Influence of initial check, information exchange, final accuracy check, reaction information nursing on the psychology of elderly with lung cancer

BACKGROUND As one of the fatal diseases with high incidence,lung cancer has seriously endangered public health and safety.Elderly patients usually have poor self-care and are more likely to show a series of psychological problems.AIM To investigate the effectiveness of the initial check,information exchange,final accuracy check,reaction(IIFAR)information care model on the mental health status of elderly patients with lung cancer.METHODS This study is a single-centre study.We randomly recruited 60 elderly patients with lung cancer who attended our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022.These elderly patients with lung cancer were randomly divided into two groups,with the control group taking the conventional propaganda and education and the observation group taking the IIFAR information care model based on the conventional care protocol.The differences in psychological distress,anxiety and depression,life quality,fatigue,and the locus of control in psychology were compared between these two groups,and the causes of psychological distress were analyzed.RESULTS After the intervention,Distress Thermometer,Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS)for anxiety and the HADS for depression,Revised Piper’s Fatigue Scale,and Chance Health Locus of Control scores were lower in the observation group compared to the pre-intervention period in the same group and were significantly lower in the observation group compared to those of the control group(P<0.05).After the intervention,Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30(QLQ-C30),Internal Health Locus of Control,and Powerful Others Health Locus of Control scores were significantly higher in the observation and the control groups compared to the pre-intervention period in their same group,and QLQ-C30 scores were significantly higher in the observation group compared to those of the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The IIFAR information care model can help elderly patients with lung cancer by reducing their anxiety and depression,psychological distress,and fatigue,improving their tendencies on the locus of control in psychology,and enhancing their life qualities.

Estimation of the Direct Cost of Management of Venous Thromboembolism in Three Reference Hospitals in the City of Yaoundé: A Retrospective Study over a Three-Year Period

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major public health problem due to its increasing frequency, mortality and management cost. This cost may require major financial efforts from patients, especially in developing countries like ours where less than 7% of the population has health insurance. This study aimed to estimate the direct cost of managing VTE in three reference hospitals in Yaoundé. Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study over a three-year period (from January 1st 2018 to December 31 2020) carried out in the Cardiology departments of the Central and General Hospitals, and the Emergency Centre of the city of Yaoundé. All patients managed during the study period for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism confirmed by venous ultrasound coupled with Doppler and computed tomography pulmonary angiography respectively were included. For each patient, we collected sociodemographic and clinical data as well as data on the cost of consultation, hospital stay, workups and medications. These data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of 92 patient’s records were analysed. The median age was 60 years [48 - 68] with a sex ratio of 0.53. The median direct cost of management of venous thromboembolism was 766,375 CFAF [536,455 - 1,029,745] or $1415 USD. Management of pulmonary embolism associated with deep vein thrombosis was more costly than isolated pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Factors influencing the direct cost of management of venous thromboembolism were: hospital structure (p = 0.015), health insurance (p 0.001), type of pulmonary embolism (p = 0.021), and length of hospital stay (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Management of VTE is a major financial burden for our patients and this burden is influenced by the hospital structure, health insurance, type of pulmonary embolism and length of hospital stay.

A Hybrid Model for Improving Software Cost Estimation in Global Software Development

Accurate software cost estimation in Global Software Development(GSD)remains challenging due to reliance on historical data and expert judgments.Traditional models,such as the Constructive Cost Model(COCOMO II),rely heavily on historical and accurate data.In addition,expert judgment is required to set many input parameters,which can introduce subjectivity and variability in the estimation process.Consequently,there is a need to improve the current GSD models to mitigate reliance on historical data,subjectivity in expert judgment,inadequate consideration of GSD-based cost drivers and limited integration of modern technologies with cost overruns.This study introduces a novel hybrid model that synergizes the COCOMO II with Artificial Neural Networks(ANN)to address these challenges.The proposed hybrid model integrates additional GSD-based cost drivers identified through a systematic literature review and further vetted by industry experts.This article compares the effectiveness of the proposedmodelwith state-of-the-artmachine learning-basedmodels for software cost estimation.Evaluating the NASA 93 dataset by adopting twenty-six GSD-based cost drivers reveals that our hybrid model achieves superior accuracy,outperforming existing state-of-the-artmodels.The findings indicate the potential of combining COCOMO II,ANN,and additional GSD-based cost drivers to transform cost estimation in GSD.

Assessment of the Indirect Cost of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment to Patients in a High Burden, Low Income Setting in Mozambique

Introduction: Tuberculosis is closely linked to poverty, with patients facing significant indirect treatment costs. Treating drug-resistant tuberculosis further increases these expenses. Notably, there is a lack of published data on the indirect costs incurred by patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Mozambique. Objective: To assess the indirect costs, income reduction, and work productivity incurred by patients undergoing diagnosis and treatment for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) in Mozambique during their TB treatment. Methods: As part of a comprehensive mixed-methods study conducted from January 2021 to April 2023, this research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. The primary goal was to evaluate the costs incurred by the national health system due to drug-resistant TB. Additionally, to explore the indirect costs experienced by patients and their families during treatment, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 individuals who had been undergoing treatment for over six months. Results: All survey participants unanimously reported a significant decline in labour productivity, with 70.3% experiencing a reduction in their monthly income. Before falling ill, the majority of respondents (33.3%) earned up to $76.92 monthly, representing the minimum earnings range, while 29.2% had a monthly income above $230.77, the maximum earnings range. Among those who experienced income loss, the majority (22.2%) reported a decrease of up to $76.92 per month, and 18.5% cited a loss exceeding $230.77 per month. Notably, patients with Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB) have not incurred the direct costs of the disease, as these are covered by the government. Conclusion: The financial burden of treating Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (DRTB), along with the income reduction it causes, is substantial. Implementing a patient-centred, multidisciplinary, and multisector approach, coupled with strong psychosocial support, can significantly reduce the catastrophic costs DRTB patients incur.

Numerical simulation for the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems

Numerical simulation is employed to investigate the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems.Nucleation and propagation processes are illustrated for pentadisperse and triadisperse particle systems,respectively.In these processes,particles involved in the avalanche grow slowly in the early stage and explosively in the later stage,which is clearly different from the continuous and steady growth trend in the monodisperse system.By examining the avalanche propagation,the number growth of particles involved in the avalanche and the slope of the number growth,the initial state can be divided into three stages:T1(nucleation stage),T2(propagation stage),T3(overall avalanche stage).We focus on the characteristics of the avalanche in the T2 stage,and find that propagation distances increase almost linearly in both axial and radial directions in polydisperse systems.We also consider the distribution characteristics of the average coordination number and average velocity for the moving particles.The results support that the polydisperse particle systems are more stable in the T2 stage.

Resistance development,cross-resistance,and fitness costs associated with Aphis gossypii resistance towards sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid in different geographical regions

Aphis gossypii has become increasingly difficult to manage due to its strong insecticide resistance.In the laboratory,we established sulfoxaflor-resistant and acetamiprid-resistant strains in two A.gossypii populations with different basal insecticide resistance levels,and evaluated the effects of basal insecticide resistance on the resistance development and cross-resistance,as well as differences in fitness.Under the same selection pressure,Yarkant A.gossypii(with low basal insecticide resistance)evolved resistance to sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid more quickly than Jinghe A.gossypii(with high basal insecticide resistance),and the evolution of A.gossypii resistance to sulfoxaflor developed faster than acetamiprid in both Yarkant and Jinghe,Xingjiang,China.The sulfoxaflor-resistant strains selected from Yarkant and Jinghe developed significant cross-resistance to acetamiprid,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam and pymetrozine;while the acetamiprid-resistant strains developed significant cross-resistance to sulfoxaflor,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam,pymetrozine,and chlorpyrifos.The relative fitness of A.gossypii decreased as the resistance to sulfoxaflor and acetamiprid developed.The relative fitness levels of the sulfoxaflor-resistant strains(Yarkant-SulR and Jinghe-SulR)were lower than those of the acetamipridresistant strains(Yarkant-AceR and Jinghe-AceR).In addition,the relative fitness levels of sulfoxaflor-and acetamiprid-resistant strains were lower in Jinghe than in Yarkant.In summary,basal insecticide resistance of A.gossypii and insecticide type affected the evolution of resistance to insecticides in A.gossypii,as well as cross-resistance to other insecticides.The sulfoxaflor-and acetamiprid-resistant A.gossypii strains had obvious fitness costs.The results of this work will contribute to the insecticide resistance management and integrated management of A.gossypii.

Effects of Initial Defects on Effective Elastic Modulus of Concrete with Mesostructure

An exquisite mesostructure model was presented to predict the effective elastic modulus of concrete,in which concrete is realized as a four-phase composite material consisting of coarse aggregates,mortar matrix,interfacial transition zone(ITZ),and initial defects.With the three-dimensional(3D)finite element(FE)simulation,the highly heterogeneous composite elastic behavior of concrete was modeled,and the predicted results were compared with theoretical estimations for validation.Monte Carlo(MC)simulations were performed with the proposed mesostructure model to investigate the various factors of initial defects influencing the elastic modulus of concrete,such as the shape and concentration(pore volume fraction or crack density)of microspores and microcracks.It is found that the effective elastic modulus of concrete decreases with the increase of initial defects concentration,while the distribution and shape characteristics also exert certain influences due to the stress concentration caused by irregular inclusion shape.

Analysis of a passive ankle exoskeleton for reduction of metabolic costs during walking

Modern conflicts demand substantial physical and psychological exertion,often resulting in fatigue and diminished combat or operational readiness.Several exoskeletons have been developed recently to address these challenges,presenting various limitations that affect their operational or everyday usability.This article evaluates the performance of a dual-purpose passive ankle exoskeleton developed for the reduction of metabolic costs during walking,seeking to identify a force element that could be applied to the target population.Based on the 6-min walk test,twenty-nine subjects participated in the study using three different force elements.The results indicate that it is possible to reduce metabolic expenditure while using the developed exoskeleton.Additionally,the comfort and range of motion results verify the exoskeleton's suitability for use in uneven terrain and during extended periods.Nevertheless,the choice of the force element should be tailored to each user,and the control system should be adjustable to optimise the exoskeleton's performance.

Impact of initial fluctuations and nuclear deformations in isobar collisions

Relativistic isobar^(96)_(44)Ru+^(96)_(44)Ru and^(96)_(40)Zr+^(96)_(40)Zrcollisions have revealed intricate differences in their nuclear size and shape,inspiring unconventional studies of nuclear structure using relativistic heavy ion collisions.In this study,we investigate the relative differences in the mean multiplicityR_(<Nch>)and the secondR_(ε2)and third-order eccentricityR_(ε3)between isobar collisions using initial state Glauber models.It is found that initial fluctuations and nuclear deformations have negligible effects on R_(<Nch>)in most central collisions,while both are important for the R_(ε2)and R_(ε3),the degree of which is sensitive to the underlying nucleonic or sub-nucleonic degree of freedom.These features,compared to real data,may probe the particle production mechanism and the physics underlying nuclear structure.

Mg-doped,carbon-coated,and prelithiated SiO_(x) as anode materials with improved initial Coulombic efficiency for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon suboxide(SiO_(x),x≈1)is promising in serving as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity,but it has a low initial Coulombic efficiency(ICE)due to the irreversible formation of lithium silicates during the first cycle.In this work,we modify SiO_(x) by solid-phase Mg doping reaction using low-cost Mg powder as a reducing agent.We show that Mg reduces SiO_(2) in SiO_(x) to Si and forms MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4).The MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) are mainly distributed on the surface of SiO_(x),which suppresses the irreversible lithium-ion loss and enhances the ICE of SiO_(x).However,the formation of MgSiO_(3) or Mg_(2)SiO_(4) also sacrifices the capacity of SiO_(x).Therefore,by controlling the reaction process between Mg and SiO_(x),we can tune the phase composition,proportion,and morphology of the Mg-doped SiO_(x) and manipulate the performance.We obtain samples with a capacity of 1226 mAh g^(–1) and an ICE of 84.12%,which show significant improvement over carbon-coated SiO_(x) without Mg doping.By the synergistical modification of both Mg doping and prelithiation,the capacity of SiO_(x) is further increased to 1477 mAh g^(–1) with a minimal compromise in the ICE(83.77%).

An Analysis of the Accounting Costs Associated with 20-Month DR TB Regimens in Maputo City, Mozambique

Introduction: Socioeconomic and demographic conditions in a country can influence tuberculosis incidence and mortality, with nearly 95% of tuberculosis-related deaths occurring in poorer countries. Mozambique is among the 30 countries with the highest TB burden. Objective: The study aimed to estimate the average direct medical cost of treating drug-resistant tuberculosis in 19 health centers in Maputo City, Mozambique. Methods: A retrospective analysis of direct medical costs was conducted on patients aged 18 and older who completed 20-month drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment regimens in Maputo City in 2019. Results: This analysis covered 140 patients who completed a 20-month treatment regimen, with 64.3% (78) being male and 35.7% (62) female. Approximately 50% of the participants were aged between 29 and 47. The average direct medical cost of DRTB treatment was $4789.43, reaching up to $6568.00, with a standard deviation of $753.26, including clinical interventions and treatment. Conclusion: The direct medical costs for a basic treatment package for a patient with drug-resistant TB in Mozambique equal 36 minimum wages. Developing alternative and innovative funding mechanisms and identifying ways to mitigate costs through the use of generic medicines would be beneficial.

An Initial Perturbation Method for the Multiscale Singular Vector in Global Ensemble Prediction

Ensemble prediction is widely used to represent the uncertainty of single deterministic Numerical Weather Prediction(NWP) caused by errors in initial conditions(ICs). The traditional Singular Vector(SV) initial perturbation method tends only to capture synoptic scale initial uncertainty rather than mesoscale uncertainty in global ensemble prediction. To address this issue, a multiscale SV initial perturbation method based on the China Meteorological Administration Global Ensemble Prediction System(CMA-GEPS) is proposed to quantify multiscale initial uncertainty. The multiscale SV initial perturbation approach entails calculating multiscale SVs at different resolutions with multiple linearized physical processes to capture fast-growing perturbations from mesoscale to synoptic scale in target areas and combining these SVs by using a Gaussian sampling method with amplitude coefficients to generate initial perturbations. Following that, the energy norm,energy spectrum, and structure of multiscale SVs and their impact on GEPS are analyzed based on a batch experiment in different seasons. The results show that the multiscale SV initial perturbations can possess more energy and capture more mesoscale uncertainties than the traditional single-SV method. Meanwhile, multiscale SV initial perturbations can reflect the strongest dynamical instability in target areas. Their performances in global ensemble prediction when compared to single-scale SVs are shown to(i) improve the relationship between the ensemble spread and the root-mean-square error and(ii) provide a better probability forecast skill for atmospheric circulation during the late forecast period and for short-to medium-range precipitation. This study provides scientific evidence and application foundations for the design and development of a multiscale SV initial perturbation method for the GEPS.

Feasibility of Scaling up the Cost-Competitive and Clean Electrolytic Hydrogen Supply in China

Scaling up clean hydrogen supply in the near future is critical to achieving China’s hydrogen development target.This study established an electrolytic hydrogen development mechanism considering the generation mix and operation optimization of power systems with access to hydrogen.Based on the incremental cost principle,we quantified the provincial and national clean hydrogen production cost performance levels in 2030.The results indicated that this mechanism could effectively reduce the production cost of clean hydrogen in most provinces,with a national average value of less than 2 USD·kg^(-1) at the 40-megaton hydrogen supply scale.Provincial cooperation via power transmission lines could further reduce the production cost to 1.72 USD·kg^(-1).However,performance is affected by the potential distribution of hydrogen demand.From the supply side,competitiveness of the mechanism is limited to clean hydrogen production,while from the demand side,it could help electrolytic hydrogen fulfil a more significant role.This study could provide a solution for the ambitious development of renewables and the hydrogen economy in China.

Selenga River human dispersal path in Initial Upper Paleolithic

Here,we consider earlier Upper Paleolithic sites in the Selenga River Basin,the main fluvial input of Lake Baikal that flows through northern Mongolia and the southwestern Transbaikal region of Russia.Lithic industries from these sites can be attributed to the laminar Initial Upper Paleolithic(IUP)technocomplex,widespread in southern Siberia and Central Asia.IUP industries appear in the Selenga Basin about 45 kaBP cal.Aspects of regional typological variability and the transport of exotic raw materials over long distances indicate that these populations participated in developed exchange networks and employed high mobility targeting the acquisition of necessary raw materials.Two site types are present:quarry-workshops in northern Mongolia and generalized activity settlements in the southwestern Transbaikal.Although faunal data are limited,we interpret available information as indicating a specialization on hunting,focusing on migrating steppe game species.The distribution of sites in the mid-altitudes and landscapes of the Selenga-Orkhon geographical region and the geomorphological homogeneity of this territory also supported interregional human moves during the IUP.

Design and implementation of low-cost geomagnetic field monitoring equipment for high-density deployment

The observation of geomagnetic field variations is an important approach to studying earthquake precursors.Since 1987,the China Earthquake Administration has explored this seismomagnetic relationship.In particular,they studied local magnetic field anomalies over the Chinese mainland for earthquake prediction.Owing to the years of research on the seismomagnetic relationship,earthquake prediction experts have concluded that the compressive magnetic effect,tectonic magnetic effect,electric magnetic fluid effect,and other factors contribute to preearthquake magnetic anomalies.However,this involves a small magnitude of magnetic field changes.It is difficult to relate them to the abnormal changes of the extremely large magnetic field in regions with extreme earthquakes owing to the high cost of professional geomagnetic equipment,thereby limiting large-scale deployment.Moreover,it is difficult to obtain strong magnetic field changes before an earthquake.The Tianjin Earthquake Agency has developed low-cost geomagnetic field observation equipment through the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei geomagnetic equipment test project.The new system was used to test the availability of equipment and determine the findings based on big data..

Costs of Schizophrenia at Psychiatric Hospital of Bingerville (Ivory Coast)

Schizophrenia is classified as a priority mental disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO) and accounts for around 35% of diagnoses at the Bingerville Psychiatric Hospital (HPB). The aims of the study were to identify the cost drivers for hospitalization and to calculate the costs of managing schizophrenia in hospital, with a view to planning household expenditure on care. This pilot cross-sectional study involved 31 patients with schizophrenia who had been hospitalized in the various third-category wards at the HPB between 1st January 2019 and 31st May 2020. Sampling was accidental. The methods used to estimate costs were based on the actual costs of drugs, hospitalization and additional examinations which prices were known, and on patients’ estimations for certain expenses such as food and transport. Results: The sex ratio was 3.42, the mean age was 29.52 years. The mean length of stay was 46.19 days, and the most frequent clinical forms were paranoid schizophrenia (41.9%) and schizoaffective disorder (29%). The combination of haloperidol and chlorpromazine was the most common medications for initial treatment (67.8%) and maintenance treatment (41.9%). The average cost of hospitalization at HPB for schizophrenia was XOF 164,412 (€249.90). The average direct medical cost was XOF 105,412 (€160.226) and the average direct non-medical cost was XOF 59,000 (€89.68). The average daily cost of antipsychotic treatment was XOF 795/day (€1.2084). The high cost of drugs as a proportion of hospitalization costs suggested the need of a reflection on the simplification of prescribing practices, assistance in psychiatric emergencies and the development of other alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization in Côte d’Ivoire.

Multi-Level Image Segmentation Combining Chaotic Initialized Chimp Optimization Algorithm and Cauchy Mutation

To enhance the diversity and distribution uniformity of initial population,as well as to avoid local extrema in the Chimp Optimization Algorithm(CHOA),this paper improves the CHOA based on chaos initialization and Cauchy mutation.First,Sin chaos is introduced to improve the random population initialization scheme of the CHOA,which not only guarantees the diversity of the population,but also enhances the distribution uniformity of the initial population.Next,Cauchy mutation is added to optimize the global search ability of the CHOA in the process of position(threshold)updating to avoid the CHOA falling into local optima.Finally,an improved CHOA was formed through the combination of chaos initialization and Cauchy mutation(CICMCHOA),then taking fuzzy Kapur as the objective function,this paper applied CICMCHOA to natural and medical image segmentation,and compared it with four algorithms,including the improved Satin Bowerbird optimizer(ISBO),Cuckoo Search(ICS),etc.The experimental results deriving from visual and specific indicators demonstrate that CICMCHOA delivers superior segmentation effects in image segmentation.

Cost-Efficient Edge Caching for NOMA-Enabled IoT Services

Mobile edge computing(MEC)is a promising paradigm by deploying edge servers(nodes)with computation and storage capacity close to IoT devices.Content Providers can cache data in edge servers and provide services for IoT devices,which effectively reduces the delay for acquiring data.With the increasing number of IoT devices requesting for services,the spectrum resources are generally limited.In order to effectively meet the challenge of limited spectrum resources,the Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access(NOMA)is proposed to improve the transmission efficiency.In this paper,we consider the caching scenario in a NOMA-enabled MEC system.All the devices compete for the limited resources and tend to minimize their own cost.We formulate the caching problem,and the goal is to minimize the delay cost for each individual device subject to resource constraints.We reformulate the optimization as a non-cooperative game model.We prove the existence of Nash equilibrium(NE)solution in the game model.Then,we design the Game-based Cost-Efficient Edge Caching Algorithm(GCECA)to solve the problem.The effectiveness of our GCECA algorithm is validated by both parameter analysis and comparison experiments.

An improved initial rotor position estimation method using high-frequency pulsating voltage injection for PMSM

High frequency pulsating voltage injection method is a good candidate for detecting the initial rotor position of permanent magnet synchronous motor.However,traditional methods require a large number of filters,which leads to the deterioration of system stability and dynamic performance.In order to solve these problems,a new signal demodulation method is proposed in this paper.The proposed new method can directly obtain the amplitude of high-frequency current,thus eliminating the use of filters,improving system stability and dynamic performance and saving the work of adjusting filter parameters.In addition,a new magnetic polarity detection method is proposed,which is robust to current measurement noise.Finally,experiments verify the effectiveness of the method.

Irregular initial solidification by mold thermal monitoring in the continuous casting of steels:A review

Occasional irregular initial solidification phenomena,including stickers,deep oscillation marks,depressions,and surface cracks of strand shells in continuous casting molds,are important limitations for developing the high-efficiency continuous casting of steels.The application of mold thermal monitoring(MTM) systems,which use thermocouples to detect and respond to temperature variations in molds,has become an effective method to address irregular initial solidification phenomena.Such systems are widely applied in numerous steel companies for sticker breakout prediction.However,monitoring the surface defects of strands remains immature.Hence,indepth research is necessary to utilize the potential advantages and comprehensive monitoring of MTM systems.This paper summarizes what is included in the irregular initial solidification phenomena and systematically reviews the current state of research on these phenomena by the MTM systems.Furthermore,the influences of mold slag behavior on monitoring these phenomena are analyzed.Finally,the remaining problems of the formation mechanisms and investigations of irregular initial solidification phenomena are discussed,and future research directions are proposed.