Activity Force Research Articles

Effects of aligner activation and power arm length and material on canine displacement and periodontal ligament stress: a finite element analysis

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the impact of aligner activation and power arm length and material on canine and aligner displacement, von Mises stress in the power arm, and principal stress in the periodontal ligament (PDL) during canine tooth distalization using finite element analysis (FEA). The effects of aligner activation and power arm length were primary outcomes, while the effect of the power arm material was a secondary outcome.MethodsAligner activation (0.1 mm or 0.2 mm) was applied without using a power arm in two models. The effects of aligner activation, power arm length (12, 13, or 14 mm) and power arm material (stainless steel [SS] or fiber-reinforced composite [FRC]) on canine distalization were investigated in 12 models by evaluating displacement and stress via ALTAIR OptiStruct analysis.ResultsGreater canine displacement was observed in all models with 0.2 mm than 0.1 mm of aligner activation. When models with the same aligner activation were compared, reduced mesiodistal tipping, increased palatal tipping, and increased extrusion of the canine cusp were observed with increasing power arm length. Moreover, the von Mises stress increased as the power arm length increased. Increasing the aligner activation and power arm length increased the maximum principal stress in the PDL. Power arms of the same length in both materials showed the same results in terms of canine displacement, clear aligner displacement, and maximum principal stress in the PDL. However, under conditions of equal length and aligner activation, the von Mises stress of the SS power arm was higher than that of the FRC power arm.ConclusionUsing a power arm in canine distalization reduced mesiodistal tipping but increased palatal tipping and extrusion of the canine cusp. Aligner activation and additional force increased tooth movement and principal stress in the canine PDL. FRC power arms exhibited less von Mises stress than SS power arms.

Framework for creating a qualified medical device development tool of autoinjectors.

Autoinjectors are pivotal for precise self-administration of medications across a wide range of medical conditions. Nevertheless, the absence of a dedicated Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT) for autoinjectors represents a gap that may result in variations in the quality and regulatory compliance of autoinjectors as components of combination products. This research aim is to utilize the recently introduced Primary Functions outlined in ISO 11608-1:2022 with the title "Needle-based injection systems for medical use. Requirements and test methods. Part 1: Needle-based injection systems" to create a comprehensive MDDT framework tailored specifically for autoinjectors. To support the creation of the framework, the analysis of the FDA MDDTs that were already approved, FDA's design controls regulations, FDA's guidance related to autoinjectors, and the Primary functions outlined in ISO 11608-1:2022 were utilized. The research identifies the Primary Functions in autoinjector to be Holding Force, Cap Removal Force, Activation Force, Extended Needle Length, Injection Time, Dose Accuracy and Needle Guard Lockout. Leveraging these Primary Functions and the FDA's MDDT approach, the research aims to bridge the gap by proposing a structured framework for the development of a specific MDDT tailored to autoinjectors. This study presents a MDDT framework tailored to the development of autoinjectors for drug delivery. This framework provides a structured methodology to support predictability and effectiveness of the autoinjector development and support regulatory review process, thereby expediting FDA approval for autoinjectors as part of combination product.

Anthropogenic influence has significantly affected snowfall changes in Eurasia

It has been widely reported that anthropogenic influences are detectable with high confidence in global warming. However, whether human activities have an impact on snowfall changes is still unclear. Here we based on phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) multi-forcing dataset and the regularized optimal fingerprint method, the detection and attribution of various grades of snowfall (including annual snowfall (>0.1 mm/day), light snowfall (<2.5 mm/day), intense snowfall (>5 mm/day), and their corresponding days) changes in Eurasia (20°-90°N, 10°W-180°E) were carried out. Results show that anthropogenic activity forcing (ANT) and greenhouse gas forcing (GHG) well reproduced the spatial-temporal characteristics of snowfall indices. The ANT influence is robustly detected in the decreased trend of snowfall days (snowday), light snowfall, and light snowfall days (light_day) at the 90% confidence interval, clearly separated from the natural forcing. Moreover, the GHG signals are detectable for decreases in the three snowfall indices, which only could be distinguished from the natural and aerosol forcings for snowday and light snowfall. Thus, anthropogenic activities may considerably account for the decreases in snowday, light snowfall, and light_day across Eurasia, wherein the changes in the first two indices dominated by GHG emissions. However, human influence detections fail for intense snowfall, and it is hard to detect on regional scales, except for North Asia. Finally, by the end of this century (2081–2100), the observation-constrained projections based on the detection and attribution analysis under two SSPs (new Shared Socioeconomic Pathway) scenarios exhibit that the scaled snowday, light snowfall, and light_day are expected to decrease by approximately 13.9 days (28.3 days), 24.8% (48.7%), and 4.3 days (8.8 days) under the SSP2–4.5 (SSP5–8.5) scenario with reference to the current climate (1995–2014). Our study highlights the need to improve climate model performance in simulating extreme snowfall to clear whether and to what extent human influence impacts it.

Evaluation of an Unloading Concept for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study in a Small Patient Group.

Joint compressive forces have been identified as a risk factor for osteoarthritis disease progression. Therefore, unloader braces are a common treatment with the aim of relieving pain, but their effects are not clearly documented in the literature. A knee brace concept was tested with the aim of reducing joint loads and pain in knee osteoarthritis patients by applying an extension moment exclusively during the stance phase. The ideal effects were evaluated during gait based on musculoskeletal modeling of six patients, and experimental tests with a prototype brace were conducted on one patient. The effects were evaluated using electromyography measurements and musculoskeletal models to evaluate the muscle activation and knee compressive forces, respectively. The ideal brace simulations revealed a varying reduction of the first peak knee force between 3.5% and 33.8% across six patients whereas the second peak was unaffected. The prototype reduced the peak vasti muscle activation with 7.9% and musculoskeletal models showed a reduction of the first peak knee compressive force of up to 26.3%. However, the prototype brace increased the knee joint force impulse of up to 17.1% and no immediate pain reduction was observed. The reduction of the first peak knee compressive force, using a prototype on a single patient, indicates a promising effect from an applied knee extension moment for reducing knee joint loads during normal gait. However, further clinical experiments with this brace method are required to evaluate the long-term effects on both pain and disease progression in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Role of S100A4 in the crosstalk between smooth muscle and inflammatory cells in atherosclerosis

Abstract Background During atherosclerotic plaque formation, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) accumulate in the intima and undergo a transition from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. We previously showed that S100A4 is a marker of the synthetic SMCs in vitro and intimal SMCs in pig, human and mouse. In vitro, S100A4-treated SMCs acquire a pro-inflammatory phenotype. The systemic neutralization of extracellular S100A4 in ApoE-/- mice induces atherosclerotic plaque stabilization. Purpose To characterize the role of S100A4-expressing SMCs in atherosclerosis. Methods and results We established a coculture model between S100A4-stimulated human aortic SMCs and human blood-derived monocytes. Flow cytometry analysis of monocytes exposed to S100A4-treated SMCs for 3 days showed an upregulation of markers typical of inflammatory M1 (HLA-DR) and anti-inflammatory M2 (CD206) macrophages (fig. 1). Macrophages also upregulated mRNA expression of NPC Intracellular cholesterol transporter 1 and 2 by qPCR, suggesting modifications in their cholesterol metabolism. In vivo, in an SMC-lineage-tracing ApoE-/-mouse model, we identified S100A4-expressing SMCs at the onset of atherosclerosis in aortic media of 11-week-old mice fed a high cholesterol diet (HCD) for 3 weeks. Medial SMCs were characterized by means of single-cell RNA sequencing. Interestingly, 10 out of 11 identified clusters expressed S100A4, demonstrating broad and early involvement of S100A4 in shaping medial SMC identity. We assumed that blood-derived monocytes might be a driving force of early S100A4 activation in SMCs. To mitigate the impact of monocytes, 8-week-old ApoE-/- mice were fed an HCD for 9 weeks and injected with either clodronate-encapsulated or empty liposomes during the first 3 weeks. No differences in S100A4 expression in the media were observed by qPCR. Unexpectedly, ApoE-/- mice treated with clodronate demonstrated larger atherosclerotic lesions compared to control animals as measured by OilRedO staining (fig. 2). Studies are in progress to define the plaque composition. Conclusion Our findings shed light on the role of S100A4 in the crosstalk between SMCs and inflammatory cells in atherosclerosis and the fine-tuning of the phenotype of medial SMCs prior to their accumulation in the intima. We suggest that temporary monocyte depletion at the onset of the disease alters the mechanisms underlying plaque formation, worsening the outcome of the disease, while not affecting S100A4 expression in medial SMCs.

Abstract 14438: Loss of the ROR2 Tyrosine Kinase Receptor is Associated With Dysfunctional Angiogenesis in Pulmonary Hypertension via Inappropriate Focal Adhesion Activation and Disruption of the Endothelial Barrier

Background: Dysfunctional angiogenesis is a hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but its mechanisms are unclear. We recently demonstrated a key role for Wnt7a in lung angiogenesis. Wnt7a acts through ROR2, a Wnt pathway tyrosine kinase receptor. We elucidate how ROR2 controls angiogenic functions in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs). Hypothesis: Loss of ROR2 activity is associated with PAH. Methods: Healthy and PAH PMVECs were obtained from explanted lungs. PMVECs were transfected with ROR2 siRNA/constructs, followed by functional and molecular studies. Focal adhesion (FA) activation and force generation was measured using FRET-based total internal reflection microscopy (TIRF). Mice with endothelial-specific conditional ROR2 KO (ROR2 ECKO) were phenotyped in normoxia and hypoxia. Results: ROR2 expression was found predominantly in the endothelium of healthy lung vessels but significantly reduced within PAH lesions. ROR2 knockdown (siROR2) reduced vascular sprouting comparable to PAH PMVECs. Interestingly, siROR2 and ROR2-deficient PAH PMVECs displayed increased fibronectin adhesion and hyperpermeability, which led us to look at focal adhesions (FA) and cell-cell junctions. Confocal and TIRF microscopy of siROR2 and ROR2-deficient PAH PMVECs revealed an increase in the FA number and force that inversely correlated with reduced VE-cadherin at cell junctions. However, transfection of a ROR2 construct in PAH PMVECs resulted in FAs activity normalization and junctional integrity accompanied by recovery of adhesion and permeability. Proteomic studies demonstrated that ROR2 interacts with Integrin b1 in focal adhesions, and its loss results in Integrin b1 activation, FA clustering, and high mechanical forces. In animal studies, we found that, compared to controls, ROR2 ECKO developed more severe pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular remodeling, microvascular reduction, and muscularization in hypoxia, which correlated with higher levels of integrin b1 activation and reduced VE-cadherin expression. Conclusions: ROR2 promotes PMVEC adhesion and barrier formation, and its loss is associated with dysfunctional angiogenesis. Restoring ROR2 could be a novel therapeutic strategy in PAH.

Measurement of web tension using ambient vibrations in roll-to-roll manufacturing of flexible and printed electronics

Abstract Web tension measurement and control are important for the quality control of flexible and printed electronics fabricated by roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing. The distribution of tension within a R2R web can be calculated from the values of the web’s mechanical resonance frequencies. Typically, such measurements require an active external forcing to be generated and applied to the web. In this work, we show it is possible to obtain the web’s resonance frequencies from forcing due to ambient noise present in the test environment. This result broadens the applicability of noncontact resonance methods for computing web tension as currently available methods of active external forcing cannot be applied to all web materials and all R2R operating environments. We validate the ambient excitation method by comparing it to speaker-based acoustic excitation at atmospheric pressure and find the two methods agree within 0.5%. A calculation of the experimental motion of the web due to finite temperature effects suggests the observed vibration is generated from air-borne or structure-borne noise in the test environments. To show the effectiveness of the approach, we demonstrate the use of ambient excitation at five externally applied tensions, on three different web materials, and at both atmospheric and vacuum pressures.

Symptom Management Among Multiple Sclerosis Care Partners in Canada

CE INFORMATION ACTIVITY AVAILABLE ONLINE: To access the article and evaluation online, go to https://www.highmarksce.com/mscare. TARGET AUDIENCE: The target audience for this activity is physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nursing professionals, social workers, and other health care providers involved in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Characterize the type, number, and frequency of symptoms MS care partners manage. Describe the level of symptom management difficulty in the caregiving role and types of support preferred by MS care partners. ACCREDITATION: In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and Intellisphere, LLC. The CMSC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team. This activity was planned by and for the health care team, and learners will receive 0.5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change. PHYSICIANS: The CMSC designates this journal-based activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. NURSES: The CMSC designates this enduring material for 0.5 contact hour of nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) (none in the area of pharmacology). PSYCHOLOGISTS: This activity is awarded 0.5 CE credit. SOCIAL WORKERS: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the CMSC is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 0.5 general continuing education credit. DISCLOSURES: It is the policy of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers to mitigate all relevant financial disclosures from planners, faculty, and other persons that can affect the content of this CE activity. For this activity, all relevant disclosures have been mitigated. Francois Bethoux, MD, editor in chief of the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC), has served as physician planner for this activity. He and Alissa Mary Willis, MD, associate editor of IJMSC, have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Authors; Katherine L. Cardwell, BHSc; Taylor A. Hume, BHSc; Odessa J. McKenna, MSc; Lara A. Pilutti, PhD; and Afolasade Fakolade, PhD, have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. The staff at IJMSC, CMSC, and Intellisphere, LLC who are in a position to influence content have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Laurie Scudder, DNP, NP, continuing education director CMSC, has served as a planner and reviewer for this activity. She has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. METHOD OF PARTICIPATION: Release Date: November 1, 2023; Valid for Credit through: November 1, 2024 To receive CE credit, participants must: (1) Review the continuing education information, including learning objectives and author disclosures.(2) Study the educational content.(3) Complete the evaluation, which is available at https://www.highmarksce.com/mscare. Statements of Credit are awarded upon successful completion of the evaluation. There is no fee to participate in this activity. DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the FDA. The CMSC and Intellisphere, LLC do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the CMSC or Intellisphere, LLC. DISCLAIMER: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any medications, diagnostic procedures, or treatments discussed in this publication should not be used by clinicians or other health care professionals without first evaluating their patients’ conditions, considering possible contraindications or risks, reviewing any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparing any therapeutic approach with the recommendations of other authorities.

The role of interorganizational collaboration and digital technologies in the implementation of circular economy practices—Empirical evidence from manufacturing firms

AbstractInterorganizational collaboration and the use of new digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, internet of things (IoT), or blockchain technology, are regarded as key enablers in implementing sustainability and circular economy‐oriented practices. While this is reflected in a few conceptual and case studies, statistical analyses on the topic are rare. No study so far has focused on collaboration, and digital technologies have only been studied in isolation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of interorganizational collaboration practices on a firm's circular economy practices and on outcomes (sustainability performance and economic performance), as well as the potentially facilitative role of new digital technologies on both. The research is based on a deductive approach, using a random sample of 112 Austrian manufacturing companies. The study employs partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM), features a multiple‐respondent design, and uses the dynamic capabilities view as a theoretical foundation. The study finds that interorganizational collaboration practices have a strong positive effect on the implementation of sustainability and CE practices, while the use of new digital technologies and general dynamic capabilities do not. The use of digital technologies positively affects only interorganizational collaboration, while general dynamic capabilities serve as an antecedent for both the use of digital technologies and interorganizational collaboration. Regarding the outcomes of CE implementation, the study finds a positive impact on firm‐level sustainability and economic performance. From a theoretical point of view, the study provides a new perspective on the prerequisites for successful CE implementation, highlights the importance of collaboration, and contextualizes the role of new digital technologies and dynamic capabilities. From a practical point of view, based on the positive outcomes found, the study supports arguments in favor of company engagement in CE activity. It also serves to motivate purposive digitization and systems thinking in order to create efficient CE collaboration networks.

Reanalysis of EphA3 Knock-In Double Maps in Mouse Suggests That Stochasticity in Topographic Map Formation Acts at the Retina Rather than between Competing Mechanisms at the Colliculus.

It has been suggested that stochasticity acts in the formation of topographically ordered maps in the visual system through the opposing chemoaffinity and neural activity forces acting on the innervating nerve fibers being held in an unstable equilibrium. Evidence comes from the Islet2-EphA3 knock-in mouse, in which ∼50% of the retinal ganglion cells, distributed across the retina, acquire the EphA3 receptor, thus having an enhanced density of EphA which specifies retinotopic order along the rostrocaudal (RC) axis of the colliculus. Sampling EphA3 knock-in maps in heterozygotes at different positions along the mediolateral (ML) extent of the colliculus had found single 1D maps [as in wild types (WTs)], double maps (as in homozygous knock-ins) or both single and double maps. We constructed full 2D maps from the same mouse dataset. We found either single maps or maps where the visual field projects rostrally, with a part-projection more caudally to form a double map, the extent and location of this duplication varying considerably. Contrary to previous analyses, there was no strict demarcation between heterozygous and homozygous maps. These maps were replicated in a computational model where, as the level of EphA3 was increased, there was a smooth transition from single to double maps. Our results suggest that the diversity in these retinotopic maps has its origin in a variability over the retina in the effective amount of EphA3, such as through variability in gene expression or the proportion of EphA3+ retinal ganglion cells, rather than the result of competing mechanisms acting at the colliculus.

Iron Cobalt Phosphonate Derived Heteroatom Doped Metal Oxides as Superior Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation Reaction

AbstractThe development of low cost‐effective and highly efficient heterogeneous electrocatalysts is most appreciable in the research community. A newly designed microporous organic‐inorganic hybrid iron cobalt phosphonate (FeCoDPAM) is synthesized using diphenylphosphinamide as an organophosphorus ligand through a hydrothermal pathway without any template. To synthesize N, P‐codoped bimetallic oxides (NP/FeCoO350, NP/FeCoO550, and NP/FeCoO750), the as‐synthesized material FeCoDPAM has undergone pyrolysis at three different temperatures, i. e., 350, 550, 750 °C, respectively. The high specific surface area and a regular microporous array of N, P‐codoped iron cobalt oxide (NP/FeCoO350) material provide excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. The NP/FeCoO350 material catalyzes OER with the overpotential of 331 mV at a current density of 10 mAcm−2 and Tafel slope of 56.7 mV dec−1 in 1.0 M KOH solution. The inclusion of iron in the cobalt phosphonate framework can change the electronic structure, and electron transfer can be feasible to the d‐orbital of cobalt. Due to the doping of heteroatoms such as N and P into the bimetallic oxide matrix, a synergistic effect can occur, which is the driving force for the efficient electrocatalytic OER activity. Also, the FeCoO350 displays stability with outstanding oxidative current up to 50 h time in chronoamperometry measurement.

Kinematic response of seated male volunteers in various reclined postures on a sled subjected to a braking pulse

Vehicle occupants expect greater postural flexibility with the introduction of highly automated vehicles, such as reclined postures. Experiments have been conducted with post mortem human subjects to study the risk of injury under impact conditions in reclined postures. However, the influence of the pre-crash phase on the kinematics in reclined postures has not yet been thoroughly studied. The aim of the present study is to investigate human responses under low g braking conditions focusing on different backrest angles in a generic sled environment.Three 50th percentile male volunteers were recruited to participate in a sled experiment. Each of them was subjected to a total of fourteen trials under a braking pulse with a maximum acceleration of 0.7 g for 700 ms. Different sitting postures were investigated: from 23° to 45°, 60° and 75° backrest tilt with respect to the vertical axis. In addition, two different seat pan tilt angles were considered: a 16° tilt angle for 23°, 45° and 60° backrest inclination and a 36° tilt angle for 60° and 75° backrest inclination. Measurements of volunteer kinematics, muscle activation and interaction forces between the volunteers and the sled, among others, were acquired.Initial results show a significant reduction in maximum forward head displacement from the upright to the reclined postures (p < 0.02), with the exception of the 45° reclined posture. However, no significant difference in maximum head displacement was found between the different reclined postures (p > 0.1). Seat pan tilt angle did significantly influence forward head excursion when considering the same seatback inclination (p < 0.01).It is of great importance to investigate occupant kinematics during the pre-crash phase to understand its influence on the potential injuries that may occur with a reclined posture in the event of a collision.

Muscle Activation and Ground Reaction Force between Single-Leg Drop Landing and Jump Landing among Young Females during Weight-Acceptance Phase.

Single-leg drop landing (SLDL) and jump landing (SLJL) are frequently used as assessment tools for identifying potential high-risk movement patterns; thus, understanding differences in neuromuscular responses between these types of landings is essential. This study aimed to compare lower extremity neuromuscular responses between the SLDL and SLJL. Thirteen female participants performed an SLDL and SLJL from a 30-cm box height. Vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), time to peak vGRF, and surface electromyography (sEMG) data were collected. Continuous neuromuscular responses, peak vGRF, and time to peak vGRF were compared between the tasks. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis demonstrated that the SLJL had a significantly higher sEMG activity in the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) within the first 10% of the landing phase compared with SLDL. At 20-30% of the landing phase, sEMGs in the RF and VL during the SLDL were significantly higher compared with SLJL (p < 0.05). A higher peak vGRF and shorter time to peak vGRF was observed during SLJL (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings highlight that SLJL exhibited greater RF, VL, and VM activities than SLDL at initial impact (10% landing), coinciding with a higher peak vGRF and shorter time to attain peak vGRF. Our findings support the role of the quadriceps as the primary energy dissipator during the SLJL.

Hysteretic model and seismic performance of a self-centering brace equipped with energy absorbing steel plate clusters

The use of self-centering (SC) devices has been recognized as a promising strategy to improve the seismic resilience of structures, owing to their capacities for SC and energy dissipation (ED). This paper presents a comprehensive study on a SC brace (SCB) equipped with energy absorbing steel plate (EASP) clusters. Firstly, the configuration and deformation mode of the SCB were described. Then, a hysteretic model of the SCB was proposed based on the Bouc-Wen model, and the behavior of the SCB was described in detail. The accuracy of the hysteretic model was subsequently verified by experimental results. On the basis of this, the theoretical analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of the design parameters on the hysteresis performance of the SCB. The results show that the ratio between the activation force of the SC system and the yield force of the ED system (ρ) has a significant impact on the hysteresis performance of the SCB. As the value of ρ increases, the SC capability of the SCB increases, but the ED capacity decreases. Finally, the seismic performance of the steel frame which adopts the SCB was evaluated using nonlinear response history analysis. The results indicate that the SCB with a ρ value of 1.0 can achieve a comparable structural deformation response with a buckling restrained braced (BRB) frame, and the residual drift of the SCB frame is less than 0.2% under ground motions of varying hazard levels.

Design principles for transporting vesicles with enclosed active particles (a)

We use coarse-grained molecular-dynamics simulations to study the motility of a 2D vesicle containing self-propelled rods, as a function of the vesicle bending rigidity and the number density, length, and activity of the enclosed rods. Above a threshold value of the rod length, distinct dynamical regimes emerge, including a dramatic enhancement of vesicle motility characterized by a highly persistent random walk. These regimes are determined by clustering of the rods within the vesicle; the maximum motility state arises when there is one long-lived polar cluster. We develop a scaling theory that predicts the dynamical regimes as a function of control parameters, and shows that feedback between activity and passive membrane forces govern the rod organization. These findings yield design principles for building self-propelled superstructures using independent active agents under deformable confinement.

Effects of Straw Mulching on Soil Properties and Enzyme Activities of Camellia oleifera-Cassia Intercropping Agroforestry Systems.

In order to explore the influences of rice straw mulching on soil fertility in agroforestry systems, the soil C and N contents and enzyme activities were investigated in a C. oleifera-cassia intercropping ecosystem in Central Southern China. Three straw mulching application treatments were set up in this study, in 2021, namely, straw powder mulching (SPM), straw segment mulching (SSM), and non-straw mulching as the control (CK). Soil samples were collected from three soil depths (0-10 cm,10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm) in each treatment on the 90th-day after the treatments. The soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial carbon (MBC), soil enzyme activities (including acid phosphatase (ACP), urease (UE), cellulase (CL), and peroxidase (POD)), and soil water content (SWC) were determined. The results showed that the SOC significantly increased due to the mulching application in SPM and SSM, in the topsoil of 0-10 cm when compared to the CK. The SWC, SOC, TN, and MBC increased by 0.8 and 56.5, 3.5 and 37.5, 21.3 and 61.6, and 5.8% and 76.8% in the SPM and SSM treatments compared to the CK, respectively. The soil enzyme activities of ACP, UE, CE, and POD increased significantly due to straw mulching compared with CK throughout all soil layers. The soil enzyme activities of CL and POD were significantly higher in SSM than in SPM across the soil depth except for ACP. The enzyme activities of ACP were 14,190, 12,732, and 6490 U/g in SSM, SPM, and control, respectively. This indicated that mulching application enhanced the enzyme activity of ACP. Mulching had no significant effects on UE and CL, while the POD decreased significantly in the order of SPM > SSM > CK across all soil layers, being, on average, 6.64% and 3.14% higher in SSM and SPM, respectively, compared to the CK plots. The SOC and MBC were the key nutrient factors affecting the soil enzyme activities at the study site. The results from this study provided Important scientific insights for improving soil physicochemical properties during the management of the C. oleifera intercropping system and for the development of the C. oleifera industry.

Modulation of chicken gut contractility by Melissa officinalis—ex vivo study

Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) has a long history of being used in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal tract disorders in human thanks to its spasmolytic and stress reducing effects. These pharmacological properties have been confirmed in laboratory animals. Unfortunately, in the case of veterinary medicine, the effect of lemon balm on gut contractility has been never subjected to a detailed investigation. On the other hand, there is urgent need of new drugs that could be safely used in animals for both, causative and symptomatic treatment. In broiler chicken, one of the major health concerns includes gastrointestinal disorders with gut hypermotility. Thus, it is crucial to verify the potential utility of Melissa officinalis extract in gastrointestinal dysmotilities. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of lemon balm extract and some of its active ingredients on chicken intestine motility. The study was performed on isolated proximal and distal jejunum preparations collected from broiler chicken which underwent routine slaughter procedure. The effect of lemon balm and 3 phenolic acids (rosmarinic, chlorogenic, and lithospermic) was verified under isometric conditions, toward spontaneous and acetylcholine (ACh)-induced smooth muscle activity. Surprisingly, M. officinalis turned out to be rather a myocontractile agent as it increased ACh-provoked contractility of proximal and distal jejunum strips and also intensified the spontaneous activity of distal jejunum. Only in the case of proximal intestine lemon balm extract diminished the force of spontaneous motoric activity up to approx. Sixty-seven percent of the control conditions. None of the tested phenolic acids displayed analog effect with the whole plant extract. In fact in the case of ACh-induced contractility, the acids had the opposite, that is, myorelaxant, effect than the extract, with a small exception of lithospermic acid in distal jejunum. Thus, it is impossible to assign one or more individual constituents to the effect of the whole Melissa officinalis extract. The obtained results do not support the use of lemon balm extract in broiler diseases which are accompanied by gut motility disturbances, including diarrhea.

EXPERT SYSTEM TO DETECT ONLINE GAME ADDICTION FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS USING THE BACKWARD CHAINING AND CERTAINTY FACTOR APPROACHES

Online gaming addiction harms students' physical health, mental well-being and academic performance. The addiction to playing online games has three categories, namely high, moderate and low, which are rarely known by the general public. The significant of knowledge acquisition on the addiction symptom and preventive activities forces the emergence of new idea on expert system identification platform. Therefore, this research aims to develop an expert system using the Backward Chaining (BC) and Certainty Factor (CF) approaches to detect the initial addiction level of online games for university students. Herein, the BC is used to identify the levelling of online game addiction based on the symptoms experienced by the user. There are thirty-three symptoms (G01-G33) provided through the thorough literature reviews and interviews with psychiatrics. Meanwhile, the CF is applied to calculate the level of certainty in determining the possibility of addiction describing in six scale level interpretation. As a result, the application of these two methods has effectively succeeded and reached proper accuracy in identifying the level of addiction of students towards their behavior on playing online games. The comparison of CF testing values between the system calculation and expert judgement shows the sophisticated result. Thus, this research can be utilized by the medical and psychiatric authorities, parents, and students in assessing their symptoms of addiction as an early warning in facing the possible risks arising from online game addiction.

Leveraging B2B field service technicians as a “second sales force”: How service situations affect selling activity and success

To extract the full revenue potential of their front line, B2B firms use their technical field service force for selling activities. However, as selling is only a complementary activity embedded in technicians’ main service tasks, they may struggle to sell effectively. The authors investigate the service situation as a key driver of (i) the technician’s decision to engage in selling (selling activity) and (ii) the customer’s decision to purchase (selling success). They identify four types of service situations with unique effects on these outcomes. Notably, technicians’ selling activity is highest (+ 10% compared to baseline) in service situations that offer a lower (-22%) likelihood of success, whereas activity is lower in the most promising situations. Thus, technicians do not properly exploit sales opportunities. The extent of inefficiencies moreover varies by employee-specific moderators, such that specialized technicians and those with little practical experience have particular difficulty exploiting excellent sales opportunities.

Lateral Force and EMG Activity in Wide- and Narrow-Grip Bench Press in Various Conditions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lateral force and contribution of shoulder horizontal adductor and elbow extensor muscles activity during wide- and narrow-grip bench press (BP) in various conditions, such as resistance-trained/non-trained, concentric/eccentric, and muscle fatigue/non-fatigue. We measured the lateral force on the bar and the electromyographic (EMG) muscle activity of pectoralis major (PM) and triceps brachii (TB) during 10 RM BP with wide grip (81 cm) and narrow grip (40 cm) in seven resistance-trained men and seven non-trained men. The all-reps average of the lateral-to-vertical force ratio both in resistance-trained and non-trained subjects was about 30% outward for the wide grip and about 10% inward for the narrow grip. The EMG contribution ratio PM/TB shows no significant differences between narrow and wide grip in all evaluated conditions except in non-trained subjects' muscle fatigue eccentric phase. Both resistance-trained and non-trained subjects did not push the bar straight upward, and the EMG PM/TB was almost unchanged by hand width. The direction adjustment of the force on the bar that achieves almost the same muscle activity degree of the shoulder and elbow joints might be optimal BP kinetics.