Elite capture,the“follow-up checks”policy,and the targeted poverty alleviation program:Evidence from rural western China

Decentralized methods for targeting poverty are widely adopted in developing countries to improve the performance of various poverty alleviation programs.A common challenge for implementing successful decentralized targeting is the existence of elite capture.China has recently implemented a nationwide decentralized poverty targeting program,the targeted poverty alleviation(TPA)policy,to achieve the national goal of eliminating absolute poverty by the end of 2020.As the largest decentralized poverty targeting program in the world,TPA's successful implementation was believed to be threatened by elite capture in some earlier reports.Since 2015,a targeting correction mechanism,called"follow-up checks"policy,has been introduced.With the"follow-up checks"policy,the elites and other ineligible households who receive benefits under TPA were removed from the program.This paper investigates the elite capture phenomenon in TPA using village census data from a poverty-stricken county in 2017-two years after implementing the"follow-up checks"policy.We find no evidence of elite capture in TPA.The elites are unlikely to become beneficiaries or receive more benefits than non-elites.Our results contradict earlier findings that reported elite capture in TPA.We argue that the reason is the accountability emphasized by the central government in the"follow-up checks"policy.Our findings imply that having proper accountability is critical for improving targeting performance by global antipoverty initiatives.

CheckSecur Platinum Enviro^(TM)环保型证券纸荣获PPI年度创新产品奖

加拿大Cascades公司凭借其最新的创新型产品再度荣获PPI大奖，该新产品是利用100％回收证券纸制得的环境友好型证券纸——Check Secur Platinum Enviro^TM，能够满足消费者的环保要求。目前，几平没有利用回收证券纸生产证券纸的技术，

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.

An Improved Machine Learning Model for Pure Component Property Estimation

Information on the physicochemical properties of chemical species is an important prerequisite when performing tasks such as process design and product design.However,the lack of extensive data and high experimental costs hinder the development of prediction techniques for these properties.Moreover,accuracy and predictive capabilities still limit the scope and applicability of most property estimation methods.This paper proposes a new Gaussian process-based modeling framework that aims to manage a discrete and high-dimensional input space related to molecular structure representation with the group-contribution approach.A warping function is used to map discrete input into a continuous domain in order to adjust the correlation between different compounds.Prior selection techniques,including prior elicitation and prior predictive checking,are also applied during the building procedure to provide the model with more information from previous research findings.The framework is assessed using datasets of varying sizes for 20 pure component properties.For 18 out of the 20 pure component properties,the new models are found to give improved accuracy and predictive power in comparison with other published models,with and without machine learning.

A Survey on Sensor-and Communication-Based Issues of Autonomous UAVs

The application field for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and its adoption rate have been increasingsteadily in the past years. Decreasing cost of commercial drones has enabled their use at a scale broader thanever before. However, increasing the complexity of UAVs and decreasing the cost, both contribute to a lack ofimplemented securitymeasures and raise new security and safety concerns. For instance, the issue of implausible ortampered UAV sensor measurements is barely addressed in the current research literature and thus, requires moreattention from the research community. The goal of this survey is to extensively review state-of-the-art literatureregarding common sensor- and communication-based vulnerabilities, existing threats, and active or passive cyberattacksagainst UAVs, as well as shed light on the research gaps in the literature. In this work, we describe theUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) architecture to point out the origination sources for security and safety issues.Weevaluate the coverage and completeness of each related research work in a comprehensive comparison table as wellas classify the threats, vulnerabilities and cyber-attacks into sensor-based and communication-based categories.Additionally, for each individual cyber-attack, we describe existing countermeasures or detectionmechanisms andprovide a list of requirements to ensureUAV’s security and safety.We also address the problem of implausible sensormeasurements and introduce the idea of a plausibility check for sensor data. By doing so, we discover additionalmeasures to improve security and safety and report on a research niche that is not well represented in the currentresearch literature.

Computation Tree Logic Model Checking of Multi-Agent Systems Based on Fuzzy Epistemic Interpreted Systems

Model checking is an automated formal verification method to verify whether epistemic multi-agent systems adhere to property specifications.Although there is an extensive literature on qualitative properties such as safety and liveness,there is still a lack of quantitative and uncertain property verifications for these systems.In uncertain environments,agents must make judicious decisions based on subjective epistemic.To verify epistemic and measurable properties in multi-agent systems,this paper extends fuzzy computation tree logic by introducing epistemic modalities and proposing a new Fuzzy Computation Tree Logic of Knowledge(FCTLK).We represent fuzzy multi-agent systems as distributed knowledge bases with fuzzy epistemic interpreted systems.In addition,we provide a transformation algorithm from fuzzy epistemic interpreted systems to fuzzy Kripke structures,as well as transformation rules from FCTLK formulas to Fuzzy Computation Tree Logic(FCTL)formulas.Accordingly,we transform the FCTLK model checking problem into the FCTL model checking.This enables the verification of FCTLK formulas by using the fuzzy model checking algorithm of FCTL without additional computational overheads.Finally,we present correctness proofs and complexity analyses of the proposed algorithms.Additionally,we further illustrate the practical application of our approach through an example of a train control system.

Recent trends in bone metastasis treatments:A historical comparison using the new Katagiri score system

BACKGROUND Bone metastasis has various negative impacts.Activities of daily living(ADL)and quality of life(QOL)can be significantly decreased,survival may be impacted,and medical expenses may increase.It is estimated that at least 5%cancer patients might be suffering from bone metastases.In 2016,we published the Comprehensive Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bone Metastasis.Since then,the therapeutic outcomes for patients have gradually improved.As life expectancy is a major determinant of surgical intervention,the strategy should be modified if the prolongation of survival is to be achieved.AIM To monitor how bone metastasis treatment has changed before and after launch of our guidelines for bone metastasis.METHODS For advanced cancer patients with bone metastasis who visited the Department of Clinical Oncology at Akita University hospital between 2012 and 2023,parameters including the site and number of bone metastases,laboratory data,and survival time,were extracted from electronic medical records and the Katagiri score was calculated.The association with survival was determined for each factor.RESULTS Data from 136 patients were obtained.The 1-year survival rate for the poor prognosis group with a higher Katagiri score was 20.0%in this study,which was 6%and an apparent improvement from 2014 when the scoring system was developed.Other factors significantly affecting survival included five or more bone metastases than less(P=0.0080),and treatment with chemotherapy(P<0.001),bone modifying agents(P=0.0175)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(P=0.0128).In recent years,advances in various treatment methods have extended the survival period for patients with advanced cancer.It is necessary not only to simply extend survival time,but also to maintain ADL and improve QOL.CONCLUSION Various therapeutic interventions including surgical approach for bone metastasis,which is a disorder of locomotor organs,are increasingly required.Guidelines and scoring system for prognosis need to be revised promptly.

Enable Excel-Based Basic Cybersecurity Features for End Users by Using Python-Excel Integration

In the digital age, the global character of the Internet has significantly improved our daily lives by providing access to large amounts of knowledge and allowing for seamless connections. However, this enormously interconnected world is not without its risks. Malicious URLs are a powerful menace, masquerading as legitimate links while holding the intent to hack computer systems or steal sensitive personal information. As the sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks increase, identifying bad URLs has emerged as a critical aspect of cybersecurity. This study presents a new approach that enables the average end-user to check URL safety using Microsoft Excel. Using the powerful VirusTotal API for URL inspections, this study creates an Excel add-in that integrates Python and Excel to deliver a seamless, user-friendly interface. Furthermore, the study improves Excel’s capabilities by allowing users to encrypt and decrypt text communications directly in the spreadsheet. Users may easily encrypt their conversations by simply typing a key and the required text into predefined cells, enhancing their personal cybersecurity with a layer of cryptographic secrecy. This strategy democratizes access to advanced cybersecurity solutions, making attentive digital integrity a feature rather than a daunting burden.

Patient Safety in the Use of Mechanical Restraints: Regulatory Compliance among Hospitals in the City of Buenos Aires and Proposal for Its Improvement

Introduction: Mechanical or physical restraint is an exceptional therapeutic resource to immobilize a subject and thus guarantee the safety of the patient and/or third parties in the face of high-risk behaviors, but it entails multiple crossings (bioethical, philosophical, medical, psychological, legal). Framed in the so-called “safety culture” developed by the WHO, based on the Protocol for its implementation of the CABA and attentive to its frequent use in CABA by different hospital services (medical clinic, geriatrics, intensive care and medical guards) we consider it necessary its study in terms of compliance with the risks it entails and its management. Objectives: Identify regulatory compliance with the GCABA Mechanical restraint (MR) Protocol from a patient safety perspective, as well as describe the clinical and medicolegal aspects, and propose the usefulness of a tool for its management and control. Methodology: Observational, descriptive, transversal and prospective work through the analysis of Clinical Records with indication of MR using a rubric-type form. 177 cases were analyzed between September-November 2023 from three hospitals of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, statistical parameters were applied and graphs were made. Results: Only 12.99% complied with the Protocol. In the mental health specialized hospital compliance was almost 5 times greater than in the general one, and in the emergency services compliance was 12 times greater than in Inpatient services. We found that the start or end time of MR was not recorded and only 43% described the causes/justifications for the indication (mostly in Emergency and Specialized hospitals), with the MR average time being shorter in Emergency. Conclusions: Only 1.3 out of 10 patients reliably completed the Protocol and it was mostly in the mental health specialized hospital and the emergency services. The results show non-compliance behavior in the application and management of the risk that the use of mechanical restraints entails, being causes for criminal litigation. We consider that the checklists are useful to complete the Protocol and thus provide security to patients and professionals.

Stop H5N1 influenza in US cattle now

The relentless march of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus(HPAIV)strain,known as H5N1,to become an unprecedented panzootic continues unchecked.The leap of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b from Eurasia and Africa to North America in 2021 and its further spread to South America and the Antarctic have exposed new avian and mammalian populations to the virus and led to outbreaks on an unrivaled scale.The virus has infected wild birds across vast geographic regions and caused wildlife deaths in some of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems.

Tightening up Checks

On May 14. the Beijing police launched a 100-day campaign targeting foreigners illegally residing and working in the city.

基于PDCA的船舶设计质量管理

为提高船舶设计质量管理水平,以某满足《协调共同结构规范》(Harmonized Common Structure Rule,HCSR)的巴拿马型散货船为研究对象,利用计划、执行、检查、处理(Plan,Do,Check,Act,PDCA)循环法基本原则对设计质量进行管控,并建立同一船型设计质量管理体系。此外,对船舶能效指数(Energy Efficiency Design Index,EEDI)提升和结构轻量化设计的研讨方法进行分析。研究成果可为船舶设计质量管理提供一定参考。

Automatic Detection and Repair Recommendation for Missing Checks

Missing checks for untrusted inputs used in security-sensitive operations is one of the major causes of various vulnerabilities. Efficiently detecting and repairing missing checks are essential for prognosticating potential vulnerabilities and improving code reliability. We propose a systematic static analysis approach to detect missing checks for manipulable data used in security-sensitive operations of C/C++ programs and recommend repair references. First, customized securitysensitive operations are located by lightweight static analysis. Then, the assailability of sensitive data used in securitysensitive operations is determined via taint analysis. And, the existence and the risk degree of missing checks are assessed. Finally, the repair references for high-risk missing checks are recommended. We implemented the approach into an automated and cross-platform tool named Vanguard based on Clang/LLVM 3.6.0. Large-scale experimental evaluation on open-source projects has shown its effectiveness and efficiency. Furthermore, Vanguard has helped us uncover five known vulnerabilities and 12 new bugs.

层厚对使用CT/SIM Check模体联合iQA软件检测CT模拟机的影响

目的探讨层厚大小对使用CT/SIM Check模体联合iQA软件检测放疗CT模拟机数据结果的影响。方法对1台西门子Sensation Open CT模拟机,使用6种放疗扫描协议扫描1套CT/SIM Check模体,扫描完成后重建1.5、2、3、4和5 mm共5种层厚的CT图像序列。使用iQA软件对这些CT图像序列进行自动分析并生成报表,对报表上的质控数据结果进行分析和比较。结果通过对报表数据进行分析,得到了6种扫描协议和5种层厚情形下22种参数的质控数据,对5种不同层厚的数据计算得到了相应的四分位数间距值。由数据结果可见,HU均一性和插件4内标准差的数据随层厚的增加而减小;扫描中心纵向坐标的数值随层厚的增加有下降的趋势;线宽比-灵敏度截面的数据随层厚的增加而变大。结论使用CT/SIM Check模体联合iQA软件检测CT模拟机,层厚对HU均一性、插件4内标准差、扫描中心纵向坐标和线宽比-灵敏度截面的质控数据结果有较大影响,对其他参数的数据也有不同程度的影响。本研究为物理师使用CT/SIM Check模体联合iQA软件检测放疗CT模拟机的质控工作,提供了有益的数据参考。

三种方法检测173例先天性红绿色觉异常患者的诊断效能比较

背景先天性红绿色觉异常(color vision deficiency,CVD)的诊断存在分型不准,分度不明等问题。目的以Fornsworth Munsell-100 hue test(FM-100)色觉检测法为标准,评估《俞自萍色盲本》(俞本)、色盲检测(Color Blind Check,CBC)评分法对红绿CVD患者分型和严重度分度的判定能力。方法采用俞本、CBC评分和FM-100三种方法对2022年2-7月在解放军总医院眼科就诊的CVD患者进行检测,并以FM-100为标准,评价俞本和CBC评分的诊断效能和符合度。结果在纳入的173例患者中,检出红、绿色觉异常者比例,俞本为1.2%和12.7%,CBC评分为36.4%和62.4%,FM-100为19.1%和65.9%。严重度方面三种方法结果相似。以FM-100为金标准,俞本和CBC评分对先天性色觉异常分度诊断的敏感度和特异度分别为91.3%和38.5%、92.5%和46.2%,ROC曲线下面积分别为0.712和0.604。以FM-100为金标准,俞本和CBC评分对先天性色觉异常分型诊断:诊断红色觉异常的敏感度和特异度分别为0和15.8%、75.8%和78.9%,Kappa值分别为-0.125和0.490;诊断绿色觉异常的敏感度和特异度分别为15.8%和0、78.9%和75.8%,Kappa值分别为-0.125和0.490。平均检测时间:俞本<CBC评分<FM-100。结论俞本能够快速筛查CVD并初步判定严重度;CBC评分具有一定的分型和分度能力,结果稳定,耗时短,且无法作弊,具有一定的临床应用前景。

Dynamic Modeling Framework of Sediment Trapped by Check-Dam Networks:A Case Study of a Typical Watershed on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Check-dam construction is an effective and widely used method for sediment trapping in the Yellow River Basin and other places over the world that are prone to severe soil erosion.Quantitative estimations of the dynamic sediment trapped by check dams are necessary for evaluating the effects of check dams and planning the construction of new ones.In this study,we propose a new framework,named soil and water assessment tool(SWAT)–dynamic check dam(DCDam),for modeling the sediment trapped by check dams dynamically,by integrating the widely utilized SWAT model and a newly developed module called DCDam.We then applied this framework to a typical loess watershed,the Yan River Basin,to assess the time-varying effects of check-dam networks over the past 60 years(1957–2016).The DCDam module generated a specific check-dam network to conceptualize the complex connections at each time step(monthly).In addition,the streamflow and sediment load simulated by using the SWAT model were employed to force the sediment routing in the check-dam network.The evaluation results revealed that the SWAT-DCDam framework performed satisfactorily,with an overestimation of 11.50%,in simulating sediment trapped by check dams,when compared with a field survey of the accumulated sediment deposition.For the Yan River Basin,our results indicated that the designed structural parameters of check dams have evolved over the past 60 years,with higher dams(37.14%and 9.22%increase for large dams and medium dams,respectively)but smaller controlled areas(46.03%and 10.56%decrease for large dams and medium dams,respectively)in recent years.Sediment retained by check dams contributed to approximately 15.00%of the total sediment load reduction in the Yan River during 1970–2016.Thus,our developed framework can be a promising tool for evaluating check-dam effects,and this study can provide valuable information and support to decision-making for soil and water conservation and check-dam planning and management.

Identifying Counterexamples Without Variability in Software Product Line Model Checking

Product detection based on state abstraction technologies in the software product line(SPL)is more complex when compared to a single system.This variability constitutes a new complexity,and the counterexample may be valid for some products but spurious for others.In this paper,we found that spurious products are primarily due to the failure states,which correspond to the spurious counterexamples.The violated products correspond to the real counterexamples.Hence,identifying counterexamples is a critical problem in detecting violated products.In our approach,we obtain the violated products through the genuine counterexamples,which have no failure state,to avoid the tedious computation of identifying spurious products dealt with by the existing algorithm.This can be executed in parallel to improve the efficiency further.Experimental results showthat our approach performswell,varying with the growth of the system scale.By analyzing counterexamples in the abstract model,we observed that spurious products occur in the failure state.The approach helps in identifying whether a counterexample is spurious or genuine.The approach also helps to check whether a failure state exists in the counterexample.The performance evaluation shows that the proposed approach helps significantly in improving the efficiency of abstraction-based SPL model checking.

Isotope-Shift Measurement of Bosonic Yb^(+)Ions

We present a method that the atomic transition frequency measurement relies on the accurate wavemeter,optical frequency comb and stable Fabry–Pérot cavity to precise determination of stable even isotope shift on single Yb+ion(A=168,170,172,174,176).The 6s^(2)S_(1/2)←→6p^(2)P_(1/2)and 5d^(2)D_(3/2)←→6s^(3)[3/2]_(1/2)resonance dipole transition frequencies are preliminarily measured by using a wavemeter which is calibrated by the 729 nm clock laser of ^(40)Ca^(+).Meanwhile,those frequencies are double checked by using optical frequency comb for correction of deviation.Ultimately,by changing frequency locking points at an ultralow expansion cavity more slightly and monitoring the corresponding atomic fluorescence changing with 17%,we finally improve the resonant frequency uncertainty to±6 MHz,which is one order of improvement in precision higher than previously published measurements on the same transitions.A King-plot analysis with sensitivity to coupling between electrons and neutrons is carried out to determine the field and mass shift constants.Our measurement combined with existing or future isotope shift measurements can be used to determine basic properties of atomic nuclei,and to test new forces beyond the Standard Model.

Fast clogging problem of open check dams and a new type suggestion:curved footed type open check dam

Driftwood is one of the important physical components in mountainous rivers which causes severe hazards due to the clogging of bridges,culverts,and narrow sections during floods.Therefore,the understanding of driftwood dynamics and mitigation measures are crucial for managing wood in rivers.Open check dams are the most commonly used engineering measure for preventing driftwood from reaching downstream areas.Nevertheless,these open check dams frequently lose their sediment transport function when they are blocked by sediment and driftwood,especially during major flood events.This paper proposes a new type of open check dam for preventing from clogging.Thus,flume experiments were conducted to examine the influence of different types of open check dams on the characteristics of driftwood deposition.For the model with wood length(LWD)=16.5 cm,wood diameter(D)=15 mm,and wood number(N)=172,the highest trapping efficiency was observed with 90.1%and 87.2%retention rates for the classical debris flow breaker and curved footed open check dams,respectively.Laboratory tests showed that through this proposed design,woody debris blockage in a very short time was prevented from the accumulation of woods beside the dam.In addition to this,most of the sediment passed through the check dam and most of the driftwood got trapped.It can be briefly stated that the geometrical design of the structure plays an important role and can be chosen carefully to optimize trapping efficiency.By designing this type of open check dams in mountain river basins,it may provide a better understanding of the driftwood accumulation and basis for the optimal design of these structures.Further development of the solution proposed in this work can pave the way for designing different types of open check dams for effective flood management.

Check dam extraction from remote sensing images using deep learning and geospatial analysis:A case study in the Yanhe River Basin of the Loess Plateau,China

Check dams are widely used on the Loess Plateau in China to control soil and water losses,develop agricultural land,and improve watershed ecology.Detailed information on the number and spatial distribution of check dams is critical for quantitatively evaluating hydrological and ecological effects and planning the construction of new dams.Thus,this study developed a check dam detection framework for broad areas from high-resolution remote sensing images using an ensemble approach of deep learning and geospatial analysis.First,we made a sample dataset of check dams using GaoFen-2(GF-2)and Google Earth images.Next,we evaluated five popular deep-learning-based object detectors,including Faster R-CNN,You Only Look Once(version 3)(YOLOv3),Cascade R-CNN,YOLOX,and VarifocalNet(VFNet),to identify the best one for check dam detection.Finally,we analyzed the location characteristics of the check dams and used geographical constraints to optimize the detection results.Precision,recall,average precision at intersection over union(IoU)threshold of 0.50(AP_(50)),IoU threshold of 0.75(AP_(75)),and average value for 10 IoU thresholds ranging from 0.50-0.95 with a 0.05 step(AP_(50-95)),and inference time were used to evaluate model performance.All the five deep learning networks could identify check dams quickly and accurately,with AP_(50-95),AP_(50),and AP_(75)values higher than 60.0%,90.0%,and 70.0%,respectively,except for YOLOv3.The VFNet had the best performance,followed by YOLOX.The proposed framework was tested in the Yanhe River Basin and yielded promising results,with a recall rate of 87.0%for 521 check dams.Furthermore,the geographic analysis deleted about 50%of the false detection boxes,increasing the identification accuracy of check dams from 78.6%to 87.6%.Simultaneously,this framework recognized 568 recently constructed check dams and small check dams not recorded in the known check dam survey datasets.The extraction results will support efficient watershed management and guide future studies on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau.