of fluxes of low-energy electrons in the 0.1-7 MeV range and protons in the 3-50 MeV range along the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) followed by the hosting platform. The detection of Particle Bursts (PBs) in this Physics channel of interest could give new insight into the understanding of complex phenomena such as eventual correlations between seismic events or volcanic activity with the collective motion of particles in the plasma populating van Allen belts. With its compact sizes and limited acceptance, the LEM will allow the exploration of hostile environments such as the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) and the inner van Allen belt, in which are expected electron fluxes of the order of 106−7 cm−2 sr−1 s−1. Concerning the vast literature of space-based particle spectrometers, the innovative aspect of the LEM resides in its compactness, within 10x10x10 cm3, and in its “active collimation” approach dealing with the problem of multiple scattering at these very low energies. In this work, the geometry of the detector, its detection concept, its operation modes and the hardware adopted will be presented. Some preliminary results from the Monte Carlo simulation (Geant4) will be shown.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in distributed edge computing resource scheduling. For example, application scenarios such as intelligent traffic systems and Internet of Things(IoT) intelligent monitoring require the scheduling and migration of distributed resources. Distributed resource scheduling needs to consider the cost of resource scheduling, with the primary goal of finding the optimal strategy among various feasible solutions. There are different definitions for optimization objectives in different application scenarios, such as cost, transmission delay, energy consumption, etc. Current research mainly considers the optimization problem of local resource scheduling but needs more consideration of global resource scheduling. This paper defines a global resource scheduling problem for distributed edge computing and proves that the problem is NP-Hard. A heuristic solution strategy based on the Ant Colony Algorithm(ACO) was proposed, and Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO) was used to optimize the parameters of the ACO. Finally, an experimental comparative analysis was conducted to demonstrate that the algorithm proposed in this paper has good accuracy and iteration cost performance.

A multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in 5 physiotherapy clinics in the UAE from January 2021 to March 2023 to assess coronal lumbar spine radiographic parameters as a predictor of conservative therapy outcomes in patients suffering from low back and leg pain due to lumbar disc herniation (HNP). Ninety patients (mean age 44 yrs., 54% male) with lumbar HNP underwent conservative therapy. All participants received lumbar spine MRI and radiography to assess spine alignment. Interventions included specific exercises, diathermy, traction, education, a home-based exercise pro-gram, and medications. Detailed demographic data was collected. Follow-up was 6-months after discharge. A successful outcome was based on a minimum of the following four outcomes: (1) reduction of pain by 17.5 points (0–100 NRS); (2) fatigue reduction by 7.5 points; (3) distress reduction by 5 points; and (4) interference reduction by 9.5 points. At 6-month follow-up it was found that patient age, education, and radio-graphic determined lumbosacral angle measures significantly affected the odds of a successful outcome. Increasing age 1-year significantly decreased the odds of success of improving pain, fatigue (OR = 0.85, p = 0.016) and interference scores (OR = 0.89, p = 0.042) by 15%, 15%, and 11% respectively. Lower education significantly increased the odds of success for improving pain, fatigue, and interference by 26.18, 26.18, and 7.5 (p = 0.006, = 0.006, and = 0.029 respectively). Increasing (worsening) the radiographic lumbosacral angle by each 1° significantly reduced the odds of success for improving pain, fatigue, distress, and interference by 3.52, 3.52, 27.99, and 2.55, respectively (p < 0.001, < 0.001, = 0.003, = 0.001). Our findings indicate that younger age, less education, and better coronal radiological lumbar spine alignment all had a substantial impact on the likelihood of success of 6-month outcomes in patients suffering from chronic lower back pain and radiculopathy due to HNP.

This article explores the concept of sustainable leadership in the digital era and the role of technology in promoting environmental sustainability. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected through digital advancements, leaders are facing new challenges and opportunities to address environmental concerns. This article examines the key characteristics of sustainable leadership and discusses how technology can be utilized to promote environmental sustainability. It highlights various technological innovations and strategies that leaders can employ to foster a sustainable organizational culture. Moreover, the article discusses potential barriers and limitations of technology in achieving sustainability goals. Overall, it emphasizes the significance of sustainable leadership and technology integration in addressing environmental challenges in the digital era.

In this paper, in order to reduce the energy consumption and delay of data transmission, the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and edge caching technologies are jointly considered. As for the cache-assisted vehicular NOMA-MEC networks, a problem of minimizing the energy consumed by vehicles (mobile devices, MDs) is formulated under the latency and resource constraints, which jointly optimizes the computing resource allocation, subchannel selection, device association, offloading and caching decisions. To solve the formulated problem, we develop an effective joint computation offloading and task caching algorithm based on the twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3) algorithm. Such a TD3-based offloading (TD3O) algorithm includes a designed action transformation (AT) algorithm used for transforming continuous action space into a discrete one. In addition, to solve the formulated problem in a non-iterative manner, an effective heuristic algorithm (HA) is also designed. As for the designed algorithms, we provide some detailed analyses of computation complexity and convergence, and give some meaningful insights through simulation. Simulation results show that the TD3O algorithm may achieve lower local energy consumption than several benchmark algorithms, and HA may achieve a lower one than the completely offloading algorithm and local execution algorithm.

Background Most of the Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) cases are bilateral and sequential, how-ever there are rare unilateral examples, or those in which the delay of onset of vision loss between one and the other eye is longer. In the case of presumed childhood amblyopia in one eye, the vision loss in the good eye may be the only symptom of bilateral disease, that was unnoticed in previ-ously amblyopic eye, or a preexisting episode of LHON on the “amblyopic” eye. Clinical decision in such cases may be difficult and suggestive for other forms of atypical optic neuropathy until confirmed by genetic testing. Case series We present three genetically confirmed (MT-ND1:m.3700G>A, MT-ND6:m14484 T>C, and MT-ND4:m.11778G>A) patients with subacute vision loss in previously good eye with the other eye believed to be amblyopic from the childhood, and their features different of what would be expected in true amblyopia. In all, electrophysiology testing showed bilaterally reduced ampli-tude of PERG with low VEP P100 wave amplitudes and prolonged peak time in both eyes, also unusual for amblyopia. During the follow-up, pallor of the optic discs progressed in all eyes. Significant thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer around the optic disc (pRNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) in the macular region was present. All three patients had peculiar history. First patient was treated for presumed hyperopic amblyopia that did not improve since child-hood and experienced visual loss on the good eye at the age of 17 and was negative for the three typical LHON mutations. Extended testing confirmed atypical pathogenic variant MT-ND1:m.3700G>A in homoplasmy. The second patient with presumed strabismic amblyopia had unusual presentation of vision loss only at the age of 61 and after exclusion of other causes, typical MT-ND4:m.11778G>A pathogenic variant was found in homoplasmy. The third case was peculiar as he had presumed strabismic amblyopia since childhood and had some degree of disc pallor in the amblyopic eye upon presenting with loss of vision on the good eye at the age of 21 and typical pathogenic variant m14484 T>C, p.Met64Val was subsequently confirmed. However, one year after the disease onset, he started to experience significant spontaneous functional im-provement in the non-amblyopic up to 1.0 Snellen, whilst improvement in the presumed amblyop-ic eye was modest, suggesting preexisting amblyopia. This interestingly extensive improvement was carefully followed by electrophysiology as well as visual acuity and fields. Conclusion This report shows three different scenarios of presentation of LHON in patients with presumed uniocular amblyopia from childhood. In such cases, the diagnosis may be difficult and detailed structural and functional evaluation of the optic nerve head is necessary to assess whether earlier LHON episode was misdiagnosed as amblyopia or whether LHON presented bilaterally on both eyes whilst only being noticed in the previously good eye.

Objective: To observe the effect of the combination of fluid-increasing decoction, low molecular heparin sodium and aspirin in the treatment of oligohydramnios in pregnancy. Methods: In this study, 114 pregnant women with oligohydramnios during pregnancy admitted to our hospital between May 2019 and March 2022 were selected as objects, and the pregnant women were equally divided into the observation group and the experimental group by random number table method, with 57 cases in each group. The observation group received conventional fluid infusion, low molecular heparin sodium and aspirin, while the experimental group was treated with fluid-increasing decoction on the basis of the observation group. The treatment effect, S/D level, amniotic fluid index, maximum vertical pocket (MVP), coagulation indexes (plasma prothrombin time (PT), plasma activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB)), pregnancy outcome and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results: The total effective rate of treatment was obviously better in the experimental group than that in the observation group (P＜0.05); the S/D level after treatment in the experimental group was remarkably lower than that in the observation group (P＜0.05). The amniotic fluid index and MVP were remarkably higher in the experimental group than in the observation group after treatment (P < 0.05). No significant differences in PT, APTT and FIB were found between the two groups before and after treatment (P > 0.05). The rate of oligohydramnios at delivery, cesarean section rate, neonatal weight status and preterm delivery rate were dramatically better in the experimental group than in the observation group (P < 0.05). Post-partum haemorrhage rate, neonatal asphyxia rate, amniotic fluid contamination rate and incidence of adverse events were not significantly different between the two groups of pregnant women (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of fluid-increasing decoction, low molecular heparin sodium and aspirin is clinically effective and safe in the treatment of pregnant women with oligohydramnios during pregnancy. The combination is effective in reducing the S/D ratio of fetal umbilical blood flow, enhancing the amniotic fluid index and MVP in pregnant women with oligohydramnios during pregnancy, whilst not adversely influencing the coagulation function of the mother, thus contributing to a reduction in the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

In the context of post-harvest pest management in agricultural products, the adoption of modified atmospheres presents an eco-friendly alternative to conventional pesticides. This study focuses on nitrogen gas as a potential agent for insect control in stored commodities, utilizing computational simulations to investigate its penetration and distribution within two common storage configurations: chamber-contained pallets and silos. By employing the convection-diffusion equation, the simulations reveal insights into nitrogen distribution dynamics and duration required for oxygen reduction. The results highlight the influence of boundary conditions, commodity porosity, and convection effects on nitrogen dispersion. In chamber scenarios, boundary condition type significantly affects oxygen reduction time, while in silos, convection and diffusion interact to establish a consistent diffusion layer thickness. This research enhances the understanding of modified atmosphere techniques and their potential for sustainable pest management. It provides practitioners with valuable quantitative insights, paving the way for optimized modified atmosphere strategies in real-world agricultural contexts.