Regular physical activity(PA)is known to enhance multifaceted health benefits,including both physical and mental health.However,traditional in-person physical activity programs have drawbacks,including time constraints...Regular physical activity(PA)is known to enhance multifaceted health benefits,including both physical and mental health.However,traditional in-person physical activity programs have drawbacks,including time constraints for busy people.Although evidence suggests positive impacts on mental health through mobile-based physical activity,effects of accumulated short bouts of physical activity using mobile devices are unexplored.Thus,this study aims to investigate these effects,focusing on depression,perceived stress,and negative affectivity among South Korean college students.Forty-six healthy college students were divided into the accumulated group(n=23,female=47.8%)and control group(n=23,female=47.6%).The accumulated group engaged in mobile-based physical activity,following guidelines to accumulate a minimum of two times per day and three times a week.Sessions were divided into short bouts,ensuing each bout lasted at least 10 min.The control group did not engage in any specific physical activity.The data analysis involved comparing the scores of the intervention and control groups using several statistical techniques,such as independent sample t-test,paired sample t-tests,and 2(time)×2(group)repeated measures analysis of variance.The demographic characteristics at the pre-test showed no statistically significant differences between the groups.The accumulated group had significant decreases in depression(t_(40)=2.59,p=0.013,Cohen’s D=0.84)and perceived stress(t_(40)=2.06,p=0.046,Cohen’s D=0.56)from the pre-to post-test.The control group exhibited no statistically significant differences in any variables.Furthermore,there were significant effects of time on depression scores(F1,36=4.77,p=0.036,η_(p)^(2)=0.12)while significant interaction effects were also observed for depression(F_(1,36)=6.59,p=0.015,η_(p)^(2)=0.16).This study offers informative insights into the potential advantages of mobile-based physical activity programs with accumulated periods for enhancing mental health,specifically in relation to depression.This study illuminates the current ongoing discussions on efficient approaches to encourage mobile-based physical activity and improve mental well-being,addressing various lifestyles and busy schedules.展开更多
The main goal of this study has been to map flood and assess land surface short-term dynamics in relation with snowy weather. The two recent snowfall events, which happened in, February 14<sup>th</sup> and...The main goal of this study has been to map flood and assess land surface short-term dynamics in relation with snowy weather. The two recent snowfall events, which happened in, February 14<sup>th</sup> and 15<sup>th</sup>, of year 2021, and February 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup>, of year 2022, were chosen. A pre-analysis correlation was assumed between, the snow events, recurrency of floods, and changes in the land surface characteristics (i.e., wetness, energy, temperature), in a “Before-During-After” scenario. Active and passive microwave satellites data such as, Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR), Sentinel-2 multispectral instrument (MSI) and Landsat-9 Operation Land Imager-2/Thermal Infrared Sensors-2 (OLI-2/TIRS-2), as well as cloud databased global models for water and urban layers were used. The first step of processing was thresholding of SAR image, at 0.25 cutoff, based on bimodal histogram distribution, followed by the change analysis. The following processing consisted in the images transformation, by computing the tasseled cap transformation wetness (TCTw) and the surface albedo on MSI image. In addition, the land surface temperature (LST) was modeled from OLI-2/TIRS-2 image. Then, a 5<sup>th</sup> order polynomial regression was computed, between TCTw as dependent variable and, albedo and LST as independent variables. As a first result, an area of 5.6 km<sup>2</sup> has been mapped as recurrently flooded from the two years assessment. The other output highlighted a constant increase of wetness (TCTw), considered most influential on land surface dynamics, comparatively to energy exchange (albedo) and temperature (LST). The “After” event dependency between the three indicators was highest, with a correlation coefficient, R<sup>2</sup> = 0.682, confirming the persistence of wetness after-snowmelt. Validation over topographic layers confirmed that, recurrently flooded areas are mostly distributed on, lowest valley depth points, farthest distances from channel network (i.e., from perennial waters), and lowest relative slope position areas. Whereas, 88.9% of the validation sampling were confirmed in the laboratory, and 86.7% of urban validation points were assessed as recurrently flooded when combining pre-/post-field-work campaign.展开更多
Background: In the context of the fight against HIV, a lack of skills in monitoring and evaluating the personnel in charge of activities has been identified at the national level. It was the subject of a priority axis...Background: In the context of the fight against HIV, a lack of skills in monitoring and evaluating the personnel in charge of activities has been identified at the national level. It was the subject of a priority axis of the national plan for monitoring and evaluating the fight against HIV (2006-2010) that was aimed at strengthening the capacities of actors in this area. To increase the critical mass of competent human resources in the short term, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) of Côte d’Ivoire organized monitoring and evaluation training sessions for healthcare professionals from 2011 to 2016. Methods: A single case study with multiple levels of analysis was carried out, combining a qualitative survey and a literature review. An evaluation was carried out six months after each training session. In addition, the results of the pre- and post-tests and of the daily and final evaluations that accompanied the various training sessions were used to provide further information. The qualitative data collected were analyzed using INVIVO 15 software. Results: Some 89 health professionals (69% men and 31% women) working at the national level (51% at the central level, including 58% in health programs) and in development partner agencies (37%) participated in this capacity building program. Most participants were senior health managers (56%), data managers (23%), and statisticians and computer scientists (10%). Almost all the trainings were financed by 16 technical and financial partners (85%), mainly the MEASURE Evaluation project (27%). Conclusion: M&E training, despite all its imperfections, has made it possible to identify M&E training needs at the national level and to increase the critical mass of national skills and to have some culture in M&E.展开更多
In today’s world, there are many people suffering from mentalhealth problems such as depression and anxiety. If these conditions are notidentified and treated early, they can get worse quickly and have far-reachingne...In today’s world, there are many people suffering from mentalhealth problems such as depression and anxiety. If these conditions are notidentified and treated early, they can get worse quickly and have far-reachingnegative effects. Unfortunately, many people suffering from these conditions,especially depression and hypertension, are unaware of their existence until theconditions become chronic. Thus, this paper proposes a novel approach usingBi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) algorithm and GlobalVector (GloVe) algorithm for the prediction and treatment of these conditions.Smartwatches and fitness bands can be equipped with these algorithms whichcan share data with a variety of IoT devices and smart systems to betterunderstand and analyze the user’s condition. We compared the accuracy andloss of the training dataset and the validation dataset of the two modelsnamely, Bi-LSTM without a global vector layer and with a global vector layer.It was observed that the model of Bi-LSTM without a global vector layer hadan accuracy of 83%,while Bi-LSTMwith a global vector layer had an accuracyof 86% with a precision of 86.4%, and an F1 score of 0.861. In addition toproviding basic therapies for the treatment of identified cases, our model alsohelps prevent the deterioration of associated conditions, making our methoda real-world solution.展开更多
Mental workload plays a vital role in cognitive impairment. The impairment refers to a person’s difficulty in remembering, receiving new information, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that serio...Mental workload plays a vital role in cognitive impairment. The impairment refers to a person’s difficulty in remembering, receiving new information, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that seriously affect everyday life. In this paper, the simultaneous capacity (SIMKAP) experiment-based EEG workload analysis was presented using 45 subjects for multitasking mental workload estimation with subject wise attention loss calculation as well as short term memory loss measurement. Using an open access preprocessed EEG dataset, Discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) was utilized for feature extraction and Minimum redundancy and maximum relevancy (MRMR) technique was used to select most relevance features. Wavelet decomposition technique was also used for decomposing EEG signals into five sub bands. Fourteen statistical features were calculated from each sub band signal to form a 5 × 14 window size. The Neural Network (Narrow) classification algorithm was used to classify dataset for low and high workload conditions and comparison was made using some other machine learning models. The results show the classifier’s accuracy of 86.7%, precision of 84.4%, F1 score of 86.33%, and recall of 88.37% that crosses the state-of-the art methodologies in the literature. This prediction is expected to greatly facilitate the improved way in memory and attention loss impairments assessment.展开更多
Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-...Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-term outcomes and functional improvements in LVD patients post-OPCAB. Methods: The study included 200 coronary artery disease patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients were categorized into Group 1, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% - 39%, and Group 2, with an LVEF of 40% or higher. Echocardiographic assessments of left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were performed preoperatively, at discharge, and one month postoperatively. Results: In Group 1, preoperative left ventricular internal dimensions during diastole (LVIDd) and systole (LVIDs) were 53.48 ± 4.40 mm and 44.23 ± 3.93 mm, respectively, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35.28% ± 2.26%. At discharge, these values improved to 51.58 ± 4.04 mm (LVIDd), 41.23 ± 5.30 mm (LVIDs), and 39.25% ± 3.75% (LVEF). One month postoperatively, further improvements were observed: 46.29 ± 3.76 mm (LVIDd), 37.45 ± 3.68 mm (LVIDs), and 43.22% ± 4.67% (LVEF). Group 2 showed similar positive outcomes, with preoperative values of 47.09 ± 5.06 mm (LVIDd), 35.11 ± 5.25 mm (LVIDs), and 50.13% ± 7.25% (LVEF), improving to 42.37 ± 4.18 mm (LVIDd), 31.05 ± 4.19 mm (LVIDs), and 55.33% ± 7.05% (LVEF) at one month postoperatively. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in left ventricular function and NYHA class, with most patients moving from class III/IV to I/II. Complications were minimal, and no mortality was observed. Conclusion: OPCAB is safe and effective for patients with LVEF 30% - 39% and LVEF ≥ 40%, providing significant short-term functional improvements without increased risk.展开更多
The power output state of photovoltaic power generation is affected by the earth’s rotation and solar radiation intensity.On the one hand,its output sequence has daily periodicity;on the other hand,it has discrete ra...The power output state of photovoltaic power generation is affected by the earth’s rotation and solar radiation intensity.On the one hand,its output sequence has daily periodicity;on the other hand,it has discrete randomness.With the development of new energy economy,the proportion of photovoltaic energy increased accordingly.In order to solve the problem of improving the energy conversion efficiency in the grid-connected optical network and ensure the stability of photovoltaic power generation,this paper proposes the short-termprediction of photovoltaic power generation based on the improvedmulti-scale permutation entropy,localmean decomposition and singular spectrum analysis algorithm.Firstly,taking the power output per unit day as the research object,the multi-scale permutation entropy is used to calculate the eigenvectors under different weather conditions,and the cluster analysis is used to reconstruct the historical power generation under typical weather rainy and snowy,sunny,abrupt,cloudy.Then,local mean decomposition(LMD)is used to decompose the output sequence,so as to extract more detail components of the reconstructed output sequence.Finally,combined with the weather forecast of the Meteorological Bureau for the next day,the singular spectrumanalysis algorithm is used to predict the photovoltaic classification of the recombination decomposition sequence under typical weather.Through the verification and analysis of examples,the hierarchical prediction experiments of reconstructed and non-reconstructed output sequences are compared.The results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper is effective in realizing the short-term prediction of photovoltaic generator,and has the advantages of simple structure and high prediction accuracy.展开更多
Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern co...Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern contraceptives in Burkina Faso, it is important to examine the socio-demographic factors that contribute to this new pattern of contraceptive use. This study aims to analyze the changes in socio-demographic factors associated with long-term contraceptive use and provide scientific evidence to guide policy development and action planning in family planning. Data and Methods: We utilized data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, which included 17,087 women aged 15 - 49 years, and the 2015 Demographic and Health Module, which included 11,504 women in the same age group. For the analysis of contraceptive use, we focused on women who were in need of contraception (either met or unmet), of reproductive age, non-pregnant, and either married or sexually active but not married. We included users of modern reversible methods and excluded non-users, as well as users of traditional or permanent methods. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of long-term contraceptive use across all categories;however, certain challenges were identified, such as lower levels of information about contraceptive methods among users and the persistence of inequalities. Family planning discussions and partner approval did not influence long-term contraceptive choice. Additionally, some providers selectively offered specific methods based on women’s life course characteristics, such as parity and marital status, despite evidence suggesting that young and nulliparous women can effectively use long-term methods. Conclusion: Given the high effectiveness of long-term contraceptive methods, it is crucial to address barriers that hinder their utilization among young and nulliparous women, as well as those who desire to delay pregnancy. Efforts should focus on improving knowledge and dispelling misconceptions surrounding long-term methods. Providers play a pivotal role in this process by adopting counseling strategies that enhance users’ understanding and facilitate informed decision-making regarding contraceptive options.展开更多
The changes of radon content in underground water(water radon)recorded at about 200 stations in 32 earthquakes occurred in the mainland of China are studied in this paper. The result shows that the spatial distributio...The changes of radon content in underground water(water radon)recorded at about 200 stations in 32 earthquakes occurred in the mainland of China are studied in this paper. The result shows that the spatial distribution of short term and imminent anomalies of water radon before earthquake seems to be mainly related to the active master fault nearby the hypocenter of an earthquake and the earthquake generating mechanism. Finally, some understandings on the mechanism of the aomalies and the imminent earthquake prediction are set forth.展开更多
The housing crisis in Ireland has rapidly grown in recent years. To make a more significant profit, many landlords are no longer renting out their houses under long-term tenancies but under short-term tenancies. Regul...The housing crisis in Ireland has rapidly grown in recent years. To make a more significant profit, many landlords are no longer renting out their houses under long-term tenancies but under short-term tenancies. Regulating rentals in Rent Pressure Zones with the highest and rising rents is becoming a tricky issue. In this paper, we develop a breach identifier to check short-term rentals located in Rent Pressure Zones with potential breaches only using publicly available data from Airbnb (an online marketplace focused on short-term home-stays) and Irish government websites. First, we use a Residual Neural Network to filter out outdoor landscape photos that negatively impact identifying whether an owner has multiple rentals in a Rent Pressure Zone. Second, a Siamese Neural Network is used to compare the similarity of indoor photos to determine if multiple rental posts correspond to the same residence. Next, we use the Haversine algorithm to locate short-term rentals within a circle centered on the coordinate of a permit. Short-term rentals with a permit will not be restricted. Finally, we improve the occupancy estimation model combined with sentiment analysis, which may provide higher accuracy.展开更多
We study the short-term memory capacity of ancient readers of the original New Testament written in Greek, of its translations to Latin and to modern languages. To model it, we consider the number of words between any...We study the short-term memory capacity of ancient readers of the original New Testament written in Greek, of its translations to Latin and to modern languages. To model it, we consider the number of words between any two contiguous interpunctions I<sub>p</sub>, because this parameter can model how the human mind memorizes “chunks” of information. Since I<sub>P</sub> can be calculated for any alphabetical text, we can perform experiments—otherwise impossible— with ancient readers by studying the literary works they used to read. The “experiments” compare the I<sub>P</sub> of texts of a language/translation to those of another language/translation by measuring the minimum average probability of finding joint readers (those who can read both texts because of similar short-term memory capacity) and by defining an “overlap index”. We also define the population of universal readers, people who can read any New Testament text in any language. Future work is vast, with many research tracks, because alphabetical literatures are very large and allow many experiments, such as comparing authors, translations or even texts written by artificial intelligence tools.展开更多
Significant postseismic deformation of the 2008 M W 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake has been observed from GPS data of the first 14 days after the earthquake. The possible mechanisms for the rapid postseismic deformation are ...Significant postseismic deformation of the 2008 M W 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake has been observed from GPS data of the first 14 days after the earthquake. The possible mechanisms for the rapid postseismic deformation are assumed to be afterslip on the earthquake rupture plane and viscoelastic relaxation of coseismiclly stress change in the lower crust or upper mantle. We firstly use the constrained least squares method to find an afterslip model which can fit the GPS data best. The afterslip model can explain near-field data very well but shows considerable discrepancies in fitting far-field data. To estimate the effect due to the viscoelastic relaxation in the lower crust, we then ignore the contribution from the afterslip and attempt to invert the viscosity structure beneath the Longmenshan fault where the Wenchuan earthquake occurred from the postseismic deformation data. For this purpose, we use a viscoelastic model with a 2D geometry based on the geological and seismological observations and the coseismic slip distribution derived from the coseismic GPS and InSAR data. By means of a grid search we find that the optimum viscosity is 9×10 18 Pa·s for the middle-lower crust in the Chengdu Basin, 4×10 17 Pa·s for the middle-lower crust in the Chuanxi Plateau and 7×10 17 Pa·s for the low velocity zone in the Chuanxi plateau. The viscoelastic model explains the postseismic deformation observed in the far-field satisfactorily, but it is considerably worse than the afterslip model in fitting the near-fault data. It suggests therefore a hybrid model including both afterslip and relaxation effects. Since the viscoelastic model produces mainly the far-field surface deformation and has fewer degree of freedoms (three viscosity parameters) than the afterslip model with a huge number of source parameters, we fix the viscositiy structure as obtained before but redetermine the afterslip distribution using the residual data from the viscoelastic modeling. The redetermined afterslip distribution becomes physically more reasonable; it is more localized and exhibits a pattern spatially complementary with the coseismic rupture distribution. We conclude that the aseismic fault slip is responsible for the near-fault postseismic deformation, whereas the viscoelastic stress relaxation might be the major cause for the far-field postseismic deformation.展开更多
Since 2000, the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) has been constructing an Underground Research Laboratory (URL) at Bure (east of the Paris Basin) to perform experiments in order to obt...Since 2000, the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) has been constructing an Underground Research Laboratory (URL) at Bure (east of the Paris Basin) to perform experiments in order to obtain in situ data necessary to demonstrate the feasibility of geological repository in the Callovo- Oxfordian claystone. An important experimental program is planned to characterize the response of the rock to different drift construction methods, Before 2008, at the main level of the laboratory, most of the drifts were excavated using pneumatic hammer and supported with rock bolts, sliding steel arches and fiber shotcrete. Other techniques, such as road header techniques, stiff and flexible supports, have also been used to characterize their impacts. The drift network is developed following the in situ major stresses. The parallel drifts are separated enough so as they can be considered independently when their hydromechanical (HM) behaviors are compared. Mine-by experiments have been performed to measure the HM response of the rock and the mechanical loading applied to the support system due to the digging and after excavation. Drifts exhibit extensional (mode I) and shear fractures (modes II and III) induced by excavation works. The extent of the induced fracture networks depends on the drift orientation versus the in situ stress field. This paper describes the drift convergence and deformation in the surrounding rock walls as function of time and the impact of different support methods on the rock mass behavior. An observation based method is finally applied to distinguish the instantaneous and time-dependent parts of the rock mass deformation around the drifts.展开更多
AIM To compare the outcomes of displaced distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plates and with immediate postoperative mobilisation with the outcomes of these fractures treated with modalities that necess...AIM To compare the outcomes of displaced distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plates and with immediate postoperative mobilisation with the outcomes of these fractures treated with modalities that necessitate 6 wk wrist immobilisation.METHODS A prospective, randomised controlled single-centre trial was conducted with 56 patients who had a displaced radius fracture were randomised to treatment either with a volar locking plate(n = 29), or another treatment modality(n = 27; cast immobilisation with or without wires or external fixator). Outcomes were measured at 12 wk. Functional outcome scores measured were the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation(PRWE) Score; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and activities of daily living(ADLs). Clinical outcomes were wrist range of motion and grip strength. Radiographic parameters were volar inclination and ulnar variance.RESULTS Patients in the volar locking plate group had significantly better PRWE scores, ADL scores, grip strength and range of extension at three months compared with the control group. All radiological parameters were significantly better in the volar locking plate group at 3 mo. CONCLUSION The present study suggests that volar locking plates produced significantly better functional and clinical outcomes at 3 mo compared with other treatment modalities. Anatomical reduction was significantly more likely to be preserved in the plating group. Level of evidence: Ⅱ.展开更多
Aiming at the low accuracy problem of power system short-term load forecasting by traditional methods, a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) based method for short-term load forecasting is presented ...Aiming at the low accuracy problem of power system short-term load forecasting by traditional methods, a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) based method for short-term load forecasting is presented in this paper. The forecast points are related to prophase adjacent data as well as the periodical long-term historical load data. Then the short-term load forecasting model of Shanxi Power Grid (China) based on BP-ANN method and correlation analysis is established. The simulation model matches well with practical power system load, indicating the BP-ANN method is simple and with higher precision and practicality.展开更多
Objective To investigate variation in levels of transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-β1)before and after radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer in order to evaluate the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the e...Objective To investigate variation in levels of transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-β1)before and after radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer in order to evaluate the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effects of radiotherapy Methods A total of 140 patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma undergoing radical radiation therapy in the Department of Oncology from March 2015 to December 2017 were enrolled.The patients were divided into the effective(115 cases)and ineffective(25 cases)groups according to World Health Organization(WHO)criteria for the evaluation of solid tumors(2009 RECIST standard).TGF-β1 levels were measured in all patients by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Multiple-factor analysis of the predictive value of the treatment efficacy was performed by Cox regression analysis.Results After radiotherapy,36,79,and 25 cases experienced complete response(CR),partial response(PR),and no response(NR),respectively,with a total effective rate of 82.14%.The TGF-β1 level was significantly lower in the effective group than that in the ineffective group(P<0.05)and covariance analysis revealed significantly reduced TGF-β1 level in esophageal cancer patients following radiotherapy.The multi-factor Cox regression model revealed that the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effect of radiotherapy was largest,with a hazard ratio[HR]of 1.955(P=0.002),followed by exposure dose,with(HR=1.367;P=0.035).Conclusion Serum TGF-β1 level can serve as a predictor for the short-term effects of radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.展开更多
Based on the background of the medium term seismic gap, and the creep rate slow down after accelerated strain release, by using a method of gradually reducing the step length and the window length of scanning, the c...Based on the background of the medium term seismic gap, and the creep rate slow down after accelerated strain release, by using a method of gradually reducing the step length and the window length of scanning, the characteristics and criteria of a short term seismic gap have been studied from multi dimension space research. A new method for identifying a short term gap from 3 D axial stability collation has been advanced. Through the study of 26 earthquake examples in north and south west region of China, we found that a short term seismicity gap appeared in 9~16 months before a strong earthquake, this type of gap is different from the seismogenic gap, and will lasted 4~7 months, end at the time of 3~8 months before the mainshock . The ending is marked by the appearance of a significant earthquake in or near the gap (Sun and Cao, 1995) and of small earthquake in the gap.展开更多
The experience of developing a short-term climate prediction system at the Institute of Atmospheric Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is summarized,and some problems to be solved in future are discussed in th...The experience of developing a short-term climate prediction system at the Institute of Atmospheric Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is summarized,and some problems to be solved in future are discussed in this paper.It is suggested that a good system for short-term climate prediction should at least consist of (1) well-tested model(s),(2) sufficient data and good methods for the initialization and assimilation,(3) a good system for quantitative corrections,(4) a good ensemble prediction method,and (5) appropriate prediction products,such as mathematical expectation,standard deviation,probability,among others.展开更多
The diurnal variation of the geomagnetic vertical component is exhibited mainly by changes of phase and amplitude before strong earthquakes. Based on data recorded by the network of geomagnetic observatories in China ...The diurnal variation of the geomagnetic vertical component is exhibited mainly by changes of phase and amplitude before strong earthquakes. Based on data recorded by the network of geomagnetic observatories in China for many years, the anomalous features of the appearance time of the minima of diurnal variations (i.e, low-point time) of the geo- magnetic vertical components and the variation of their spatial distribution (i.e, phenomena of low-point displacement) have been studied before the Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake. The strong aftershocks after two months' quiescence of M6 aftershocks of the Ms8.0 event were forecasted based on these studies. There are good correlativities between these geomagnetic anoma- lies and occurrences of earthquakes. It has been found that most earthquakes occur near the boundary line of sudden changes of the low-point time and generally within four days before or after the 27th or 41st day counting from the day of the appearance of the anomaly. In addition, the imminent anomalies in diurnal-variation amplitudes near the epicentral areas have also been studied before the Wenchuan earthquake.展开更多
基金supported by the Bio&Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation(NRF)funded by the Korean government(MSIT)(NRF-2021M3A9E4080780)Hankuk University of Foreign Studies(2023).
文摘Regular physical activity(PA)is known to enhance multifaceted health benefits,including both physical and mental health.However,traditional in-person physical activity programs have drawbacks,including time constraints for busy people.Although evidence suggests positive impacts on mental health through mobile-based physical activity,effects of accumulated short bouts of physical activity using mobile devices are unexplored.Thus,this study aims to investigate these effects,focusing on depression,perceived stress,and negative affectivity among South Korean college students.Forty-six healthy college students were divided into the accumulated group(n=23,female=47.8%)and control group(n=23,female=47.6%).The accumulated group engaged in mobile-based physical activity,following guidelines to accumulate a minimum of two times per day and three times a week.Sessions were divided into short bouts,ensuing each bout lasted at least 10 min.The control group did not engage in any specific physical activity.The data analysis involved comparing the scores of the intervention and control groups using several statistical techniques,such as independent sample t-test,paired sample t-tests,and 2(time)×2(group)repeated measures analysis of variance.The demographic characteristics at the pre-test showed no statistically significant differences between the groups.The accumulated group had significant decreases in depression(t_(40)=2.59,p=0.013,Cohen’s D=0.84)and perceived stress(t_(40)=2.06,p=0.046,Cohen’s D=0.56)from the pre-to post-test.The control group exhibited no statistically significant differences in any variables.Furthermore,there were significant effects of time on depression scores(F1,36=4.77,p=0.036,η_(p)^(2)=0.12)while significant interaction effects were also observed for depression(F_(1,36)=6.59,p=0.015,η_(p)^(2)=0.16).This study offers informative insights into the potential advantages of mobile-based physical activity programs with accumulated periods for enhancing mental health,specifically in relation to depression.This study illuminates the current ongoing discussions on efficient approaches to encourage mobile-based physical activity and improve mental well-being,addressing various lifestyles and busy schedules.
基金This study was jointly funded by the National Key R&D Program of China[grant number 2022YFC3004103]the National Natural Foundation of China[grant number 42275003]+2 种基金the Beijing Science and Technology Program[grant number Z221100005222012]the Beijing Meteorological Service Science and Technology Program[grant number BMBKJ202302004]the China Meteorological Administration Youth Innovation Team[grant number CMA2023QN10].
文摘The main goal of this study has been to map flood and assess land surface short-term dynamics in relation with snowy weather. The two recent snowfall events, which happened in, February 14<sup>th</sup> and 15<sup>th</sup>, of year 2021, and February 3<sup>rd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup>, of year 2022, were chosen. A pre-analysis correlation was assumed between, the snow events, recurrency of floods, and changes in the land surface characteristics (i.e., wetness, energy, temperature), in a “Before-During-After” scenario. Active and passive microwave satellites data such as, Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR), Sentinel-2 multispectral instrument (MSI) and Landsat-9 Operation Land Imager-2/Thermal Infrared Sensors-2 (OLI-2/TIRS-2), as well as cloud databased global models for water and urban layers were used. The first step of processing was thresholding of SAR image, at 0.25 cutoff, based on bimodal histogram distribution, followed by the change analysis. The following processing consisted in the images transformation, by computing the tasseled cap transformation wetness (TCTw) and the surface albedo on MSI image. In addition, the land surface temperature (LST) was modeled from OLI-2/TIRS-2 image. Then, a 5<sup>th</sup> order polynomial regression was computed, between TCTw as dependent variable and, albedo and LST as independent variables. As a first result, an area of 5.6 km<sup>2</sup> has been mapped as recurrently flooded from the two years assessment. The other output highlighted a constant increase of wetness (TCTw), considered most influential on land surface dynamics, comparatively to energy exchange (albedo) and temperature (LST). The “After” event dependency between the three indicators was highest, with a correlation coefficient, R<sup>2</sup> = 0.682, confirming the persistence of wetness after-snowmelt. Validation over topographic layers confirmed that, recurrently flooded areas are mostly distributed on, lowest valley depth points, farthest distances from channel network (i.e., from perennial waters), and lowest relative slope position areas. Whereas, 88.9% of the validation sampling were confirmed in the laboratory, and 86.7% of urban validation points were assessed as recurrently flooded when combining pre-/post-field-work campaign.
文摘Background: In the context of the fight against HIV, a lack of skills in monitoring and evaluating the personnel in charge of activities has been identified at the national level. It was the subject of a priority axis of the national plan for monitoring and evaluating the fight against HIV (2006-2010) that was aimed at strengthening the capacities of actors in this area. To increase the critical mass of competent human resources in the short term, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) of Côte d’Ivoire organized monitoring and evaluation training sessions for healthcare professionals from 2011 to 2016. Methods: A single case study with multiple levels of analysis was carried out, combining a qualitative survey and a literature review. An evaluation was carried out six months after each training session. In addition, the results of the pre- and post-tests and of the daily and final evaluations that accompanied the various training sessions were used to provide further information. The qualitative data collected were analyzed using INVIVO 15 software. Results: Some 89 health professionals (69% men and 31% women) working at the national level (51% at the central level, including 58% in health programs) and in development partner agencies (37%) participated in this capacity building program. Most participants were senior health managers (56%), data managers (23%), and statisticians and computer scientists (10%). Almost all the trainings were financed by 16 technical and financial partners (85%), mainly the MEASURE Evaluation project (27%). Conclusion: M&E training, despite all its imperfections, has made it possible to identify M&E training needs at the national level and to increase the critical mass of national skills and to have some culture in M&E.
基金This research is funded by Vellore Institute of Technology,Chennai,India.
文摘In today’s world, there are many people suffering from mentalhealth problems such as depression and anxiety. If these conditions are notidentified and treated early, they can get worse quickly and have far-reachingnegative effects. Unfortunately, many people suffering from these conditions,especially depression and hypertension, are unaware of their existence until theconditions become chronic. Thus, this paper proposes a novel approach usingBi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) algorithm and GlobalVector (GloVe) algorithm for the prediction and treatment of these conditions.Smartwatches and fitness bands can be equipped with these algorithms whichcan share data with a variety of IoT devices and smart systems to betterunderstand and analyze the user’s condition. We compared the accuracy andloss of the training dataset and the validation dataset of the two modelsnamely, Bi-LSTM without a global vector layer and with a global vector layer.It was observed that the model of Bi-LSTM without a global vector layer hadan accuracy of 83%,while Bi-LSTMwith a global vector layer had an accuracyof 86% with a precision of 86.4%, and an F1 score of 0.861. In addition toproviding basic therapies for the treatment of identified cases, our model alsohelps prevent the deterioration of associated conditions, making our methoda real-world solution.
文摘Mental workload plays a vital role in cognitive impairment. The impairment refers to a person’s difficulty in remembering, receiving new information, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that seriously affect everyday life. In this paper, the simultaneous capacity (SIMKAP) experiment-based EEG workload analysis was presented using 45 subjects for multitasking mental workload estimation with subject wise attention loss calculation as well as short term memory loss measurement. Using an open access preprocessed EEG dataset, Discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) was utilized for feature extraction and Minimum redundancy and maximum relevancy (MRMR) technique was used to select most relevance features. Wavelet decomposition technique was also used for decomposing EEG signals into five sub bands. Fourteen statistical features were calculated from each sub band signal to form a 5 × 14 window size. The Neural Network (Narrow) classification algorithm was used to classify dataset for low and high workload conditions and comparison was made using some other machine learning models. The results show the classifier’s accuracy of 86.7%, precision of 84.4%, F1 score of 86.33%, and recall of 88.37% that crosses the state-of-the art methodologies in the literature. This prediction is expected to greatly facilitate the improved way in memory and attention loss impairments assessment.
文摘Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-term outcomes and functional improvements in LVD patients post-OPCAB. Methods: The study included 200 coronary artery disease patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients were categorized into Group 1, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% - 39%, and Group 2, with an LVEF of 40% or higher. Echocardiographic assessments of left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were performed preoperatively, at discharge, and one month postoperatively. Results: In Group 1, preoperative left ventricular internal dimensions during diastole (LVIDd) and systole (LVIDs) were 53.48 ± 4.40 mm and 44.23 ± 3.93 mm, respectively, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35.28% ± 2.26%. At discharge, these values improved to 51.58 ± 4.04 mm (LVIDd), 41.23 ± 5.30 mm (LVIDs), and 39.25% ± 3.75% (LVEF). One month postoperatively, further improvements were observed: 46.29 ± 3.76 mm (LVIDd), 37.45 ± 3.68 mm (LVIDs), and 43.22% ± 4.67% (LVEF). Group 2 showed similar positive outcomes, with preoperative values of 47.09 ± 5.06 mm (LVIDd), 35.11 ± 5.25 mm (LVIDs), and 50.13% ± 7.25% (LVEF), improving to 42.37 ± 4.18 mm (LVIDd), 31.05 ± 4.19 mm (LVIDs), and 55.33% ± 7.05% (LVEF) at one month postoperatively. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in left ventricular function and NYHA class, with most patients moving from class III/IV to I/II. Complications were minimal, and no mortality was observed. Conclusion: OPCAB is safe and effective for patients with LVEF 30% - 39% and LVEF ≥ 40%, providing significant short-term functional improvements without increased risk.
文摘The power output state of photovoltaic power generation is affected by the earth’s rotation and solar radiation intensity.On the one hand,its output sequence has daily periodicity;on the other hand,it has discrete randomness.With the development of new energy economy,the proportion of photovoltaic energy increased accordingly.In order to solve the problem of improving the energy conversion efficiency in the grid-connected optical network and ensure the stability of photovoltaic power generation,this paper proposes the short-termprediction of photovoltaic power generation based on the improvedmulti-scale permutation entropy,localmean decomposition and singular spectrum analysis algorithm.Firstly,taking the power output per unit day as the research object,the multi-scale permutation entropy is used to calculate the eigenvectors under different weather conditions,and the cluster analysis is used to reconstruct the historical power generation under typical weather rainy and snowy,sunny,abrupt,cloudy.Then,local mean decomposition(LMD)is used to decompose the output sequence,so as to extract more detail components of the reconstructed output sequence.Finally,combined with the weather forecast of the Meteorological Bureau for the next day,the singular spectrumanalysis algorithm is used to predict the photovoltaic classification of the recombination decomposition sequence under typical weather.Through the verification and analysis of examples,the hierarchical prediction experiments of reconstructed and non-reconstructed output sequences are compared.The results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper is effective in realizing the short-term prediction of photovoltaic generator,and has the advantages of simple structure and high prediction accuracy.
文摘Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern contraceptives in Burkina Faso, it is important to examine the socio-demographic factors that contribute to this new pattern of contraceptive use. This study aims to analyze the changes in socio-demographic factors associated with long-term contraceptive use and provide scientific evidence to guide policy development and action planning in family planning. Data and Methods: We utilized data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, which included 17,087 women aged 15 - 49 years, and the 2015 Demographic and Health Module, which included 11,504 women in the same age group. For the analysis of contraceptive use, we focused on women who were in need of contraception (either met or unmet), of reproductive age, non-pregnant, and either married or sexually active but not married. We included users of modern reversible methods and excluded non-users, as well as users of traditional or permanent methods. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of long-term contraceptive use across all categories;however, certain challenges were identified, such as lower levels of information about contraceptive methods among users and the persistence of inequalities. Family planning discussions and partner approval did not influence long-term contraceptive choice. Additionally, some providers selectively offered specific methods based on women’s life course characteristics, such as parity and marital status, despite evidence suggesting that young and nulliparous women can effectively use long-term methods. Conclusion: Given the high effectiveness of long-term contraceptive methods, it is crucial to address barriers that hinder their utilization among young and nulliparous women, as well as those who desire to delay pregnancy. Efforts should focus on improving knowledge and dispelling misconceptions surrounding long-term methods. Providers play a pivotal role in this process by adopting counseling strategies that enhance users’ understanding and facilitate informed decision-making regarding contraceptive options.
文摘The changes of radon content in underground water(water radon)recorded at about 200 stations in 32 earthquakes occurred in the mainland of China are studied in this paper. The result shows that the spatial distribution of short term and imminent anomalies of water radon before earthquake seems to be mainly related to the active master fault nearby the hypocenter of an earthquake and the earthquake generating mechanism. Finally, some understandings on the mechanism of the aomalies and the imminent earthquake prediction are set forth.
文摘The housing crisis in Ireland has rapidly grown in recent years. To make a more significant profit, many landlords are no longer renting out their houses under long-term tenancies but under short-term tenancies. Regulating rentals in Rent Pressure Zones with the highest and rising rents is becoming a tricky issue. In this paper, we develop a breach identifier to check short-term rentals located in Rent Pressure Zones with potential breaches only using publicly available data from Airbnb (an online marketplace focused on short-term home-stays) and Irish government websites. First, we use a Residual Neural Network to filter out outdoor landscape photos that negatively impact identifying whether an owner has multiple rentals in a Rent Pressure Zone. Second, a Siamese Neural Network is used to compare the similarity of indoor photos to determine if multiple rental posts correspond to the same residence. Next, we use the Haversine algorithm to locate short-term rentals within a circle centered on the coordinate of a permit. Short-term rentals with a permit will not be restricted. Finally, we improve the occupancy estimation model combined with sentiment analysis, which may provide higher accuracy.
文摘We study the short-term memory capacity of ancient readers of the original New Testament written in Greek, of its translations to Latin and to modern languages. To model it, we consider the number of words between any two contiguous interpunctions I<sub>p</sub>, because this parameter can model how the human mind memorizes “chunks” of information. Since I<sub>P</sub> can be calculated for any alphabetical text, we can perform experiments—otherwise impossible— with ancient readers by studying the literary works they used to read. The “experiments” compare the I<sub>P</sub> of texts of a language/translation to those of another language/translation by measuring the minimum average probability of finding joint readers (those who can read both texts because of similar short-term memory capacity) and by defining an “overlap index”. We also define the population of universal readers, people who can read any New Testament text in any language. Future work is vast, with many research tracks, because alphabetical literatures are very large and allow many experiments, such as comparing authors, translations or even texts written by artificial intelligence tools.
基金supported by the Basic Research Foundation of Institute of Earthquake Science, China Earthquake Administration (02092421)
文摘Significant postseismic deformation of the 2008 M W 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake has been observed from GPS data of the first 14 days after the earthquake. The possible mechanisms for the rapid postseismic deformation are assumed to be afterslip on the earthquake rupture plane and viscoelastic relaxation of coseismiclly stress change in the lower crust or upper mantle. We firstly use the constrained least squares method to find an afterslip model which can fit the GPS data best. The afterslip model can explain near-field data very well but shows considerable discrepancies in fitting far-field data. To estimate the effect due to the viscoelastic relaxation in the lower crust, we then ignore the contribution from the afterslip and attempt to invert the viscosity structure beneath the Longmenshan fault where the Wenchuan earthquake occurred from the postseismic deformation data. For this purpose, we use a viscoelastic model with a 2D geometry based on the geological and seismological observations and the coseismic slip distribution derived from the coseismic GPS and InSAR data. By means of a grid search we find that the optimum viscosity is 9×10 18 Pa·s for the middle-lower crust in the Chengdu Basin, 4×10 17 Pa·s for the middle-lower crust in the Chuanxi Plateau and 7×10 17 Pa·s for the low velocity zone in the Chuanxi plateau. The viscoelastic model explains the postseismic deformation observed in the far-field satisfactorily, but it is considerably worse than the afterslip model in fitting the near-fault data. It suggests therefore a hybrid model including both afterslip and relaxation effects. Since the viscoelastic model produces mainly the far-field surface deformation and has fewer degree of freedoms (three viscosity parameters) than the afterslip model with a huge number of source parameters, we fix the viscositiy structure as obtained before but redetermine the afterslip distribution using the residual data from the viscoelastic modeling. The redetermined afterslip distribution becomes physically more reasonable; it is more localized and exhibits a pattern spatially complementary with the coseismic rupture distribution. We conclude that the aseismic fault slip is responsible for the near-fault postseismic deformation, whereas the viscoelastic stress relaxation might be the major cause for the far-field postseismic deformation.
文摘Since 2000, the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) has been constructing an Underground Research Laboratory (URL) at Bure (east of the Paris Basin) to perform experiments in order to obtain in situ data necessary to demonstrate the feasibility of geological repository in the Callovo- Oxfordian claystone. An important experimental program is planned to characterize the response of the rock to different drift construction methods, Before 2008, at the main level of the laboratory, most of the drifts were excavated using pneumatic hammer and supported with rock bolts, sliding steel arches and fiber shotcrete. Other techniques, such as road header techniques, stiff and flexible supports, have also been used to characterize their impacts. The drift network is developed following the in situ major stresses. The parallel drifts are separated enough so as they can be considered independently when their hydromechanical (HM) behaviors are compared. Mine-by experiments have been performed to measure the HM response of the rock and the mechanical loading applied to the support system due to the digging and after excavation. Drifts exhibit extensional (mode I) and shear fractures (modes II and III) induced by excavation works. The extent of the induced fracture networks depends on the drift orientation versus the in situ stress field. This paper describes the drift convergence and deformation in the surrounding rock walls as function of time and the impact of different support methods on the rock mass behavior. An observation based method is finally applied to distinguish the instantaneous and time-dependent parts of the rock mass deformation around the drifts.
文摘AIM To compare the outcomes of displaced distal radius fractures treated with volar locking plates and with immediate postoperative mobilisation with the outcomes of these fractures treated with modalities that necessitate 6 wk wrist immobilisation.METHODS A prospective, randomised controlled single-centre trial was conducted with 56 patients who had a displaced radius fracture were randomised to treatment either with a volar locking plate(n = 29), or another treatment modality(n = 27; cast immobilisation with or without wires or external fixator). Outcomes were measured at 12 wk. Functional outcome scores measured were the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation(PRWE) Score; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and activities of daily living(ADLs). Clinical outcomes were wrist range of motion and grip strength. Radiographic parameters were volar inclination and ulnar variance.RESULTS Patients in the volar locking plate group had significantly better PRWE scores, ADL scores, grip strength and range of extension at three months compared with the control group. All radiological parameters were significantly better in the volar locking plate group at 3 mo. CONCLUSION The present study suggests that volar locking plates produced significantly better functional and clinical outcomes at 3 mo compared with other treatment modalities. Anatomical reduction was significantly more likely to be preserved in the plating group. Level of evidence: Ⅱ.
文摘Aiming at the low accuracy problem of power system short-term load forecasting by traditional methods, a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) based method for short-term load forecasting is presented in this paper. The forecast points are related to prophase adjacent data as well as the periodical long-term historical load data. Then the short-term load forecasting model of Shanxi Power Grid (China) based on BP-ANN method and correlation analysis is established. The simulation model matches well with practical power system load, indicating the BP-ANN method is simple and with higher precision and practicality.
文摘Objective To investigate variation in levels of transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-β1)before and after radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer in order to evaluate the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effects of radiotherapy Methods A total of 140 patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma undergoing radical radiation therapy in the Department of Oncology from March 2015 to December 2017 were enrolled.The patients were divided into the effective(115 cases)and ineffective(25 cases)groups according to World Health Organization(WHO)criteria for the evaluation of solid tumors(2009 RECIST standard).TGF-β1 levels were measured in all patients by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Multiple-factor analysis of the predictive value of the treatment efficacy was performed by Cox regression analysis.Results After radiotherapy,36,79,and 25 cases experienced complete response(CR),partial response(PR),and no response(NR),respectively,with a total effective rate of 82.14%.The TGF-β1 level was significantly lower in the effective group than that in the ineffective group(P<0.05)and covariance analysis revealed significantly reduced TGF-β1 level in esophageal cancer patients following radiotherapy.The multi-factor Cox regression model revealed that the predictive value of TGF-β1 for the effect of radiotherapy was largest,with a hazard ratio[HR]of 1.955(P=0.002),followed by exposure dose,with(HR=1.367;P=0.035).Conclusion Serum TGF-β1 level can serve as a predictor for the short-term effects of radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.
文摘Based on the background of the medium term seismic gap, and the creep rate slow down after accelerated strain release, by using a method of gradually reducing the step length and the window length of scanning, the characteristics and criteria of a short term seismic gap have been studied from multi dimension space research. A new method for identifying a short term gap from 3 D axial stability collation has been advanced. Through the study of 26 earthquake examples in north and south west region of China, we found that a short term seismicity gap appeared in 9~16 months before a strong earthquake, this type of gap is different from the seismogenic gap, and will lasted 4~7 months, end at the time of 3~8 months before the mainshock . The ending is marked by the appearance of a significant earthquake in or near the gap (Sun and Cao, 1995) and of small earthquake in the gap.
文摘The experience of developing a short-term climate prediction system at the Institute of Atmospheric Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is summarized,and some problems to be solved in future are discussed in this paper.It is suggested that a good system for short-term climate prediction should at least consist of (1) well-tested model(s),(2) sufficient data and good methods for the initialization and assimilation,(3) a good system for quantitative corrections,(4) a good ensemble prediction method,and (5) appropriate prediction products,such as mathematical expectation,standard deviation,probability,among others.
基金supported by National Key Technologies Research&Development Program of China (Grant No. 2008BAC35B00).
文摘The diurnal variation of the geomagnetic vertical component is exhibited mainly by changes of phase and amplitude before strong earthquakes. Based on data recorded by the network of geomagnetic observatories in China for many years, the anomalous features of the appearance time of the minima of diurnal variations (i.e, low-point time) of the geo- magnetic vertical components and the variation of their spatial distribution (i.e, phenomena of low-point displacement) have been studied before the Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake. The strong aftershocks after two months' quiescence of M6 aftershocks of the Ms8.0 event were forecasted based on these studies. There are good correlativities between these geomagnetic anoma- lies and occurrences of earthquakes. It has been found that most earthquakes occur near the boundary line of sudden changes of the low-point time and generally within four days before or after the 27th or 41st day counting from the day of the appearance of the anomaly. In addition, the imminent anomalies in diurnal-variation amplitudes near the epicentral areas have also been studied before the Wenchuan earthquake.