Microenvironmental time-activity patterns in Chongqing,China

An investigation using recall questionnaires was conducted in winter and autumn 2006 to evaluate the time-activity patterns in Chongqing,China.The average time spent in seven microenvironments(MEs)including outdoors,transit,living room,bedroom,kitchen,classroom/office,and other indoors were found to be about 3.5,1.1,2.5,9.7,1.4,4.2,and 1.7 h per day,respectively.According to the results of a nonparametric test,the sampling period and day of week were significant for the variation of the time spent in all MEs except for transit and outdoors.The time budget was analyzed using a general linear model(GLM),which exhibited significant variability by demographic factors such as gender,age,residence,education,and household income.

Corrigendum to“Migration pattern of a population of Barn Swallows(Hirundo rustica)breeding in East Asian tropical region”[Avian Res.15(2024)100192]

The authors regret that the caption of Fig.4 should be replaced as below.

Clinical manifestation,lifestyle,and treatment patterns of chronic erosive gastritis:A multicenter real-world study in China

BACKGROUND Although chronic erosive gastritis(CEG)is common,its clinical characteristics have not been fully elucidated.The lack of consensus regarding its treatment has resulted in varied treatment regimens.AIM To explore the clinical characteristics,treatment patterns,and short-term outcomes in CEG patients in China.METHODS We recruited patients with chronic non-atrophic or mild-to-moderate atrophic gastritis with erosion based on endoscopy and pathology.Patients and treating physicians completed a questionnaire regarding history,endoscopic findings,and treatment plans as well as a follow-up questionnaire to investigate changes in symptoms after 4 wk of treatment.RESULTS Three thousand five hundred sixty-three patients from 42 centers across 24 cities in China were included.Epigastric pain(68.0%),abdominal distension(62.6%),and postprandial fullness(47.5%)were the most common presenting symptoms.Gastritis was classified as chronic non-atrophic in 69.9%of patients.Among those with erosive lesions,72.1%of patients had lesions in the antrum,51.0%had multiple lesions,and 67.3%had superficial flat lesions.In patients with epigastric pain,the combination of a mucosal protective agent(MPA)and proton pump inhibitor was more effective.For those with postprandial fullness,acid regurgitation,early satiety,or nausea,a MPA appeared more promising.CONCLUSION CEG is a multifactorial disease which is common in Asian patients and has non-specific symptoms.Gastroscopy may play a major role in its detection and diagnosis.Treatment should be individualized based on symptom profile.

Surface Patterning of Metal Zinc Electrode with an In‑Region Zincophilic Interface for High‑Rate and Long‑Cycle‑Life Zinc Metal Anode

The undesirable dendrite growth induced by non-planar zinc(Zn)deposition and low Coulombic efficiency resulting from severe side reactions have been long-standing challenges for metallic Zn anodes and substantially impede the practical application of rechargeable aqueous Zn metal batteries(ZMBs).Herein,we present a strategy for achieving a high-rate and long-cycle-life Zn metal anode by patterning Zn foil surfaces and endowing a Zn-Indium(Zn-In)interface in the microchannels.The accumulation of electrons in the microchannel and the zincophilicity of the Zn-In interface promote preferential heteroepitaxial Zn deposition in the microchannel region and enhance the tolerance of the electrode at high current densities.Meanwhile,electron aggregation accelerates the dissolution of non-(002)plane Zn atoms on the array surface,thereby directing the subsequent homoepitaxial Zn deposition on the array surface.Consequently,the planar dendrite-free Zn deposition and long-term cycling stability are achieved(5,050 h at 10.0 mA cm^(−2) and 27,000 cycles at 20.0 mA cm^(−2)).Furthermore,a Zn/I_(2) full cell assembled by pairing with such an anode can maintain good stability for 3,500 cycles at 5.0 C,demonstrating the application potential of the as-prepared ZnIn anode for high-performance aqueous ZMBs.

Venous Doppler flow patterns,venous congestion,heart disease and renal dysfunction:A complex liaison

The World Journal of Cardiology published an article written by Kuwahara et al that we take the pleasure to comment on.We focused our attention on venous congestion.In intensive care settings,it is now widely accepted that venous congestion is an important clinical feature worthy of investigation.Evaluating venous Doppler profile abnormalities at multiple sites could suggest adequate treatment and monitor its efficacy.Renal dysfunction could trigger or worsen fluid overload in heart disease,and cardio-renal syndrome is a well-characterized spectrum of disorders describing the complex interactions between heart and kidney diseases.Fluid overload and venous congestion,including renal venous hypertension,are major determinants of acute and chronic renal dysfunction arising in heart disease.Organ congestion from venous hypertension could be involved in the development of organ injury in several clinical situations,such as critical diseases,congestive heart failure,and chronic kidney disease.Ultrasonography and abnormal Doppler flow patterns diagnose clinically significant systemic venous congestion.Cardiologists and nephrologists might use this valuable,noninvasive,bedside diagnostic tool to establish fluid status and guide clinical choices.

Pedestrian flow through exit:Study focused on evacuation pattern

Experiments are conducted on the evacuation rate of pedestrians through exits with queued evacuation pattern and random evacuation pattern. The experimental results show that the flow rate of pedestrians is larger with the random evacuation pattern than with the queued evacuation pattern. Therefore, the exit width calculated based on the minimum evacuation clear width for every 100 persons, which is on the assumption that the pedestrians pass through the exit in one queue or several queues, is conservative. The number of people crossing the exit simultaneously is greater in the random evacuation experiments than in the queued evacuation experiments, and the time interval between the front row and rear row of people is shortened in large-exit conditions when pedestrians evacuate randomly. The difference between the flow rate with a queued evacuation pattern and the flow rate with a random evacuation pattern is related to the surplus width of the exit, which is greater than the total width of all accommodated people streams. Two dimensionless quantities are defined to explore this relationship. It is found that the difference in flow rate between the two evacuation patterns is stable at a low level when the surplus width of the exit is no more than 45% of the width of a single pedestrian stream. There is a great difference between the flow rate with the queued evacuation pattern and the flow rate with the random evacuation pattern in a scenario with a larger surplus width of the exit. Meanwhile, the pedestrians crowd extraordinarily at the exit in these conditions as well, since the number of pedestrians who want to evacuate through exit simultaneously greatly exceeds the accommodated level. Therefore, the surplus width of exit should be limited especially in the narrow exit condition, and the relationship between the two dimensionless quantities mentioned above could provide the basis to some extent.

A divergent pattern in functional connectivity: a transdiagnostic perspective

Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)is a popular tool used to investigate not only how the brain responds to specific stimuli during sensorimotor or cognitive tasks,but also brain activity at rest.The physics beyond this approach is based on the analysis of the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal.

Pig Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) Does Not Attach to Boar Sperm;It Affects Only the Velocity Pattern and the Mobility Pattern

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sperm viability of semen infected with PRRSV viral particles, observing the effect of the Virus on the motility of boar sperm. The work was carried out at the FMVZ-BUAP Genetics and Reproduction Laboratory. 5 stallions were used. Each sample contained 1 × 106 sperm, the PRRS virus strain was ATCC-VR-2332 (0, 102, 104 and 106 copies of RNA/mL in triplicate), it was observed daily at the CASA;Hamilton Thorne®. Cells with MT (P < 0.05) on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 of evaluation with 201 ± 7.3, 167 ± 10.1, 165 ± 14.6, 134 ± 8.2 and 120 ± 8.8, respectively. The % MP between control and virus concentrations (P ≥ 0.05). The LCV on day 1 and 7 PI at 10X2 and 10X6 (P < 0.05) vs control. In the Correlation Matrix, where it is observed that there is a correlation between VSL and VAP, VSL and VCL, VCL and ALH, VAP with ALH. There is a correlation of VSL and ALH, STR and ALH. In this study there were (P ≤ 0.01) in the VCL, in the concentrations (102) 162.81 ± 10.65 and (106) 177.12 ± 5.77 vs 193.04 ± 4.62 of control. This indicates that altering these parameters would be related to fertility and the PRRS virus affects the LCV. Regarding the VSL, it was observed that the sperm infected with viruses 102, 104 and 106 of 48.00 ± 3.38, 49.88 ± 1.83 and 50.55 ± 2.24 Vs. 56.66 ± 1.68 of control respectively, the control would have greater possibilities of fertilizing the oocyte. In this study, it was found (P ≤ 0.01) in the VAP with 102 of 77.26 ± 5.16, 104 with 83.35 ± 2.41 and 106 with 81.29 ± 3.14 vs the control with 90.56 ± 2.07. Regarding the ALH there is (P < 0.05) a 104 with 8.70 ± .26 and 106 with 9.64 ± 0.23 vs control 8.50 ± 0.27. The presence of different concentrations of PRRSV in boar semen induces changes in different types of sperm motility. Infection of ejaculates with the PRRS virus affects sperm motility on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 post-infections.

A Portfolio Selection Method Based on Pattern Matching with Dual Information of Direction and Distance

Pattern matching method is one of the classic classifications of existing online portfolio selection strategies. This article aims to study the key aspects of this method—measurement of similarity and selection of similarity sets, and proposes a Portfolio Selection Method based on Pattern Matching with Dual Information of Direction and Distance (PMDI). By studying different combination methods of indicators such as Euclidean distance, Chebyshev distance, and correlation coefficient, important information such as direction and distance in stock historical price information is extracted, thereby filtering out the similarity set required for pattern matching based investment portfolio selection algorithms. A large number of experiments conducted on two datasets of real stock markets have shown that PMDI outperforms other algorithms in balancing income and risk. Therefore, it is suitable for the financial environment in the real world.

Study on Epidemiological Profile, Clinical Profile, and Angiographic Patterns in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in a Tertiary Health Care Center in Haryana

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in India, with coronary artery disease (CAD) accounting for a majority of the deaths. There are few large registries on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from India. Our aim is to study the clinical and epidemiological profile of ACS PATIENTS presenting to our institute, including their angiographic features. Methods: This hospital-based observational, single tertiary care center, prospective study was conducted on patients admitted in the Department of Cardiology at a tertiary care center in Haryana. The study included 400 patients aged greater than 18 years who were admitted with the diagnosis of ACS, and it was carried out for 1 year. The epidemiological profile, clinical history, risk factors, electrocardiogram findings, and angiographic pattern were studied and analyzed with appropriate statistical tools. Results: The mean age of the study population was 55.12 ± 11.78 years. Male and female ratio was 2.4:1. The majority of the patients came from rural background (80%);24% of the patients were illiterate. Smoking was the most common risk factor (51.5%) in our study population followed by hypertension (40%) and diabetes (28%). Unstable angina was the most common type of ACS, which was found in 68.25% of patients. Premature CAD was found in 27.8% of patients and obstructive CAD was found in 63% of patients. Coronary angiography revealed that 39% had single vessel disease (SVD), 23.5% had double vessel disease (DVD), and 27.5% had triple vessel disease (TVD). LAD was more commonly involved, followed by RCA and LCX. Within the first 24 hours, 67% of patients sought medical assistance and only 38.5% received definitive treatment, suggesting a delay in seeking definitive treatment in our study population. Conclusion: The study suggests that unstable angina is the most common form of ACS in the study population, which is mostly of rural background with significant delay in seeking medical help. Smoking is the most common risk factor in the study population.

Pattern of Referral of Obstetric Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Background: Health challenges that are difficult to manage at primary health centres should be referred to secondary health facilities, and if untreated, to the tertiary hospitals. A good referral should include the patient’s biography, such as age, gender, tribe, religion, occupation, medical history, the reason for the referral, treatments received, and clinical diagnosis. Objectives: To evaluate the referral patterns, indications for referrals, and feto-maternal outcomes for obstetric patients who were referred to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of patients admitted to the Obstetric unit from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Data was collected from patients while on admission or clinic visits and recorded in an excel spread sheet. Data was analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: Of the 3469 patients were admitted to the obstetric unit, 1476 and 1993 were admitted in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Most (70.35%) of the patients were in the 20-34 years age group, parity 1-4 was the most frequent (66.49%), while 85.39% of patients were booked. 10.46% of the booked patients were referred from other facilities, whereas 89.54% of patients were booked at our facility from the onset. Most common indications of referrals were previous caesarean section (CS) at term (40.09%) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (17.59%). The outcome for 2021 indicated 17 maternal deaths, 132 fetal deaths and 1010 live births, giving maternal mortality ratio (MMR) as 1810.44 per 100,000 live births and perinatal mortality ratio (PMR) of 130.7 per 1000 births respectively. In 2022, there were 17 maternal deaths, 130 fetal deaths and 1297 deliveries, giving a MMR of 1399 per 100,000 live births and a PMR of 100.2 per 1000 births. Conclusion: The pattern of referral among obstetric patients in this study shows that a lot of the patients do not get adequate care at the lower cadre of the referral system, hence adequate facilities should be made available in primary and secondary health centres to tackle obstetric emergencies.

Tuning the diffusion constant to optimize the readout of positional information of spatial concentration patterns

Positional information encoded in spatial concentration patterns is crucial for the development of multicellular organisms.However,it is still unclear how such information is affected by the physically dissipative diffusion process.Here we study one-dimensional patterning systems with analytical derivation and numerical simulations.We find that the diffusion constant of the patterning molecules exhibits a nonmonotonic effect on the readout of the positional information from the concentration patterns.Specifically,there exists an optimal diffusion constant that maximizes the positional information.Moreover,we find that the energy dissipation due to the physical diffusion imposes a fundamental upper limit on the positional information.

Temporal and spatial evolution of global major grain trade patterns

The complex and volatile international landscape has significantly impacted global grain supply security. This study uses a complex network analysis model to examine the evolution and trends of the global major grain trade from 1990 to 2020, focusing on network topology, centrality ranking, and community structure. There are three major findings. First, the global major grain trade network has expanded in scale, with a growing emphasis on diversification and balance. During the study period, the United States, Canada, China, and Brazil were the core nodes of the network. Grain-exporting countries were mainly situated in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, and importing countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Second, a significant increase in the number of high centrality countries with high export capacity occurred, benefiting from natural advantages such as fertile land and favorable climates. Third, the main global grain trade network is divided into four communities, with the Americas-Europe community being the largest and most widespread. The formation of the community pattern was influenced by geographic proximity, driven by the core exporting countries. Therefore, the world needs to enhance the existing trade model, promote the multi-polarization of the grain trade network, and establish a global vision for the future community. Countries and regions should participate actively in global grain trade security governance and institutional reform, expand trade links with other countries, and optimize import and export policies to reduce trade risks.

Dissolvable temporary barrier:a novel paradigm for flexible hydrogel patterning in organ-on-a-chip models

A combination of hydrogels and microfluidics allows the construction of biomimetic three-dimensional(3D)tissue models in vitro,which are also known as organ-on-a-chipmodels.The hydrogel patterningwith awell-controlled spatial distribution is typically achieved by embedding sophisticated microstructures to act as a boundary.However,these physical barriers inevitably expose cells/tissues to a less physiologically relevant microenvironment than in vivo conditions.Herein,we present a novel dissolvable temporary barrier(DTB)strategy that allows robust and flexible hydrogel patterning with great freedom of design and desirable flow stimuli for cellular hydrogels.The key aspect of this approach is the patterning of a water-soluble rigid barrier as a guiding path for the hydrogel using stencil printing technology,followed by a barrier-free medium perfusion after the dissolution of the DTB.Single and multiple tissue compartments with different geometries can be established using either straight or curved DTB structures.The effectiveness of this strategy is further validated by generating a 3D vascular network through vasculogenesis and angiogenesis using a vascularized microtumor model.As a new proof-of-concept in vasculature-on-a-chip,DTB enables seamless contact between the hydrogel and the culture medium in closed microdevices,which is an improved protocol for the fabrication ofmultiorgan chips.Therefore,we expect it to serve as a promising paradigm for organ-on-a-chip devices for the development of tumor vascularization and drug evaluation in the future preclinical studies.

Recent Advances in Patterning Strategies for Full‑Color Perovskite Light‑Emitting Diodes

Metal halide perovskites have emerged as promising light-emitting materials for next-generation displays owing to their remarkable material characteristics including broad color tunability,pure color emission with remarkably narrow bandwidths,high quantum yield,and solution processability.Despite recent advances have pushed the luminance efficiency of monochromic perovskite light-emitting diodes(PeLEDs)to their theoretical limits,their current fabrication using the spincoating process poses limitations for fabrication of full-color displays.To integrate PeLEDs into full-color display panels,it is crucial to pattern red–green–blue(RGB)perovskite pixels,while mitigating issues such as cross-contamination and reductions in luminous efficiency.Herein,we present state-of-the-art patterning technologies for the development of full-color PeLEDs.First,we highlight recent advances in the development of efficient PeLEDs.Second,we discuss various patterning techniques of MPHs(i.e.,photolithography,inkjet printing,electron beam lithography and laserassisted lithography,electrohydrodynamic jet printing,thermal evaporation,and transfer printing)for fabrication of RGB pixelated displays.These patterning techniques can be classified into two distinct approaches:in situ crystallization patterning using perovskite precursors and patterning of colloidal perovskite nanocrystals.This review highlights advancements and limitations in patterning techniques for PeLEDs,paving the way for integrating PeLEDs into full-color panels.

Spatiotemporal pattern of climate change in the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor from 1901 to 2018

The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor(CMEC) is an important part of China's Belt and Road Initiative and an important area for global ecology and biodiversity. In this study, the annual and seasonal spatiotemporal patterns of temperature and precipitation in the CMEC over the past century were investigated using linear tendency estimation, the Mann-Kendall mutation test, the T-test, and wavelet analysis based on the monthly mean climatic data from 1901 to 2018 released by the Climatic Research Unit(CRU) of the University of East Anglia, UK. The results show that the CMEC demonstrated a trend of warming and drying over the past 100 years, and the rate of change in Myanmar was stronger than that in Yunnan Province of China. The warming rate was 0.039 ℃/10a. Precipitation decreased at a rate of -6.1 mm/10a. From the perspective of spatial distribution, temperature was high in the central and southern, low in the north of the CMEC, and the high-temperature centers were mainly distributed in the southern plain and river valley. Precipitation decreased from west to east and from south to north of the CMEC. From the perspective of the rate of change, warming was stronger in central and northern CMEC than in southern and northeastern CMEC. The rate of precipitation decline was stronger in the central and western regions than in the eastern region. This study provides a scientific reference for the CMEC to address climate change and ensure sustainable social and economic development and ecological security.

Prophylactic Pattern Scanning Laser Retinal Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii Fatty Rats: Preliminary Experimental Results

Research Background and Purpose: The number of diabetic patients is rapidly increasing, making it crucial to find methods to prevent diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of blindness. We investigated the effects of prophylactic pattern scanning laser retinal photocoagulation on DR development in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats as a new prevention approach. Methods: Photocoagulation was applied to the right eyes of 8-week-old Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats, with the left eyes serving as untreated controls. Electroretinography at 9 and 39 weeks of age and pathological examinations, including immunohistochemistry for vascular endothelial growth factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein at 24 and 40 weeks of age, were performed on both eyes. Results: There were no significant differences in amplitude and prolongation of the OP waves between the right and left eyes in SDT fatty rats at 39 weeks of age. Similarly, no significant differences in pathology and immunohistochemistry were observed between the right and left eyes in SDT fatty rats at 24 and 40 weeks of age. Conclusion: Prophylactic pattern scanning retinal laser photocoagulation did not affect the development of diabetic retinopathy in SDT fatty rats.

Memristors-coupled neuron models with multiple firing patterns and homogeneous and heterogeneous multistability

Memristors are extensively used to estimate the external electromagnetic stimulation and synapses for neurons.In this paper,two distinct scenarios,i.e.,an ideal memristor serves as external electromagnetic stimulation and a locally active memristor serves as a synapse,are formulated to investigate the impact of a memristor on a two-dimensional Hindmarsh-Rose neuron model.Numerical simulations show that the neuronal models in different scenarios have multiple burst firing patterns.The introduction of the memristor makes the neuronal model exhibit complex dynamical behaviors.Finally,the simulation circuit and DSP hardware implementation results validate the physical mechanism,as well as the reliability of the biological neuron model.

Dynamic Signature Verification Using Pattern Recognition

Dynamic signature is a biometric modality that recognizes an individual’s anatomic and behavioural characteristics when signing their name. The rampant case of signature falsification (Identity Theft) was the key motivating factor for embarking on this study. This study was necessitated by the damages and dangers posed by signature forgery coupled with the intractable nature of the problem. The aim and objectives of this study is to design a proactive and responsive system that could compare two signature samples and detect the correct signature against the forged one. Dynamic Signature verification is an important biometric technique that aims to detect whether a given signature is genuine or forged. In this research work, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNsor ConvNet) which is a class of deep, feed forward artificial neural networks that has successfully been applied to analysing visual imagery was used to train the model. The signature images are stored in a file directory structure which the Keras Python library can work with. Then the CNN was implemented in python using the Keras with the TensorFlow backend to learn the patterns associated with the signature. The result showed that for the same CNNs-based network experimental result of average accuracy, the larger the training dataset, the higher the test accuracy. However, when the training dataset are insufficient, better results can be obtained. The paper concluded that by training datasets using CNNs network, 98% accuracy in the result was recorded, in the experimental part, the model achieved a high degree of accuracy in the classification of the biometric parameters used.

Overcoming the Limits of Cross-Sensitivity:Pattern Recognition Methods for Chemiresistive Gas Sensor Array

As information acquisition terminals for artificial olfaction,chemiresistive gas sensors are often troubled by their cross-sensitivity,and reducing their cross-response to ambient gases has always been a difficult and important point in the gas sensing area.Pattern recognition based on sensor array is the most conspicuous way to overcome the cross-sensitivity of gas sensors.It is crucial to choose an appropriate pattern recognition method for enhancing data analysis,reducing errors and improving system reliability,obtaining better classification or gas concentration prediction results.In this review,we analyze the sensing mechanism of crosssensitivity for chemiresistive gas sensors.We further examine the types,working principles,characteristics,and applicable gas detection range of pattern recognition algorithms utilized in gas-sensing arrays.Additionally,we report,summarize,and evaluate the outstanding and novel advancements in pattern recognition methods for gas identification.At the same time,this work showcases the recent advancements in utilizing these methods for gas identification,particularly within three crucial domains:ensuring food safety,monitoring the environment,and aiding in medical diagnosis.In conclusion,this study anticipates future research prospects by considering the existing landscape and challenges.It is hoped that this work will make a positive contribution towards mitigating cross-sensitivity in gas-sensitive devices and offer valuable insights for algorithm selection in gas recognition applications.