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Reflecting on Dunbar’s numbers: Individual differences in energy allocation to personal relationships
Past studies have investigated the variability in how people engage with their personal networks, yet less is known about how people perceive their energy allocation to different ties. Drawing on an online survey sample (N = 906), we tested whether subjective perceptions of energy allocation conform to so-called Dunbar’s Number(s). In addition, we evaluated the predictive roles of Big Five personality traits and self-esteem while controlling for differences in network structure. Results revealed significant heterogeneity in perceived energy allocation to different layers of personal networks (i.e., inner 5 vs. middle 15 vs. outer 150 relationships). In contrast to expectations, extraversion was not associated with perceived energy allocation, whereas self-esteem was associated with greater energy allocation to the middle (vs. inner) network layer. Our findings add to our knowledge of how people perceive relationship maintenance across their personal networks, along with the links to key psychological traits. More broadly, the findings suggest that more attention should be paid to psychological implications of the middle layer of personal networks. To conclude, we discuss the importance of studying individual differences in how people prioritize – and reflect on – different relationships in their networks.
Passenger and freight travel patterns: A cluster analysis based on urban networks
While research on population travel patterns and urban networks has been active, it has primarily focused on passenger travel, leaving freight travel relatively underexplored. This study addresses this gap by analyzing both passenger and freight travel patterns, network structures, and central areas. It uses origin-destination (OD) data, considering total travel volume by purpose and mode. The study applies regular equivalence and power centrality to examine differences in human and logistics flows across South Korea from an urban network theory perspective. The key findings are as follows. First, passenger travel, predominantly short-distance, exhibits lower density and intensity than freight travel. Freight travel, on the other hand, demonstrates strong density across short, medium, and long distances, with more travel routes concentrated around nodal regions. Second, passenger travel forms several polynucleated clusters, including short-distance movements. Conversely, freight travel forms a few extensive clusters that encompass medium and long-distance movements. Third, the spatial interaction of passenger travel is influenced by the OD distance, unlike freight travel. Interestingly, the distance between central areas of freight travel can be longer than that of passenger travel. This may stem from the strategic positioning of certain suburban areas as central areas to optimize logistics efficiency. This study emphasizes the importance of morphological and functional linkages between cities by identifying inter-regional differences in passenger and freight flows. It also proposes spatial planning strategies based on urban hierarchy.
Geographical distribution and the impact of socio-environmental indicators on incidence of Mpox in Ontario, Canada
Background Ontario, being one of Canada’s largest provinces, has been central to the high incidence of human Mpox. Research is scarce on how socio-environmental factors influence Mpox incidences. This study seeks to explore potential geographical correlations and the relationship between indicators of social marginalization and Mpox incidence rate in Ontario. Methodology We used surveillance data on confirmed human Mpox cases from May 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024, extracted from the Public Health Ontario website for this study. Spatial autocorrelation of Mpox incidence was investigated using spatial methods including Moran’s Index, Getis–Ord Gi*statistic, and spatial Poisson scan statistic. Following this, we adopted a generalized Poisson regression (GPR) model to estimate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) based on the association between Ontario PHU-level marginalization and Mpox incidence, while adjusting for age and sex. The goodness-of-fit of the models was assessed using the Log Likelihood (LL), Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected (AICc), and the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). Results Our analysis revealed significant localized spatial heterogeneity in Mpox incidence across Ontario. Statistically significant local clusters of Mpox cases were identified in Toronto ( R R = 11.34 , L L = 511.97 ), Ottawa ( R R = 3.21 , L L = 19.88 ), and a secondary cluster, overlapping Hamilton PHU with nine local districts ( R R = 2.07 , L L = 9.64 ), all with p − v a l u e < 0.05 . The incidence rate of Mpox was statistically significantly associated with a higher proportion of ethnic concentration (racialized groups, migrants, or visible minorities) I R R = 9.478 ; 95 % C I = 5.062 − 17.747 , gender I R R = 5.150 ; 95 % C I = 1.159 − 8.324 and higher residential instability I R R = 14.112 ; 95 % C I = 6.596 − 30.189 . Conclusion We identified major Mpox hotspots in Toronto. According to our model results, the high incidence rate may be influenced by the greater population of internal migrants and younger individuals. Based on these insights, we recommend targeted interventions in the high-risk neighborhoods. Efforts to improve Mpox diagnosis and promote health equity among socioeconomically vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, should be implemented.
Experimental study on operation limit of ground heat exchanger based on ground source heat pump unit
The heat transfer performance of a ground heat exchanger (GHE) directly influences the operational performance of a ground source heat pump (GSHP) system. The fluid temperature within the GHE is constrained by the protective temperature limits of the GSHP unit. Specifically, the inlet water temperature has an upper limit in summer and a lower limit in winter. These temperature limits further affect the heat exchange efficiency between the GHE and the surrounding soil. In this study, an experimental station featuring a single U-shaped GSHP system was constructed, and a three-dimensional model of the system was developed. Experiments were conducted by operating one or two GHEs to investigate the heat transfer per unit well depth and the matching relationship between cooling capacity and indoor load when the inlet water temperature of the heat pump unit approaches its summer and winter limits. In summer, when operating a single GHE, the heat transfer per unit well depth reached 134.4 W/m at an inlet temperature of 45 °C. When the cooling supply just matched the cooling load demand, the heat transfer per unit well depth was 131.5 W/m. However, prolonged operation led to a scenario where the cooling supply could no longer meet the load demand. In winter, operating a single GHE resulted in a heat transfer per unit well depth of 43.95 W/m at an inlet temperature of 5 °C. These results indicate that when the number of heat exchangers is insufficient, the inlet water temperature of the heat pump unit may reach or exceed the limit value, leading to decreased unit efficiency. Additionally, inadequate heat exchange between the GHE and the soil results in insufficient cooling or heating capacity, failing to meet the indoor load requirements.
Respiratory rate and its associations with disease and lifestyle factors in the general population – results from the KORA-FF4 study
Objective The aim of the study was to derive median age- and sex-specific respiratory rates in a population-based sample of adults and to identify disease and lifestyle factors associated with elevated respiratory rates. Methods In the population-based KORA FF4 study conducted in Augsburg, Germany, 5-minute 12-lead resting electrocardiograms (ECGpro-system, AMEDTEC) were recorded in 2,224 participants from 39 to 88 years. Respiratory rate was derived from these electrocardiograms. Sex- and age-specific medians, IQRs, and percentiles were calculated. Associations of sociodemographic, disease, and lifestyle variables with elevated resting respiratory rate were assessed by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results Respiratory rate decreased slightly from youngest to middle-aged women and men and increased in old age. Overall, median (IQR) was 15.80 (3.16) breaths per minute (brpm). Five percent of the participants had values lower than 12.06 brpm, and five percent had values above 20.06 brpm (95th percentile). Elevated respiratory rates of ≥ 18.6 brpm were found in 13.8% (n = 308). In an adjusted logistic regression model, age, abdominal obesity, diabetes, COPD, smoking, and low education were significantly associated with elevated respiratory rate. Stratified analyses showed that education appeared to be more relevant in women, while the effect of diabetes was more pronounced in men. Conclusions High respiratory rate may be an indicator of impaired health in the general population, especially regarding pulmonary and metabolic characteristics, and unfavorable lifestyle and living conditions. Individuals with an increased respiratory rate should therefore be examined and followed up more closely to recognize diseases and adverse progressions at an early stage and to possibly prevent them.
Coupled CFD-DEM simulation of progressive failure of tunnel face in sand
Many studies have investigated tunnel face failure using the discrete element method (DEM). However, DEM simulations that incorporate water-soil interactions in tunnel face failure are still limited. In this study, the coupled CFD-DEM method is employed to simulate the progressive failure of the shield tunnel face in both saturated and dry sand. The dynamic mesh method is applied in the CFD component to accurately simulate the changes in the CFD domain due to the movement of the tunnel face. The excavation face is moved forward or backward at a uniform rate to simulate passive and active failure, respectively. The analysis focuses on progressive failure, ground surface displacement, tunnel face support forces, force chain distribution, and vertical stress distribution. Our results at both macro- and micro-scales reveal significant effects of soil-water interactions.
Introducing carbon quantum dot-Capivasertib drug carrier complex for enhanced treatment of breast cancer
Capivasertib (AZD5363) is a 2023 FDA-approved pyrrolopyrimidine-derived compound that treats hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer in adult patients. It is a novel pan-AKT kinase catalytic inhibitor in ER + breast cancer cell lines, including MCF7. The dominant influence of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in combination with multiple chemotherapy drugs is also demonstrated as a drug delivery system that significantly enhances the effectiveness of cancerous tumour treatments by providing reduced side-effects, through targeted delivery of the drug, controlled release, enhanced solubility, permeability and retention. In this study, the impact of the conjugation of AZD5363 drug to N-doped, S-doped, and N/S-doped CQDs was investigated on inducing apoptosis by inhibiting the AKT signalling pathway in the MCF7 cell line. Initially, hydrothermal and pyrolysis methods were used to construct CQDs. Then, the synthesized quantum dots were conjugated with AZD5363 at three different concentrations, i.e., 0.03, 0.3, and 3nM. The MTT test results, on MCF7 cells, showed that although all the studied CQDs were biocompatible, the complex of N/S-doped CQD-AZD5363 at a concentration of 0.03nM was the most effective. After obtaining immunocytochemistry results, flow cytometry and cell invasion tests were employed to demonstrate the high potential of the introduced drug carrier complex in reducing AKT protein expression, induction of apoptosis and prevention of cell metastasis and invasion. According to these results, the binding of N/S-doped CQD to AZD5363 increases the effectiveness of this drug, with reducing the IC50 concentration, and more specificity to cancerous cells, introducing it as a suitable candidate for the treatment of breast cancer.
Convergent validity of 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) among people with neck pain
Objective To explore the convergent validity of 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) comparing it to Neck Disability Index (NDI). Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Subjects/Patients 962 patients visiting a university outpatient Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic due to musculoskeletal complaints. Methods Spearman´s rank correlation between WHODAS 2.0 and NDI. Results The average age was 49.2 (SD 14.5) years, 67% were women. Of all the possible 143 correlations between WHODAS 2.0 and NDI, 99 (69%) were positive, significant and strong or, at least, moderate. The correlation between the composite scores of two scales was strong. The weakest correlations were seen for the NDI items ‘pain intensity and ‘headaches’. Conclusion Most of the items and the composite scores of the WHODAS and the NDI demonstrated significant positive correlations. Pain intensity, as defined by the NDI, did not correlate with disability severity measured by the WHODAS 2.0. Also, the NDI items ‘headaches’ and ‘sleeping’ were associated with the WHODAS 2.0 only loosely. It seems that one of these two scales may not directly be substituted by another. When used simultaneously, The WHODAS and the NDI may complement each other covering comprehensively the different dimensions of functioning among people with neck pain.
Examining safety of cardiac surgery in patients with preoperative cardiac arrest
Background Although postoperative cardiac arrest is a well-studied complication of cardiac surgery, few guidelines exist regarding timing of surgery in preoperative cardiac arrest (pCA). We examined the association between delayed timing of operation and postoperative outcomes following cardiac surgery in a large cohort of pCA. Methods Adults with a diagnosis of pCA undergoing a cardiac operation were identified in the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample. Those requiring surgery within 24 hours fo cardiac arrest were excluded. Patients who underwent a cardiac procedure after 5 days of cardiopulmonary resuscitation were classified as Delayed (others: Early). Multivariable regression models were constructed to evaluate associations between delayed timing of surgery with in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, hospitalization duration, and costs. Results Of an estimated 9,240 patients meeting study criteria, 4,860 (52.6%) received delayed cardiac surgery. Following entropy balancing, delayed surgery was significantly associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 0.75, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.58 – 0.97). However, delayed operation demonstrated greater odds of postoperative thromboembolic (AOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.02 – 2.04), and infectious (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.31 – 2.08) complications. Notably, delay did not alter odds of neurologic complication, and was linked to a decrement in per-day costs (β -$2,100, 95% CI -2,600 – −1,700). Conclusions While preoperative cardiac arrest remains challenging, the present study demonstrates the safety profile of delaying cardiac operation among patients tolerating at least 24 hours of a delay to surgery. Future studies are needed to elucidate the factors associated with favorable outcomes in this population.
Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles alter cortical neurons and Tau phosphorylation in the embryonic mouse brain
Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is an oral bacterial pathogen that has been associated with systemic inflammation and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and pre-term birth. Pg drives these sequelae through virulence factors decorating the outer membrane that are present on non-replicative outer membrane vesicles (OMV) that are suspected to be transmitted systemically. Given that Pg abundance can increase during pregnancy, it is not well known whether Pg-OMV can have deleterious effects on the brain of the developing fetus. We tested this possibility by treating pregnant C57/Bl6 mice with PBS (control) and OMV from ATCC 33277 by tail vein injection every other day from gestational age 3 to 17. At gestational age 18.5, we measured dam and pup weights and collected pup brains to quantify changes in inflammation, cortical neuron density, and Tau phosphorylated at Thr231. Dam and pup weights were not altered by Pg-OMV exposure, but pup brain weight was significantly decreased in the Pg-OMV treatment group. We found a significant increase of Iba-1, indicative of microglia activation, although the overall levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, IL-4, IL-10, and TGFβ mRNA transcripts were not different between the treatment groups. Differences in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα concentrations by ELISA showed IL-6 was significantly lower in Pg-OMV brains. Cortical neuron density was modified by treatment with Pg-OMV as immunofluorescence showed significant decreases in Cux1 and SatB2. Overall p-Tau Thr231 was increased in the brains of pups whose mothers were exposed to Pg-OMV. Together these results demonstrate that Pg-OMV can significantly modify the embryonic brain and suggests that Pg may impact offspring development via multiple mechanisms.
STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation in adolescents: The role of inclusive perceptions in self-determination
Current work suggests that basic psychological needs are related to higher intrinsic motivation, which in turn, can promote more positive academic outcomes. However, few studies have examined how perceptions around one’s abilities in science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) are related to intrinsic motivation and what role needs satisfaction plays in this association. This study assessed adolescents’ (N = 285, 56.1% female, Mage = 15.76 years, SD = 1.24) STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation. A path analysis was used to examine the association between STEM ability perceptions, basic needs satisfaction, and intrinsic motivation in adolescents. Inclusive perceptions of the STEM abilities of historically underrepresented groups (i.e., girls and minoritized ethnicities) were positively associated with basic needs satisfaction and basic needs satisfaction was positively associated with intrinsic motivation. There was also a positive indirect effect from inclusive perceptions of STEM abilities to intrinsic motivation through basic needs satisfaction. These findings suggest that schools should focus on promoting inclusive perceptions in order to bolster adolescents’ basic needs satisfaction, which could have carry-on effects on intrinsic motivation.
LLM-FMS: A fine-grained dataset for functional movement screen action quality assessment
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a critical tool for assessing an individual’s basic motor abilities, aiming to prevent sports injuries. However, current automated FMS evaluation is based on deep learning methods, and the evaluation of actions is limited to rank scoring, which lacks fine-grained feedback suggestions and has poor interpretability. This limitation prevents the effective application of automated FMS evaluation for injury prevention and rehabilitation. We develop a fine-grained, hierarchical FMS dataset, LLM-FMS, derived from FMS videos and enriched with detailed, hierarchical action annotations. This dataset comprises 1812 action keyframe images from 45 subjects, encompassing 15 action representations of seven FMS actions. Each action includes a score, scoring criteria, and weight data for body parts. To our extensive knowledge, LLM-FMS is the first fine-grained fitness action dataset for action evaluation task. Additionally, a novel framework for action quality assessment based on large language models (LLMs) is proposed, designed to enhance the interpretability of FMS evaluations. Our method integrates expert rules, utilizes RTMPose to extract key skeletal-level action features from key frames, and inputs prompts into the LLM, enabling it to infer scores and provide detailed rationales. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach significantly outperforms existing methods while offering superior interpretability. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing methods in terms of accuracy and interpretability, with a substantial increase in the clarity and detail of the rationales provided. These findings highlight the potential of our framework for fine-grained action quality assessment with the aid of LLMs.
Using natural vegetation succession to evaluate how natural restoration proceeds under different climate in Yunnan, Southwest China
Currently, natural restoration has been widely proposed as the primary method of ecological restoration and has been studied for a long time. However, research on how to quantify the progress of natural restoration in different climate conditions, especially using long-term succession monitoring data combined with habitat quality data across various succession stages, has been scarce. Our study aims to address this issue in Yunnan, southwest China. To quantify the progress of natural restoration under different climates in Yunnan, we introduced an index, the Natural Succession Index. Utilizing topography and meteorological data, we divided the study area into different climate sub-areas using the Two-stage clustering algorithm. We then combined 1703 sets of 30-year succession monitoring data, each with six observations taken at five-year intervals from 1987 to 2017, with habitat quality data from different succession stages (grassland, shrub, and forest) to quantify the Natural Succession Index. Yunnan province was divided into 14 sub-areas, namely C(I to II), M(I to III), W(I to IV), and H(I to IV), each possessing a unique environment. The indices in each sub-area were calculated, with the results showing a specific order: H-I (0.7812) > H-IV (0.7739) > W-I (0.6498) > M-III (0.6356) > H-III (0.6316) > M-II (0.5735) > W-III (0.5644) > W-IV (0.5571) > C-II (0.4778) > W-II (0.3980) > M-I (0.3624) > H-II (0.3375) > C-I (0.2943). The times for natural succession to reach the forest stage vary from 5 to 19 years, which aligns with the order of indices. The stand volumes of vegetation in the forest stage range from 5 m³ to 110 m³, with a higher Natural Succession Index value corresponding to a higher stand volume of vegetation. In the future, the index could be utilized to reallocate investments in natural restoration projects for better returns. Constant vigilance is required in the first five years following the implementation of restoration actions to avoid failure due to calculation errors.
Perspectives of stakeholders on barriers to COVID-19 protective behaviors adherence and vaccination among Myanmar migrant workers in southern Thailand: A qualitative study
Studies have been conducted on migrant health during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in-depth information is scarce regarding the barriers to preventing COVID-19 in this vulnerable population. The objective of the study is to explore the barriers to COVID-19 protective behaviors adherence and vaccination among Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. We conducted an interview-based qualitative study among 7 migrants from Myanmar, 6 Thai employers, and 9 Thai healthcare providers in the cities of Hat Yai and Pattani in Southern Thailand. We recruited participants by purposive sampling. We conducted in-depth interviews in-person or via telephone in Thai or Burmese language, transcribed the interview, and conducted thematic analysis. Regarding adherence to COVID-19 protective behaviors, two themes emerged: lifestyle and habit-related barriers, and non-vaccine supply chain management barriers. Regarding COVID-19 vaccination, three common themes emerged: fear, barriers related to health education and health promotion, and vaccine supply chain management. Supply chain management was a common theme in both domains. However, each domain also had additional themes. Our study contributed empirical findings that could be of interest to stakeholders in migrant health. However, limitations regarding the generalizability of the findings and social desirability should be considered in the interpretation of the findings.
Nurses’ perceptions of job security and performance: A comparative study between governmental and private hospitals
Aim Job security and performance are crucial needs for nurses, greatly influencing their motivation and commitment to work. This study seeks to examine Jordanian nurses’ perceptions of job security and employee performance and to compare these factors between government and private hospitals. Design A descriptive, comparative cross-sectional design was used for the study. Methods The study was conducted in two government and two private hospitals. A total of 156 nurses were conveniently sampled to participate. Data were collected using the Job Security Questionnaire and the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance. Results The mean job security score was 3.26, indicating a moderate level of job security. The mean employee performance score was 2.68, reflecting a high level of job performance. Nurses in private hospitals had significantly higher scores in both job security (t = -5.53, p < 0.001) and employee performance (M = 2.53, SD ± 0.53) compared to nurses in government hospitals. Conclusion Nurses with moderate job security levels achieved high job performance scores. Private hospitals demonstrated higher job security and employee performance levels than government hospitals. Future research could investigate specific aspects of the Jordanian nursing work environment that may contribute to the differences observed in job security and employee performance.
Is it all in your head? Reducing virtual reality induced cybersickness by pleasant odor imagery
Although immersive technologies such as virtual reality are constantly growing for personal and professional purposes, their use can often induce a transient state of discomfort known as cybersickness, resulting in numerous symptoms and perceptive-motor vulnerability. In an attempt to develop leads to mitigate cybersickness, encouraging findings have reported decreased symptoms during the presentation of pleasant smells. However, the diffusion of smells in ecological settings is very challenging. An interesting alternative could reside in odor imagery (OI), known for its neurophysiological, behavioral and psychological similarities with odor perception. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effects of pleasant OI on virtual reality induced cybersickness. Thirty participants performed two 14-minute virtual reality sessions simulating a first-person view from a boat. During the second session we added a picture at the center of the visual field, allowing for pleasant and intense OI based on individualized psychometrical measures. Participants were instructed to focus on the smell evoked by this picture. For both immersions, cybersickness was characterized by the evolution of scores on the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, and duration of immersion. Our results show that both measures were positively affected by pleasant OI, indicating a decreased intensity of cybersickness symptoms associated with a longer tolerance of the virtual environment. We suggest the observed effects could be mediated by emotional regulation mechanisms driven by pleasant OI, alleviating cybersickness in a similar way to pleasant odor perception. These findings could open the door to new applications of pleasant sensory imagery as strategies to alleviate transient states of discomfort in immersive technologies or perhaps motion-induced sickness.
Postoperative pneumonia in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting: A comprehensive study of epidemiology, etiology, and disease burden from China (2020–2023)
Objective To investigate the epidemiological trends,etiological profiles and disease burden metrics related to postoperative pneumonia following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 518 patients who developed postoperative pneumonia following isolated CABG between January 1, 2020, and November 30, 2023. Results Postoperative pneumonia occurred at a rate of 11.34% among the cohort (518/4569),which fluctuated by year (P < 0.001). Patients aged 60–80 and over 80 years exhibited significantly higher incidence rates compared to those under 60 years (all P < 0.05) A total of 416 strains were identified, with Gram-negative bacteria accounting for 86.5%, primarily represented by Klebsiella pneumoniae (31.0%), while pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.4%) and stenotrophomonas maltophilia (5.3%) demonstrated an increasing trend in the period of 2022–2023 (both P < 0.05). The proportion of Staphylococcus aureus in the fourth quarter was significant lower than that in the first quarter (4.8% vs 14.4%, P < 0.05). The overall detection rate of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) was 57.7%,with 53.9% for Gram-negative bacteria and 82.1% for Gram-positive bacteria.Late-onset postoperative pneumonia was significantly associated with a higher detection rate of MDRO (63.8% vs 50.3%, P < 0.01). Postoperative pneumonia prolonged median length of postoperative hospital[20.00 (13.00,31.25) days vs 15.50(10.25,19.75) days, P < 0.001] and ICU [9.00(5.00,14.00)days vs 4.00(3.00,11.75) days, P = 0.002] stay, thereby increasing hospitalization costs[￥255592.15 (193384.29, 336337.53) vs ￥180501.02 (154493.58, 220501.03),P < 0.001]. The incidence of severe pneumonia significantly increased in patients infected with MDRO (19.30% vs. 5.51%, P < 0.001) or co-infected (40.00% vs. 9.52%, P < 0.001), leading to marked differences in postoperative hospital stay and hospitalization costs (all P < 0.05). Conclusion The etiological patterns of postoperative pneumonia following isolated CABG showed temporal variations by year and quarter. MDRO infection and co-infections could significantly exacerbate the disease burden on patients.
Concurrent enhancement in fire retardancy and mechanical properties of flax/vinyl ester bio-composites via magnesium hydroxide incorporation
The fire-retardant properties of bio-composites are generally enhanced through nano fillers incorporation at the cost of their mechanical properties. In this study, magnesium hydroxide (MH) nano filler was incorporated into flax/vinyl ester (VE) bio-composite to enhance its fire-retardancy and thermal stability simultaneously with mechanical properties. MH is chemically compatible with cellulosic fibers which played a role in improving the interfacial bonding and hence the mechanical properties in this study. The composites fabrication process parameters including curing temperature and vacuum pressure were also optimized in this study. The concentration of MH was varied as 0, 5, and 10% in the flax/VE composite. The tensile and flexural strengths of the 5% MH filled flax/VE composites were observed to increase by 10% and 48% respectively. This enhancement in strength was attributed to the improved interfacial bonding and compatibility of MH with flax fiber, verified through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The horizontal burning rate of the composites was decreased by 25% after MH incorporation, which was validated through a limiting oxygen index (LOI) test. The results of cone calorimetry highlighted a decrease of 11.73% in the peak values of heat release rate (HRR) which is a sign of enhancement in fire retardancy. The thermogravimetric analysis also discovered an improvement in the thermal stability of the composites. These bio-composites with improved mechanical, thermal and fire-retardant properties may find their applications in automobiles, marine and aerospace industries.
Hierarchical model for taxi crashes considering the intrinsic factors of taxi drivers and companies in South Korea
Many studies have been conducted to investigate the diverse human-related factors that contribute to traffic crashes. Human factors have a greater impact on crashes caused by taxi drivers with long driving distances and hours. However, due to issues related to the protection of individual data and the complexity of collecting and processing data, there are limitations in clearly identifying risk factors related to driver characteristics. In this study, we combined in-depth survey data that included characteristics of taxi drivers and the companies they belong to and taxi crash data (2017–2019) in South Korea. However, the combined data showed a high correlation or causality between variables, leading to potential problems, i.e., multicollinearity, hierarchical structure of data, and inefficient analysis. To address this issue, we applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to reduce the dimensionality of variables and mitigate the problem. Furthermore, we constructed a hierarchical model considering the hierarchical structure of data in corporate taxis, where drivers are affiliated with specific companies. The analysis revealed that managing fatigue at the company level, managing drivers’ diseases, and other intrinsic factors had a significant influence on Fatal-Injury (FI) crashes. These results indicate that taxi crashes are influenced significantly by both company management factors and driver-related factors. Therefore, policymakers can provide customized preventive measures that consider both aspects.
Performance evaluation of Rayto RT-7600Vet hematology analyzer in side-by-side comparison with manual hematological methods for apparently healthy Cholistani cattle blood
The present study is the first from Pakistan being reported with an objective to assess performance of Rayto RT-7600Vet hematology analyzer (HA) for Cholistani cattle blood (n = 134), in comparison to the manual hematological methods. The four hematological attributes viz. total erythrocyte count (TEC), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV) and platelet count (PLT) were deduced through HA (A) and manual (M) methods. Various statistical tests were implied to ascertain level of interrelationship, accuracy and level of agreement between the two methods. All attributes attained through manual methods had high positive, leptokurtic distribution (having many outliers) except for PLT-M and PCV-M. The coefficient of variation for attributes attained through HA and manual methods ranged from 16–24% and from 16–59%, respectively. Comparison between the overall results revealed that all the studied attributes, except TEC, were significantly (P≤0.05) different for both methods. A weak relationship was noticed between the attributes attained through two methods as indicated by weak r-values and adjusted r-square values. The reliability level of estimating Hb and PCV had highest intraclass correlation coefficient value of 0.722 and 0.555 for average measures, respectively. However, accuracy level, as determined through Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient was highest for TEC (0.9504) for both analytical methods. Poor level of agreement, in general, was shown for the two methods of analysis regarding all four hematological attributes through Bland and Altman test. In conclusion, the Rayto RT-7600Vet) may present data having higher skewness, kurtosis, and CV%, however, they are valid for multi-species hematological analysis. Caution must however, be taken in interpreting their results with corrected reference intervals and CV% for each machine and for each tested attribute.