Individual Load Research Articles

Morphological and mechanical characteristics of the intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles under loading in individuals with flat feet

BackgroundThe intrinsic and extrinsic foot softtissue structures that apply force and support the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) have been implicated in the development of flat feet. However, the relationship between the changes in MLA height under increasing load and the morphological and mechanical properties of individual intrinsic and extrinsic foot soft tissue structures is not fully understood. Research questionTo examine the morphological and mechanical characteristics of the foot soft tissue structures in flat feet when subjected to loading. MethodsThis study consisted of two studies focusing on the extrinsic foot muscles (10 normal feet/11 flat feet) and intrinsic foot muscles (14 normal feet/13 flat feet). Images of the extrinsic and intrinsic foot muscles and plantar fascia (PF) under 10%, 50%, and 90% body weight conditions were obtained using ultrasound-based shear-wave elastography. ResultsThe cross-sectional area (CSA) of the peroneus brevis was larger in the flat-foot group than in the normal-foot group under all loading conditions. The CSAs of the intrinsic foot muscles (abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, and quadratus plantae) and thickness of the PF in the flat-foot group decreased significantly with increasing load. As for mechanical characteristics, the stiffness of the flexor digitorum longus and abductor hallucis was higher in the flat-foot group than in the normal group under high loading conditions. In addition, flat feet with greater flexibility tended to exhibit a greater decrease in PF thickness and smaller increase in stiffness. SignificanceExcessive stretching of the intrinsic foot muscles and PF occurs in flat feet, and excessive contraction of the flexor digitorum longus may counteract the excessive lowering of the foot arch. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the contraction of the intrinsic foot musculature in feet with greater flexibility of the MLA during loading.

Relationship between autistic traits and letter-recognition under attention to face-likeness: study using a henohenomoheji-type compound stimulus

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between autistic traits and letter information processing, specifically, the components of faces when attention is paid to face-like information. We created a new “henohenomoheji-type compound stimulus,” in which letters are placed in positions in such a way as to resemble a face. In Experiment 1, we examined the relationship between autistic traits and the participants’ performance in a letter-recognition task in which a henohenomoheji-type compound stimulus was used. The results showed a significant moderate negative correlation between Autism-Spectrum Quotient-Japanese Version (AQ-J) scores and letter-recognition sensitivity when the compound stimuli were arranged like a face. The letter-detection task was employed in Experiment 2 to examine how autistic traits affect tasks' performance with a lower cognitive load than in Experiment 1. We found no correlation between AQ-J scores and letter-detection sensitivity with or without face-like features. These results suggest that paying attention to faces reduces the participants’ performance in letter recognition, which represents a higher cognitive load in individuals with higher autistic traits. A major implication of this study is that the henohenomoheji-type compound stimuli can be applied to several cognitive tasks, such as cognitive processing in individuals with autistic traits.

Clinical performance of the novel full-genotyping OncoPredict HPV Quantitative Typing assay using the VALGENT framework.

Clinical validation of human papillomavirus (HPV) assays according to international criteria is prerequisite for their implementation in cervical cancer screening. OncoPredict HPV Quantitative Typing (QT) assay (Hiantis Srl, Milan, Italy) is a novel full-genotyping multiplex real-time PCR quantitative assay targeting E6/E7 genes, allowing individual viral load determination of 12 high-risk (HR) HPV types. Quality controls for sample adequacy, efficiency of nucleic acid extraction and PCR inhibition are included in the assay. Clinical performance of OncoPredict HPV QT test was assessed as part of the "Validation of HPV Genotyping Tests" (VALGENT-2) framework, consisting of 1300 cervical liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples of women aged between 20 and 60 years who had originally attended for routine cervical screening in Scotland. The clinical accuracy of the OncoPredict HPV QT (index test) for the detection of CIN2+ was assessed relative to the GP5+/6+ Enzyme ImmunoAssay (GP5+/6+ EIA) (comparator test), using noninferiority criteria. Intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility of the assay was assessed on a subpopulation, comprising 526 samples. The relative sensitivity and specificity for OncoPredict HPV QT vs GP5+/6+-PCR-EIA were 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99-1.03) and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.0-1.06) respectively. The P-values for noninferiority were ≤0.001. The intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility demonstrated a high concordance (>98.7%) with kappas for individual types ranging from 0.66 to 1.00. OncoPredict HPV QT fulfills the international validation criteria for the use of HPV tests in cervical cancer screening.

Asymmetric loading strategies during squats following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A longitudinal investigation with curve analyses throughout and after rehabilitation.

Investigations of kinetic asymmetries during bilateral squats following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are limited to mainly cross-sectional studies and discrete value data extracted at specific knee angles. We assessed loading asymmetries during squats longitudinally throughout rehabilitation using curve analysis and compared patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between those with and without asymmetry. Bodyweight squats were performed by 24 individuals (13 females) post-ACLR on three occasions: (1) Early 2.9 (1.1) months; (2) Mid 8.8 (3.1) months; (3) at Return to Sport (RTS) 13.1 (3.6) months; and 29 asymptomatic controls (22 females) once. Time-normalized between-leg asymmetry curves of sagittal plane hip, knee, and ankle moments and vertical ground reaction forces were compared using functional data analysis methods. Individual asymmetrical loading for ACLR was classified when exceeding the 95% confidence interval of controls during ≥50% of the squat. At Early, ACLR had greater asymmetry than controls for knee (15%-100% eccentric phase; 0%-100% concentric) and ankle flexion moments (56%-65% concentric). At Mid, ACLR had greater asymmetry for knee (41%-72% eccentric) and ankle flexion moments (56%-69% concentric). No between-group differences were found at RTS. From Early to RTS, ACLR reduced asymmetry for hip (21%-46% eccentric), knee (27%-58% concentric), and ankle flexion moments (21%-57% eccentric). At Early, 11/24 underloaded their ACLR knee and 1 overloaded compared with controls. At RTS, 4 underloaded and 6 overloaded. No differences in PROMs were found based on loading asymmetry. Beyond the early phase of rehabilitation from ACLR, individual-level analyses are required to reveal differing loading strategies during bilateral squats.

Magnitude and variability of individual elbow load in repetitive baseball pitching

In baseball pitchers the elbow is exposed to high and repetitive loads (i.e. external valgus torque), caused by pitching a high number of balls in a practice session or game. This can result in overuse injuries like the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury. To understand injury mechanisms, the effect of repetitive pitching on the elbow load magnitude and variability was investigated. In addition, we explored whether repetitive pitching affects elbow muscle activation during pitching. Fifteen pitchers threw each 60 to 110 balls. The external valgus torque and electromyography of three elbow muscles were quantified during each pitch. Linear mixed model analyses were performed to investigate the effect of repetitive pitching. On a group level, the linear mixed models showed no significant associations of repetitive pitching with valgus torque magnitude and variability and elbow muscle activity. Significant differences exist between pitchers in their individual trajectories in elbow valgus torque and muscle activity with repetitive pitching. This shows the importance of individuality in relation to repetitive pitching. In order to achieve effective elbow injury prevention in baseball pitching, individual characteristics of changes in elbow load and muscle activity in relation to the development of UCL injuries should be investigated.

Response of aluminium honeycomb sandwich panels under combined shock and impact loading: Experimental and numerical investigations

The performance of sandwich structures against individual shock loading and fragment impact loading has been extensively examined, but little is known about their performance in the presence of simultaneous shock and impact loading. Based on a recently developed composite projectile to simulate combined shock and single fragment impact loading, the performance of aluminum honeycomb core sandwich panels (HCSPs) against combined loading is methodically examined. The achieved results reveal that the combined loading exhibits a synergistic effect compared to the single loading, i.e., increased damage of the sandwich panel and enhanced perforation resistance of the sandwich panel. After that, a three-dimensional finite element simulation is performed to explore the underlying mechanism of the synergistic effect. Numerical analysis indicates that the increased damage is a result of perforation-induced reduction of load-carrying capacity of sandwich panel, while the enhanced perforation resistance is the result of deflecting-induced perforation time delay of the perforation process. Finally, the parametric investigation of sandwich geometries such as asymmetric face sheets, core density, and core height is comprehensively conducted. The gained results reveal that both performance and synergistic effect due to combined loading are sensitive to these parameters.

Contribution of Various Loads to the Convex Shape of Rock Wool Insulation Slabs during Production.

Rock wool insulation slabs are produced in special curing ovens, where molten rock wool fibres coated with binder are compressed between two slat conveyors and blown with hot air for vitrification. Often, the cross-section of the final slabs is slightly convex, which is undesirable. The degree of convexity depends on the deformation of the steel crossbars of the slat conveyors, which are subjected to combined pressure and nonlinear temperature loadings. Due to this complex loading state, it is difficult to determine the contribution of individual load to the total deformation. The main aim of the study was to determine these contributions. Temperature and stress measurements of the crossbars were performed during rock wool production. Upon collecting these measurements, a finite element (FE) model of a crossbar was established for the identification of the pressure loading acting on the crossbars, and finally for determination of their deformations. As a main result of the study, an inverse problem-based methodology for the identification of the deflection of a structure due to unknown temperature and pressure loadings was established and applied on the specific case. The deviations between the deformations of the FE crossbars and the final shape of the rock wool slabs were below 10%, which validates the novel methodology.

The Impact of Feedback Modalities and the Influence of Cognitive Load on Interpersonal Communication in Nonclinical Settings: Experimental Study Design.

The escalating demands of modern health care systems, combined with the emotional toll of patient care, have led to an alarming increase in physician burnout rates. This burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, can hinder doctors' ability to connect with patients effectively. Moreover, the cognitive load arising from information overload and the need for multitasking can further hinder doctors' ability to connect with patients effectively. Understanding the complex relationship between physician burnout and cognitive load is crucial for devising targeted interventions that enhance physician well-being and promote effective physician-patient interactions. Implementing strategies to alleviate burnout and cognitive load can lead to improved health care experiences and patient outcomes. Our study explores the interplay between physician burnout and its potential impact on interpersonal communication, particularly focusing on the role of cognitive load using a pilot study in a nonclinical setting involving nonclinical participants. This study uses an experimental design to evaluate 3 feedback tools (haptic, visual, and postvisit summary) and measure the cognitive load they impose on nonclinical participants in a nonclinical environment. The NASA Task Load Index, a widely accepted measure of cognitive load, was used to quantify the cognitive load associated with the feedback tools. The study used a within-subject design, meaning participants experienced all 3 feedback methods. A sample of 18 nonclinical participants was selected using counterbalancing techniques. Postsession feedback not only enhancing performance but also mitigating the influence of cognitive load as compared with real-time feedback (haptic+visual). Participants with interview experience showed lower cognitive load levels when exposed to real-time feedback as compared with novice users. In contrast, postsession feedback was more effective for novice users. In addition, cognitive workload emerged as a moderating factor in the relationship between feedback tools and their impact on performance, particularly in terms of speaking balance and pace. This moderating effect suggests that the correlation between feedback tool efficacy and performance varies based on an individual's cognitive load while using the feedback tool. The comparison of postfeedback with haptic feedback yielded a Z score of -3.245 and a P value of .001, while the comparison with visual feedback resulted in a Z score of -2.940 and a P value of .003. These outcomes underscore a significant disparity in the means between postsession feedback and real-time feedback (haptic+visual), with postsession feedback indicating the lowest mean score. Through the examination of various feedback tools, this study yields significant and insightful comparisons regarding their usability and appropriateness in nonclinical settings. To enhance the applicability of these findings to clinical environments, further research encompassing diverse participant cohorts and clinical scenarios is warranted.

Influences on Reliable Capacity Measurements of Hard Carbon in Highly Loaded Electrodes

AbstractFor the development of a full‐cell battery system, typically appropriate cathodes and anodes are characterized within a half‐cell setup where a metal counter electrode is installed to gather data about the employed electrodes. Ultimately, the individual capacity loadings allow for suitable balancing of the anode to cathode capacity in the full‐cell. This approach seems rather unproblematic for lithium‐ion batteries. For sodium‐ion batteries, however, we show that the high reactivity of sodium metal strongly influences hard carbon‐based electrode measurements within sodium‐ion half‐cells. As hard carbon is considered state‐of‐the‐art anode material, the presented results have high impact on the development of sodium ion batteries. Specifically, we show that the type of electrolyte, as well as cell‐ and measurement‐setup are key factors for reliable sodium half‐cell measurements of hard carbon. The investigated hard carbon electrodes have a high active material loading of 7.2 mg/cm2 (with 93 % active material content) resulting in an areal capacity of 2.4 mAh/cm2, which represent application‐relevant conditions.

Trace Element Concentrations in Autopsied Heart Tissues from Patients with Secondary Cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathies (CMP) represent a significant health problem as they have a poor long-term prognosis and often require transplantation. Heavy metals are known to have cardiotoxic effects and some of them, such as cadmium (Cd), are found to be elevated in the urine and blood of individuals with heart diseases; nevertheless, direct measurement of metals (e.g. zinc (Zn) which is necessary for normal heart function), in the myocardium of individuals with CMP has not been performed. Here, we aimed to analyze the levels of a group of metals in the myocardium of the left ventricle in individuals with CMP. At the Institute of Pathology, we collected 52 samples of left ventricle post-mortem, out of which 19 subjects had been diagnosed with CMP (mean age: 72 y ± 10), and 33 subjects had not suffered from any heart disease (mean age: 67 y ± 15). We found out that individuals with CMP had a significantly higher concentrations of lead, nickel, manganese and copper than non-CMP subjects (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p = 0.011, and p = 0.002). Interestingly, zinc was significantly lower in CMP subjects than in n-CMP individuals (p = 0.017). Our results indicated the involvement of an increased lead, nickel, copper and manganese heart load in individuals with CMP coupled with lower concentrations of zinc.

Short-term multivariate time series load data forecasting at low-voltage level using optimised deep-ensemble learning-based models

Increasing the renewable energy penetration, especially photovoltaic systems, requires accurate and short-term load forecasting for every individual electricity customer. This can significantly help distributed network service providers (DNSP) plan and operate electrical networks and provide better quality and more reliable electricity services to their customers. Due to the strong volatility of the load data, an optimised deep-ensemble learning methodology is proposed to develop several deep learning models to forecast the load data in individual and aggregate load scenarios. The adaptive wind-driven optimisation (AWDO) algorithm is used to tune the hyperparameters of four of the developed deep learning models, significantly improving their performance. Tuning the deep learning models’ hyperparameters shows significant improvements in the accuracy, as well as training, and testing times. In addition, a hybrid ensemble strategy that contains bagging, random Subspace, and boosting (BRSB) with ensemble pruning is adapted in the optimised deep learning-based models to extract deep features from multivariate data. In this context, the bidirectional long-short-term memory optimised by the AWDO algorithm (Bi-LSTM-AWDO) based hybrid ensemble learning forecasting model is compared exhaustively with several benchmark models, including the recently developed models in the state-of-the-art. The average root mean square error (RMSE), and the average mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the Bi-LSTM-AWDO model for individual loads are 0.121 kW, and 7.55%, respectively, while they are 0.025 kW, and 1.51% for aggregate loads, respectively. Accordingly, the Bi-LSTM-AWDO model outperforms other models in forecasting short-term load data for individual and aggregate households using actual smart meters’ measurements.

Study on field applicability of a cleaning machine for marine growth removal in seawater pipelines

In a seawater intake facility, the proliferation and inflow of marine life impede the flow of seawater, thereby hindering the normal operation of offshore plants. To address this issue, it is necessary to use appropriate device for cleaning the fouled intake pipe, and particularly devices that are suited to dealing with polymer pipes over 2000 mm in diameter. This study aimed to improve the field applicability of a winch jig cleaning device designed for deep seawater pipes for which existing commercial devices and services were not economically feasible. The forward movement and rotation of brushes effectively remove attached marine life without causing damage to the pipe material and recover the water level of the intake structure from the trip level of 4600 mm to design level of 6000 mm in intake tank. 3D modeling using SolidWorks was used to assess the load distribution within the device and allowed for the calculation of individual loads on device elements based on their physical properties, thus resulting in the determination of the total load of 1450 kg in a manner similar to field weight measurements. The potential fatigue load relief in the brush body installation section on the shaft was calculated to be the maximum stress of 5.979e-03 N/mm2 ·MPa, that was lower than the maximum stress of 2.390e+01 N/mm2 ·MPa and the yield stress of 2.05e+02 N/mm2 ·MPa. It was achieved by reducing the weight of brushes and brush frames. The installation of brushes and brush frames resulted in maximum stress becoming concentrated, but the stress levels decreased after installation of the floater due to its effective load-lightening capability.

Total and thermal load forecasting in residential communities through probabilistic methods and causal machine learning

Indoor heating and cooling systems largely influence the power demand of residential buildings and can play a significant role in the Demand Side Management for energy communities. We propose a novel method for probabilistic forecasting of the total load of a residential community and its base and thermal components, combining conformalized quantile regression and causal machine learning techniques, using only aggregate consumption and environmental conditions data. We applied the proposed methods to the dataset of a residential community in Germany, which includes separate measurements of the total electricity demand and of domestic heating system consumption. The results show that the proposed method produces probabilistic day-ahead hourly forecasts of total energy demand that outperform benchmarks and forecasts of electricity consumption components that are not only more accurate than benchmarks but also close to the accuracy achievable with models trained directly on individual load component data. The T-learner method resulted the most effective among the causal methods for load disaggregation in terms of accuracy, simplicity, and potential for extension.

Tropical Group Testing

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19. PCR amplifies the virus DNA 40 times to produce measurements of viral loads that span seven orders of magnitude. Unfortunately, the outputs of these tests are imprecise and therefore quantitative group testing methods, which rely on precise measurements, are not applicable. Motivated by the ever-increasing demand to identify individuals infected with SARS-CoV-19, we propose a new model that leverages tropical arithmetic to characterize the PCR testing process. Our proposed framework, termed tropical group testing, overcomes existing limitations of quantitative group testing by allowing for imprecise test measurements. In many cases, some of which are highlighted in this work, tropical group testing is provably more powerful than traditional binary group testing in that it requires fewer tests than classical approaches, while additionally providing a mechanism to identify the viral load of each infected individual. It is also empirically stronger than related works that have attempted to combine PCR, quantitative group testing, and compressed sensing.

A Time Efficient Factorial Hidden Markov Model-Based Approach for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring

Assessment of energy consumption behaviour plays an important role in designing demand reduction programs by utility companies. Knowledge of appliance activities in a household aids in conducting the energy consumption behaviour assessment for a community load. Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) is a tool that can help in identifying the appliance activities. In this paper, a Modified Factorial Hidden Markov Model (MFHMM) based NILM framework is proposed, which models dependencies among appliance operating states and differential appliance operating states by considering differential in power consumption profiles over time. All the appliances are modelled as individual load models using the Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The appliance operating states are obtained with the application of an iterative k-means clustering algorithm. The aggregated power consumption profile is divided into segments using an optimization-based change-point detection (CPD) algorithm. The NILM problem is solved for each of the segments, and the obtained solution is corrected based on the voltage profile at the aggregated load point. The approach of segmentation and efficient identification of appliance operating states make the model less time complex. Simulations are carried out on publicly available datasets named AMPds, REDD, and UK-DALE. The efficacy of the proposed framework over existing frameworks is evident from the simulation results.

Revealing patterns in the stressed-strained state of load-bearing structures in special rolling stock to further improve them

The object of research is strength indicators of load-bearing structures of special rolling stock (dump cars). The research problem is the appearance of the same type of cracks in the girder beams of dump cars, the repair of which is not provided for by the current repair documentation. Malfunction analysis, control tests, strength studies by calculation and experiment were carried out. The analysis of malfunctions of cars in operation helped prove the place of occurrence of fatigue defects – the girder beam. This made it possible to determine specific zones of load-bearing elements, in which during control tests of cars, on the basis of taking into account data on fatigue defects, it is necessary to measure stress parameters. The results of the control tests showed that the lowest value of the fatigue resistance reserve factor n=1.6 for the dump car is found in the zone on the girder beam in the area of the pivot beam. The value of n is within acceptable limits. Normative calculations were carried out and a separate calculation (emergency) mode was additionally defined in the SolidWorks Simulation 2019 software package (France). Based on the results of the dump car stress calculations, it was established that the maximum equivalent stresses in the load-bearing structures of the car occur during its unloading due to twisting, and the stress vectors are at an angle of 45°. During the calculation of individual load modes, the stresses exceed the permissible values. In order to ensure the necessary strength conditions, it is proposed to introduce a reinforcing pad into the girder beam of the dump car, due to which the calculated stresses are within the permissible limits. The research will contribute to devising the recommendations for the restoration of dump cars, for designing modern structures of special rolling stock, and for improving strength determination processes

Virtual reality exergame in older patients with hypertension: a preliminary study to determine load intensity and blood pressure

BackgroundLifestyle changes and physical activity can make an important contribution to reducing the risk factor for high blood pressure (BP). Whether virtual reality (VR) exergames are also appropriate and make a positive contribution to the reduction of BP has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to gain knowledge of the load intensities to be achieved during a VR exergame and to examine the short-term effects on BP.MethodsFor the preliminary study, 22 participants with hypertension over the age of 65 years were analyzed. The study took place in a mobile laboratory truck. All participants visited on two occasions. During visit 1, VR strength endurance training (VR-SET) and during visit 2, VR endurance training (VR-ET) was performed. Each VR session lasted approximately 25 min and was of a moderate intensity. Heart rate (HR) was measured across the entire session, as well as BP before and after the VR exergame. The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and task load using NASA Task Load Index were determined after each VR session. Included in the statistical analysis were the Shapiro–Wilk test, the paired t-test, the Wilcoxon test and ANOVA for repeated measures.ResultsDuring the “main part” (p < .001), at the “end” (p = .002) and for the “maximum HR” (p < .001), significant load differences between both VR sessions could be determined. In addition, significantly more participants in the VR-SET group achieved a moderate load intensity of at least 40% of heart rate reserve (p = .014). Regarding RPE, participants rated their subjectively perceived exertion significantly higher in the VR-SET than in the VR-ET (p = .028). Systolic BP decreased significantly in both VR sessions when compared before VR session and 5 min after VR session (p = .015; p = .003), as well as before VR session and 10 min after VR session (p = .018; p < .001).ConclusionsAn individual moderate load intensity of 40% can be reached during VR-SET. In addition, a positive short-term effect of the VR exergame on BP behavior (postexercise hypotension) was observed after both VR sessions. The preliminary results indicate that a VR exergaming could lead to blood pressure lowering effects for older people with hypertension.Trial registrationThe study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00022881, 07/09/2020, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00022881).

Reduced attentional inhibition for peripheral distractors of angry faces under central perceptual load in deaf individuals: evidence from an event-related potentials study.

Studies have shown that deaf individuals distribute more attention to the peripheral visual field and exhibit enhanced visual processing for peripheral stimuli relative to hearing individuals. This leads to better detection of peripheral target motion and simple static stimuli in hearing individuals. However, when threatening faces that represent dangerous signals appear as non-targets in the periphery, it remains unclear whether deaf individuals would retain an advantage over hearing individuals in detecting them. In this study, 23 deaf and 28 hearing college students were included. A modified perceptual load paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs) were adopted. In the task, participants were instructed to search for a target letter in a central letter array, while task-irrelevant face distractors (happy, neutral, and angry faces) were simultaneously presented in the periphery while the central perceptual load was manipulated. Behavioral data showed that angry faces slowed deaf participants' responses to the target while facilitating the responses of hearing participants. At the electrophysiological level, we found modulation of P1 amplitude by central load only in hearing individuals. Interestingly, larger interference from angry face distractors was associated with higher P1 differential amplitude only in deaf individuals. Additionally, the amplitude of N170 for happy face distractors was smaller than that for angry and neutral face distractors in deaf participants. The present data demonstrates that, despite being under central perceptual load, deaf individuals exhibit less attentional inhibition to peripheral, goal-irrelevant angry faces than hearing individuals. The result may reflect a compensatory mechanism in which, in the absence of auditory alertness to danger, the detection of visually threatening information outside of the current attentional focus has a high priority.

Is there a different rating of perceived exertion in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus?

ObjectiveStudies show that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) do not engage in regular exercise as often as individuals without T2DM. In addition to numerous barriers to engaging in regular exercise, a different rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during physical activity has been hypothesized to play a role. Therefore, this study investigates whether T2DM affects RPE.MethodsRPE values (BORG scale ratings) and heart rate (HR) data were analyzed during an endurance step test (25 W + 25 W every 2 min) at different workloads relative to the individual maximum load (50%, 70% and 90% of peak workload (Wpeak)) in patients with T2DM and in non-diabetic control (CON) subjects (n = 12 in each group). Furthermore, in a larger group of overweight patients with T2DM (n = 81), it was investigated whether glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels correlate with RPE values at the different relative loads.ResultsNeither RPE nor HR values significantly differed between T2DM and CON subjects at 50%, 70% or 90% of Wpeak. No significant correlations were identified between HbA1c levels and RPE values.ConclusionThere is no evidence in our study that T2DM leads to a different perception of physical exertion. Other causes must therefore be responsible for the increased lack of motivation of T2DM patients to engage in regular exercise.

Aggregation Dispatch and Control Strategies for Multi-Type Loads in Industrial Parks

With the continuous expansion of renewable energy construction, the power system requires a larger-scale flexible dispatchable and controllable resource for power balance. Fully tapping into the power regulation capability of multi-type loads in industrial parks, making them a low-cost flexible dispatchable and controllable resource, is an effective approach to establish power regulation capability at scale in the new power system. However, the control characteristics of multi-type loads in industrial parks vary greatly, and their control delay characteristics, response speed, and sustainable response time are all different. Traditional dispatch and control methods cannot achieve precise control of the massive and multi-type loads in industrial parks. Therefore, this paper establishes unified models for the control characteristics of multi-type loads in industrial parks, quantitatively characterizes their control delay characteristics, start–stop characteristics, and control response speed. Based on this, the aggregated dispatch and control model and dispatch and control strategy for multi-type loads in industrial parks are developed, which provide a predictive control rate for individual loads considering the delay and segmented response characteristics to achieve precise aggregation control of multi-type loads in industrial parks. Simulation results show that the aggregated dispatch and control model and its aggregated dispatch and control strategy achieve precise control of multi-type loads in industrial parks. Flexible dispatchable and controllable loads can provide low-cost power regulation capability for the new power system.