The Interventional Capacity of Community Health Volunteers for Screening and Linkages of Non-Communicable Diseases in Nyeri County, Kenya

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 63% of mortalities. Approximately 80% of these NCD-related deaths occur in LMICs. A quasi-experimental study utilizing a non-equivalent pre-and post-test was conducted from May 2022 to March 2023 with 370 study participants. Multistage cluster and random sampling were used to select ten community units, and therefore, 150 CHVs were chosen for the control unit, and 150 were used to form the interventional group. Data was collected from the KOBO app. Six (6) homogenous FGDs comprised ten members, and 10 KII were conducted across study sites. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 28.0, and qualitative data was audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via N-Vivo 12. The study shows that 59.3% of respondents have minimal information, and 92.7% (n = 139) have no clear understanding of NCDs, with a pre-intervention capacity of 48.8%. Independent sample t-test showed a significant difference in capacity from a pre-intervention average of 48.75 (SD ± 5.7)%, which increased to 68.28 (SD ± 7.6)%, p < 0.001. A well-designed community interventional model plays a pivotal role in grassroots healthcare delivery but requires optimization for NCD management.

Urban Hierarchy of Innovation Capability and Inter-city Linkages of Knowledge in Post-reform China

The 2000s has witnessed increasing interests in cities′role of innovation in the era of knowledge-based economy.Compared with substantial empirical analysis on the world city hierarchy of innovation,this paper attempts to examine the national urban hierarchy of innovation capability in China,in terms of ranking systems,spatial pattern and inter-city linkages of knowledge during the post-reform period since the late 1970s.Based on quantitative analysis such as principal component factor analysis and clustering analysis,this paper identifies the five-tier hierarchy of in-novation,which is headed by Beijing and Shanghai,followed by the capital cities of each province and regional centre cities.The development of China′s urban hierarchy of innovation capability has been driven by such factors as the scale of innovation,scientific scale,innovation potential and innovation environment.The paper further investigates the inter-city linkages of knowledge measured by the number of co-authored papers among the cities.Beijing is positioned in the central position of the knowledge diffusion and knowledge cooperation innovation.More knowledge diffusion among high level cities has occurred than that among the low level cities as well as between the low level cities and high level cities,and provincial capital cities and the regional central cities.

SUPERHARMONIC RESONANCES OF ELASTIC LINKAGES UNDER HAMONIC EXCITATION

Considering the geometric nonlinearity due to the large elastic deformations of flexible links, the superharmonic resonances of elastic linkages in the forms of ω1/3 and ω1/2 are studied by the method of multiple scales. The research shows that the analytical results are coincident with the experimental results.

AN ANALYSIS ON LARGE-SCALE AIR-SEA INTERACTIVE LINKAGES BETWEEN THE TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN DURING ENSO EVENTS

By utilizing a 3-D atmospheric circulation resolving method, the authors studied the air-sea interactive linkages between the tropical Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean in 1979-2008 E1 Nifio-Southern Oscillation （ENSO） events. Their findings showed that evident 3-D gear-coupling characteristics existed in the 1979-2008 ENSO events. Their resolving analyses also suggested that the general circulation showed stronger and wider sinking motions over the eastern Indian Ocean-western Pacific during the mature phase of 1979-2008 ENSO events, compared with the vertical velocities from the U.S. National Centers for Enviornmental Prediction （NCEP） reanalysis data. With their 3-D analysis method, the vertical velocity was resolved by two components, i.e. zonal and meridional components. It was found that the zonal component of the vertical velocities showed a strong sinking motion while the meridional components showed an upward motion during the prevailing phases of the ENSO events. In the tropics, the zonal component of the vertical velocities was found greater than the meridional component, reflecting the dominant characteristics of the vertical velocity, and the overall outcomes showed a strong sinking motion, although the two components also partially offset each other in the processes. Compared with the vertical velocities from NCEP reanalysis, the vertical motions calculated with the 3-D resolving analysis method demonstrate some advantages.

INDUSTRIAL LINKAGES AND RURAL INDUSTRIALIZATION: A CASE STUDY OF HENAN PROVINCE, CHINA

The fast growth of rural industry in China has generated regional development of large rural areas. What role does industrial linkages play in Chinese rural industrialization? This is a same question as the relation between industrial linkages and regional development which has been discussed for decades and no final conclusion reached. The paper pursues the discussion and focuses on rural areas in China with special reference to Henan Province. On the basis of data from an investigation on nearly 200 industrial enterprises, this study emphasizes that the linkages play a very important role in spreading development of industry in rural areas. It is recommended that the national policies should prompt industrial linkages to upgrade the technological level of rural industry and to integrate rural industry with urban industry.

A generalization of Kempe’s linkages

A new, general type of planar linkages is presented, which extends the classical linkages developed by Kempe consisting of two single-looped kinematic chains of linkages, interconnected by revolute hinges. Together with a locking device, these new linkages have only one degree of freedom (DOF), which makes them ideal for serving as deployable structures for different purposes. Here, we start with a fresh matrix method of analysis for double-loop planar linkages, using 2D transformation matrices and a new symbolic notation. Further inspection for one case of Kempe’s linkages is provided. Basing on the inspection, by means of some novel algebraic and geometric techniques, one particularly fascinating solution was found. Physical models were built to show that the derivation in this paper is valid and the new mechanisms are correct.

Syntheses, Confirmation and Properties of Porphyrin Oligomers with Alkoxyl Linkages

A new and general synthesis of a porphyrinK(Ⅰ) with two alkoxyl linkages is described. The synthesis involves the reaction of dibromopropane with phenolic porphyrin to form ω-bromopropylporphyrin ether. This ether then reacts with another phenolic porphyrin to give the target compounds. The properties of the target compounds were confirmed by means of elemental analysis, UV-Vis, IR, and ~ 1H NMR spectroscopies. Their spectral properties and thermal stability were also studied.

Enhancing Childhood TB Notifications by Strengthening Linkages with Large Hospitals in Pakistan<br/>—Childhood TB in Large Hospitals, Pakistan

To improve childhood Tuberculosis management, the National Tuberculosis Program implemented a package of interventions Hospital DOTS linkages (HDL) in 2015 in 144 tertiary and secondary care hospitals across Pakistan. This included systematic engagement of hospital administration and all specialist doctors, staff training and regular facility-based review meetings. HDL was associated with 35% increase in childhood TB notifications in 2015 (versus 2014) in HDL sites as compared to 16% increase in non-HDL sites. The increase was seen across provinces, age-groups and sexes, but did not correlate with presence of Xpert MTB/RIF&reg;?or “screeners” (health workers deployed to screen children for TB).

Linkages between soil microbial stability and carbon storage in the active layer under permafrost degradation

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)distributes the largest extent of high-altitude mountain permafrost in the world(Zou et al.,2017),which has different characteristics from high-latitude permafrost(Yang et al.,2010)and stores massive soil carbon.

The music industry ＆ its consumers： A potential divorce through technology and shifting market linkages？

A large market exists of online users who desire online video and music content. However, recent developments have shown that some industries, such as music and videos are not fully utilising the market benefits that disruptive technologies can bring to organisations despite the change of value drivers. According to Christensen et al （2004）, and based on RPV theory, organisations may decide not to pursue disruptive innovative ideas for a variety of reasons, such as their values are set in another direction, processes do not support the new technology and resources may become under-utilised or even obsolete. Trying to pursue partly aggressive strategies, partly defence or avoidance strategies, it is suggested that the music industry has missed to reengineer its business so far. At the same time, music consumers have found various peer-to-peer models to execute their own avoidance strategies, i.e., avoiding to buy music but to share it. Various consumption platforms for music, such as, pandora, hulu or spotify, emerged, which themselves show significant innovative power. As scholars＇ research tested, innovation has two beams, technology and market linkages. While the technological part is inevitably developing further, the music industry erects legal barriers to bloc those sites by applying the presently unclear DRM, since the new ways of music consumption threaten their established ways of content distribution. At the same time, barriers are placed that those consumers being online specialists find ways to circumvent them. The proposition is that by the salient marketing concept of CRM such behaviour increases the pressure on incumbents since risking market linkages with their customers. This paper will contrast technology and market linkages, discussing how online innovations may alter the status quo of the music industry, especially its record business. Research provides evidence that technological implications are supporting a sustainable shift of consumers＇ behaviour and the ways, by which consumers are able to overcome the legal and technological barriers for accessing P2P sites despite industrial prevention. It is suggested that there is further significance this paper addresses, since what affects the music industry today, will likely have an impact on the movie, games, software and other industries in the near future： Disruption of existing resources, processes and values and threatening market linkages by redefined ways of content distribution.

Influence of Farmer Capacity Building in Institutional Linkages on Performance of Smallholder Irrigation Projects in Migori County, Kenya

The smallholder irrigation sector in Kenya is considered inadequately developed. The study views unawareness of critical success factors in the smallholder irrigation sector as contributing to poor performance of smallholder irrigation projects. Consequently, the study investigated influence of farmer capacity building in institutional linkages on performance of smallholder irrigation projects in Migori County, Kenya. The study embraced a pragmatic view of philosophy, and used cross sectional and correlation research design. The target population was 2815, and comprised farmers drawn from fifteen smallholder irrigation projects that receive water from River Kuja through Lower Kuja Project. The sample size was 341. The study used systematic random sampling procedure to draw the sample, and collected data using questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that farmer capacity building in institutional linkages has a significant influence on performance of smallholder irrigation projects (r = 0.803, R2 = 0.645, F (5, 331) = 120.254 and p < 0.000 < 0.05). Thus, the study recommends that Migori County Government come up with policies that link smallholder irrigation projects in Lower Kuja Project to institutions that provide land ploughing services, certified seeds and fertilisers, control of crop pests and diseases, transportation of farm produce and marketing of farm produce.

General Order Principle for Multi-Bennett Linkages

Order analysis for multi-Bennett linkages is a difficult topic in kinematics. Traditional methods fail to obtain the order of multi-Bennett linkages due to considering the special geometric distributions among joint axes. An order principle for multi-Bennett linkages is presented. For a summated multi-Bennett linkage, three procedures are included in the order principle. Firstly, a homogeneous screw equation is obtained by taking linear superposition operations and then the maximum order is determined according to linear dependency of all screws. Secondly, two theorems are employed to determine the maximum order, where the first is used to judge the linear independency of four-system screws and the second is fit for identifying the linear independency of five-system screws. Lastly, all possible cases in the order range are considered until the valid order is screened out. For a syncopated multi-Bennett linkage, an equivalent summated model is built and then the order analysis is the same as that of summated linkages. In order to verify the effectiveness of the presented order principle, the orders of summated 5R and 6R linkages as well as a syncopated 6R linkage are analyzed. The computed orders of the former two summated linkages are both 4 and the computed order of the last syncopated 6R linkage is 5. The results coincide with the prototype data. The advantage of the proposed principle is that it can get the correct order of a multi-Bennett linkage without solving the geometric conditions of joint axes and has wide application in variety of multi-Bennett linkages.

Mobility Analysis of Altmann Overconstrained Linkages by Modified Grübler-Kutzbach Criterion

Developing a general mobility method/formula is a hot topic lasting for more than 150 years in kinematics. It is necessary to apply any mobility method to puzzling overconstrained mechanisms for verification of its generality. Altmann linkages are such recognized puzzling mechanisms that their mobility analysis is of important significance. A necessary condition for judging a general mobility method is that the method can be fit for Altmann linkages. Firstly, this study classes Altmann linkages into 17 types in terms of the numbers and types of kinematic pairs, and then Altmann overconstrained linkages are further classified into 4 types. Secondly, the mobility of Altmann overconstrained linkages is systematically analyzed by the Modified Grübler-Kutzbach criterion based on screw theory, where passive freedoms are defined as limb passive freedoms and mechanism passive freedoms. In addition, the full-cycle mobility is judged, which overcomes the shortcoming of instantaneous property of screw theory. It is shown that Modified Grübler-Kutzbach criterion not only obtains the correct numerical mobility, but also gives the mobility character by resolving reciprocal screws for the constraint system. This study lays the foundation of verification for the generality of Modified Grübler-Kutzbach criterion. Besides, Altmann overconstrained linkages almost comprise all kinds of modern parallel mechanisms and some classical mechanisms, which provides an important reference for mechanism mobility calculation.

DYNAMIC DESIGN OF VARIABLE SPEED PLANAR LINKAGES

A method for improving dynamic characteristics of planar linkages by activelyvarying the speed function of the input link is presented. Design criteria and constraints for thedynamic design of variable speed planar linkages are developed. Both analytical and optimizationapproaches for determining suitable input speed functions to minimize the driving torque, theshaking moment, or both simultaneously of planar linkages, subject to various design requirementsand constraints, are derived. Finally, some examples are given to illustrate the design procedureand to verify its feasibility.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:seeking linkages for global environmental governance

Global environmental cooperation serves as an important part in the Chinese ideal of building a Community with a Shared Future for all Human Beings. The report of 19 th CPC National Congress indicates that China is committed to proactive mitigation under the Paris Agreement and further participating in global environmental governance under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and both of which are largely integrated to the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI). BRI are also closely linked with South-South environmental and climate cooperation proposed by China from previous UN summits. Based on shared ideas, intersected agendas, and compatible governance approaches, BRI and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development grow increasingly relevant and they might form synergies based on increasingly interactive relations. In sum,seeking and intensifying the linkages between BRI and 2030 sustainable development goals(SDGs) could address global environmental governance deficits and enhance cooperation among nations.

KINEMATICS ANALYSIS OF GUIDED CHAIN DRIVE MECHANISM WITH LINKAGES

A method of analyzing the motion of guided chain drive mechanism with linkages is presented. The method studies the output motion of a point on connecting rod including motion track, velocity and acceleration.

Phase-Division-Based Dynamic Optimization of Linkages for Drawing Servo Presses

Existing linkage-optimization methods are designed for mechanical presses; few can be directly used for servo presses, so development of the servo press is limited. Based on the complementarity of linkage opti- mization and motion planning, a phase-division-based linkage-optimization model for a drawing servo press is established. Considering the motion-planning principles of a drawing servo press, and taking account of work rating and efficiency, the constraints of the optimization model are constructed. Linkage is optimized in two modes： use of either constant eccentric speed or constant slide speed in the work segments. The performances of optimized link- ages are compared with those of a mature linkage SL4- 2000A, which is optimized by a traditional method. The results show that the work rating of a drawing servo press equipped with linkages optimized by this new method improved and the root-mean-square torque of the servo motors is reduced by more than 10%. This research pro- vides a promising method for designing energy-saving drawing servo presses with high work ratings.

STUDY ON LOWER ORDER HARMONIC RESONANCE OF ELASTIC LINKAGES──SUPER HARMONIC RESONANCES

The superharmonic resonances of elastic linkages are studied by using the method of multiple scales under the excitation of its inertial foree。 The analyses demonstrate that the superharmonic resonances caused by the quadratic and cubic nonlinearities due to large elastic deformations of the flexible links and multi-frequencies of the inertial force of linkages are the reason to produce the critical speeds. The results of explaining of the lower order harmonic reso- nances by“1/n' method are verified theoretically。

SHAKING MOMENT BALANCING OF SPATIAL LINKAGES BY ADDING PLANAR CAMS

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IMPROVED HOMOTOPY ITERATION METHOD AND APPLIED TO THE NINE-POINT PATH SYNTHESIS PROBLEM FOR FOUR-BAR LINKAGES

A new algorithm called homotopy iteration method based on the homotopy function is studied and improved. By the improved homotopy iteration method, Polynomial systems with high Order and deficient can be solved fast and efficiently comparing to the original homotopy iteration method. Numerical examples for the ninepoint path synthesis of four-bar linkages show the advantages and efficiency of the improved homotopy iteration method.