In this paper,we consider the practical prescribed-time performance guaranteed tracking control problem for a class of uncertain strict-feedback systems subject to unknown control direction.Due to the existence of unk...In this paper,we consider the practical prescribed-time performance guaranteed tracking control problem for a class of uncertain strict-feedback systems subject to unknown control direction.Due to the existence of unknown nonlinearities and uncertainties,it is challenging to design a controller that can ensure the stability of closed-loop system within a predetermined finite time while maintaining the specified transient performance.The underlying problem becomes further complex as the control directions are unknown.To deal with the above problems,a special translation function as well as Nussbaum type function are introduced in the prescribed performance control(PPC)framework.Finally,a PPC as well as preset finite time tracking control scheme is designed,and its effectiveness is confirmed by both theoretical analysis and numerical simulation.展开更多
BACKGROUND The proficiency of nursing professionals in the infection prevention and control(IPC)practices is a core component of the strategy to mitigate the challenge of healthcare associated infections.AIM To test k...BACKGROUND The proficiency of nursing professionals in the infection prevention and control(IPC)practices is a core component of the strategy to mitigate the challenge of healthcare associated infections.AIM To test knowledge of nurses working in intensive care units(ICU)in South Asia and Middle East countries on IPC practices.METHODS An online self-assessment questionnaire based on various aspects of IPC practices was conducted among nurses over three weeks.RESULTS A total of 1333 nurses from 13 countries completed the survey.The average score was 72.8%and 36%of nurses were proficient(mean score>80%).43%and 68.3%of respondents were from government and teaching hospitals,respectively.79.2%of respondents worked in<25 bedded ICUs and 46.5%in closed ICUs.Statistically,a significant association was found between the knowledge and expertise of nurses,the country’s per-capita income,type of hospitals,accreditation and teaching status of hospitals and type of ICUs.Working in high-and upper-middleincome countries(β=4.89,95%CI:3.55 to 6.22)was positively associated,and the teaching status of the hospital(β=-4.58,95%CI:-6.81 to-2.36)was negatively associated with the knowledge score among respondents.CONCLUSION There is considerable variation in knowledge among nurses working in ICU.Factors like income status of countries,public vs private and teaching status of hospitals and experience are independently associated with nurses’knowledge of IPC practices.展开更多
Background:The prevalence,morbidity and mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is very high,so it has become a public health problem.The early stage of COPD has been paid much attention before it deve...Background:The prevalence,morbidity and mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is very high,so it has become a public health problem.The early stage of COPD has been paid much attention before it develops severely.As well,traditional Chinese medicine has some advantages in relieving symptoms and reducing the incidence of COPD exacerbations.Methods:A practical randomized controlled trial will be designed to test the clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine treatment according to syndrome differentiation.A total of 80 patients with mild/moderate COPD will participate in this study,40 in the treatment group and 40 in the control group.On the basis of the lifestyle intervention,traditional Chinese medicine formula granules for treatment group and the placebo simulation of traditional Chinese medicine granules for control group.The exacerbation and the improvement of pulmonary function will be used as the primary outcome measures.The improvement of clinical symptoms and signs,the quality of life and Dyspnea will be used as the secondary outcomes measures.Conclusion:We assume that the COPD patients will be benefit from therapy with Traditional Chinese medicine treatment.展开更多
Isolated operation of hydropower stations on Wujinag River was seen disadvantages of low rate of water utilization and much loss of electricity caused by abandoned water during low load periods. To tackle the problem,...Isolated operation of hydropower stations on Wujinag River was seen disadvantages of low rate of water utilization and much loss of electricity caused by abandoned water during low load periods. To tackle the problem, centralized control over cascade hydropower stations is practiced with a considerable economic benef it gained.展开更多
This paper develops a novel Neural Network(NN)-based adaptive nonsingular practical predefined-time controller for the hypersonic morphing aircraft subject to actuator faults. Firstly, a novel Lyapunov criterion of pr...This paper develops a novel Neural Network(NN)-based adaptive nonsingular practical predefined-time controller for the hypersonic morphing aircraft subject to actuator faults. Firstly, a novel Lyapunov criterion of practical predefined-time stability is established. Following the proposed criterion, a tangent function based nonsingular predefined-time sliding manifold and the control strategy are developed. Secondly, the radial basis function NN with a low-complexity adaptation mechanism is incorporated into the controller to tackle the actuator faults and uncertainties. Thirdly, rigorous theoretical proof reveals that the attitude tracking errors can converge to a small region around the origin within a predefined time, while all signals in the closed-loop system remain bounded. Finally, numerical simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness and improved performance of the proposed control scheme.展开更多
Painting contractors have struggled with implementation and assessment of lead exposure controls leading to persistently elevated blood lead levels in this high-risk group of workers. The objective of this study was t...Painting contractors have struggled with implementation and assessment of lead exposure controls leading to persistently elevated blood lead levels in this high-risk group of workers. The objective of this study was to assess the intensity of lead exposures based on commonly used air velocities inside field containment structures during abrasive blasting and vacuuming. Exposures were assessed over 14 days from April to July 2021 at a tainter gate and bridge lead paint removal project. Personal air samples, skin wipes, air velocity readings, and blood lead samples were collected. The geometric mean (GM) lead exposure for abrasive blasters and vacuumers was ≥4 × the OSHA Lead Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m<sup>3</sup>. There was high variability in the personal lead exposures (Geometric standard deviation (GSD) 4.0 - 5.0). The GM hand wipe exposures exceeded a Dermal PEL of 500 μg/wipe (abrasive blaster 564 μg/wipe and vacuumer 754 μg/wipe). Residual lead was measured on workers’ hands in 67% of the post hand washing samples. Air velocities measured inside of the field containments ranged from 107 feet per minute to 229 feet per minute. The effect of air velocity on the concentration of lead on workers’ hands after work (F = 0.58, p = 0.35) and airborne lead concentration was not significant (F = 0.36, p = 0.48). Six of the eight workers’ blood lead levels increased after exposure to lead. There was a non-statistically significant relationship between lead remaining on workers’ hands after handwashing and an increase in blood lead level. This is the first study that assessed both ventilation flow rates used in the industrial painting industry and measurements of airborne and dermal (hands) lead exposures. For the projects evaluated, the collected exposure data indicate that air velocities frequently used in the industrial painting industry to ventilate field containment structures did not tend to prevent an increase in worker blood lead and were ineffective for adequately controlling elevated concentrations of airborne lead and preventing contact with workers’ hands.展开更多
Soil is the basis of production in agriculture activities. The combination of intensive farming activities, improper farming practices, rainfall regimes, and topography conditions that taken place in agricultural land...Soil is the basis of production in agriculture activities. The combination of intensive farming activities, improper farming practices, rainfall regimes, and topography conditions that taken place in agricultural land lead to the soil erosion problem. Soil erosion is the major constraint to agriculture that affects the yield production and degraded environmental sustainability. Furthermore, soil erosion that occurs in the agricultural area has jeopardized the sustainability of agriculture activities. Asia is one of the major agricultural producers in the world. It is essential to know how to mitigate soil erosion in Asian agri-cultural land. This systematic review aims to analyze the existing literature on research that has been done on control practices that had been taken in Asia agricultural land towards soil erosion. This article is guided by the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis) review method. The authors systematically reviewed the literature to study the control practices that been taken and tested to control soil erosion on the agricultural land in Asia. Accordingly, this systematic review identified 39 related studies about the topic based on the Web of Science and Scopus databases. This article divided the control practices into three main themes, which are agronomic practices, agro-stological practices, and mechanical practices. The three main themes then produced a total of 11 sub-themes. Further specific and sustained research is needed to tackle this severe environmental problem through a better method, such as this systematic review method. The systematic review helps farmers and policymakers to implement the most practical approach to control and reduce soil erosion.展开更多
Evidence obtained from randomized controlled trials （RCTs） has been generally accepted as the gold standard in the evaluation of clinical effectiveness. Readers need to understand the trial design, implement...Evidence obtained from randomized controlled trials （RCTs） has been generally accepted as the gold standard in the evaluation of clinical effectiveness. Readers need to understand the trial design, implementation, results, analysis and interpretation, so as to fully Jnderstand the results of RCTs. Thus, the investigators of RCTs have to report these items in a complete, accurate and clear manner. Since 1998, we have conducted several evaluations on the reporting quality of RCTs published in Chinese journals on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and results have shown that there is an urgent need for higher quality RCTs on TCM.展开更多
How to test the treatments of Chinese medicine（CM） and make them more widely accepted by practitioners of Western medicine and the international healthcare community is a major concern for practitioners and research...How to test the treatments of Chinese medicine（CM） and make them more widely accepted by practitioners of Western medicine and the international healthcare community is a major concern for practitioners and researchers of CM.For centuries,various approaches have been used to identify and measure the efficacy and safety of CM.However,the high-quality evidence related to CM that produced in China is still rare.Over the recent years,evidence-based medicine（EBM） has been increasingly applied to CM,strengthening its theoretical basis.This paper reviews the past and present state of CM,analyzes the status quo,challenges and opportunities of basic research,clinical trials,systematic reviews,clinical practice guidelines and clinical pathways and evidence-based education developed or conducted in China,pointing out how EBM can help to make CM more widely used and recognized worldwide.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Key Research and Development Program of China under grant(No.2022YFB4701400/4701401)by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant(No.61991400,No.61991403,No.62250710167,No.61860206008,No.61933012,No.62273064,No.62203078)+2 种基金in part by the National Key Research and Development Program of China under grant(No.2021ZD0201300)in part by the Innovation Support Program for International Students Returning to China under grant(No.cx2022016)in part by the Chongqing Medical Scientific Research Project under grant(No.2022DBXM001).
文摘In this paper,we consider the practical prescribed-time performance guaranteed tracking control problem for a class of uncertain strict-feedback systems subject to unknown control direction.Due to the existence of unknown nonlinearities and uncertainties,it is challenging to design a controller that can ensure the stability of closed-loop system within a predetermined finite time while maintaining the specified transient performance.The underlying problem becomes further complex as the control directions are unknown.To deal with the above problems,a special translation function as well as Nussbaum type function are introduced in the prescribed performance control(PPC)framework.Finally,a PPC as well as preset finite time tracking control scheme is designed,and its effectiveness is confirmed by both theoretical analysis and numerical simulation.
文摘BACKGROUND The proficiency of nursing professionals in the infection prevention and control(IPC)practices is a core component of the strategy to mitigate the challenge of healthcare associated infections.AIM To test knowledge of nurses working in intensive care units(ICU)in South Asia and Middle East countries on IPC practices.METHODS An online self-assessment questionnaire based on various aspects of IPC practices was conducted among nurses over three weeks.RESULTS A total of 1333 nurses from 13 countries completed the survey.The average score was 72.8%and 36%of nurses were proficient(mean score>80%).43%and 68.3%of respondents were from government and teaching hospitals,respectively.79.2%of respondents worked in<25 bedded ICUs and 46.5%in closed ICUs.Statistically,a significant association was found between the knowledge and expertise of nurses,the country’s per-capita income,type of hospitals,accreditation and teaching status of hospitals and type of ICUs.Working in high-and upper-middleincome countries(β=4.89,95%CI:3.55 to 6.22)was positively associated,and the teaching status of the hospital(β=-4.58,95%CI:-6.81 to-2.36)was negatively associated with the knowledge score among respondents.CONCLUSION There is considerable variation in knowledge among nurses working in ICU.Factors like income status of countries,public vs private and teaching status of hospitals and experience are independently associated with nurses’knowledge of IPC practices.
文摘Background:The prevalence,morbidity and mortality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)is very high,so it has become a public health problem.The early stage of COPD has been paid much attention before it develops severely.As well,traditional Chinese medicine has some advantages in relieving symptoms and reducing the incidence of COPD exacerbations.Methods:A practical randomized controlled trial will be designed to test the clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine treatment according to syndrome differentiation.A total of 80 patients with mild/moderate COPD will participate in this study,40 in the treatment group and 40 in the control group.On the basis of the lifestyle intervention,traditional Chinese medicine formula granules for treatment group and the placebo simulation of traditional Chinese medicine granules for control group.The exacerbation and the improvement of pulmonary function will be used as the primary outcome measures.The improvement of clinical symptoms and signs,the quality of life and Dyspnea will be used as the secondary outcomes measures.Conclusion:We assume that the COPD patients will be benefit from therapy with Traditional Chinese medicine treatment.
文摘Isolated operation of hydropower stations on Wujinag River was seen disadvantages of low rate of water utilization and much loss of electricity caused by abandoned water during low load periods. To tackle the problem, centralized control over cascade hydropower stations is practiced with a considerable economic benef it gained.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52233014, U2241215)。
文摘This paper develops a novel Neural Network(NN)-based adaptive nonsingular practical predefined-time controller for the hypersonic morphing aircraft subject to actuator faults. Firstly, a novel Lyapunov criterion of practical predefined-time stability is established. Following the proposed criterion, a tangent function based nonsingular predefined-time sliding manifold and the control strategy are developed. Secondly, the radial basis function NN with a low-complexity adaptation mechanism is incorporated into the controller to tackle the actuator faults and uncertainties. Thirdly, rigorous theoretical proof reveals that the attitude tracking errors can converge to a small region around the origin within a predefined time, while all signals in the closed-loop system remain bounded. Finally, numerical simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness and improved performance of the proposed control scheme.
文摘Painting contractors have struggled with implementation and assessment of lead exposure controls leading to persistently elevated blood lead levels in this high-risk group of workers. The objective of this study was to assess the intensity of lead exposures based on commonly used air velocities inside field containment structures during abrasive blasting and vacuuming. Exposures were assessed over 14 days from April to July 2021 at a tainter gate and bridge lead paint removal project. Personal air samples, skin wipes, air velocity readings, and blood lead samples were collected. The geometric mean (GM) lead exposure for abrasive blasters and vacuumers was ≥4 × the OSHA Lead Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m<sup>3</sup>. There was high variability in the personal lead exposures (Geometric standard deviation (GSD) 4.0 - 5.0). The GM hand wipe exposures exceeded a Dermal PEL of 500 μg/wipe (abrasive blaster 564 μg/wipe and vacuumer 754 μg/wipe). Residual lead was measured on workers’ hands in 67% of the post hand washing samples. Air velocities measured inside of the field containments ranged from 107 feet per minute to 229 feet per minute. The effect of air velocity on the concentration of lead on workers’ hands after work (F = 0.58, p = 0.35) and airborne lead concentration was not significant (F = 0.36, p = 0.48). Six of the eight workers’ blood lead levels increased after exposure to lead. There was a non-statistically significant relationship between lead remaining on workers’ hands after handwashing and an increase in blood lead level. This is the first study that assessed both ventilation flow rates used in the industrial painting industry and measurements of airborne and dermal (hands) lead exposures. For the projects evaluated, the collected exposure data indicate that air velocities frequently used in the industrial painting industry to ventilate field containment structures did not tend to prevent an increase in worker blood lead and were ineffective for adequately controlling elevated concentrations of airborne lead and preventing contact with workers’ hands.
文摘Soil is the basis of production in agriculture activities. The combination of intensive farming activities, improper farming practices, rainfall regimes, and topography conditions that taken place in agricultural land lead to the soil erosion problem. Soil erosion is the major constraint to agriculture that affects the yield production and degraded environmental sustainability. Furthermore, soil erosion that occurs in the agricultural area has jeopardized the sustainability of agriculture activities. Asia is one of the major agricultural producers in the world. It is essential to know how to mitigate soil erosion in Asian agri-cultural land. This systematic review aims to analyze the existing literature on research that has been done on control practices that had been taken in Asia agricultural land towards soil erosion. This article is guided by the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis) review method. The authors systematically reviewed the literature to study the control practices that been taken and tested to control soil erosion on the agricultural land in Asia. Accordingly, this systematic review identified 39 related studies about the topic based on the Web of Science and Scopus databases. This article divided the control practices into three main themes, which are agronomic practices, agro-stological practices, and mechanical practices. The three main themes then produced a total of 11 sub-themes. Further specific and sustained research is needed to tackle this severe environmental problem through a better method, such as this systematic review method. The systematic review helps farmers and policymakers to implement the most practical approach to control and reduce soil erosion.
文摘Evidence obtained from randomized controlled trials （RCTs） has been generally accepted as the gold standard in the evaluation of clinical effectiveness. Readers need to understand the trial design, implementation, results, analysis and interpretation, so as to fully Jnderstand the results of RCTs. Thus, the investigators of RCTs have to report these items in a complete, accurate and clear manner. Since 1998, we have conducted several evaluations on the reporting quality of RCTs published in Chinese journals on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and results have shown that there is an urgent need for higher quality RCTs on TCM.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81430098,81273935,81503459)
文摘How to test the treatments of Chinese medicine（CM） and make them more widely accepted by practitioners of Western medicine and the international healthcare community is a major concern for practitioners and researchers of CM.For centuries,various approaches have been used to identify and measure the efficacy and safety of CM.However,the high-quality evidence related to CM that produced in China is still rare.Over the recent years,evidence-based medicine（EBM） has been increasingly applied to CM,strengthening its theoretical basis.This paper reviews the past and present state of CM,analyzes the status quo,challenges and opportunities of basic research,clinical trials,systematic reviews,clinical practice guidelines and clinical pathways and evidence-based education developed or conducted in China,pointing out how EBM can help to make CM more widely used and recognized worldwide.
