Loss Ratio Research Articles

Optimizing a mouse model of exertional heat stroke to simulate multiorgan and brain injuries.

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is a clinical entity characterized by abnormalities of the central nervous system (CNS) and is associated with multiple organ injury, some of which may be irreversible. It is valuable to establish an optimized model of EHS that is able to induce and assess damage to the CNS and multiple organs. We induced EHS by using an environmental chamber with adjustable temperature and humidity and a mice forced running wheel. The endpoint for the EHS was defined as either exhaustion or a core temperature of 42.5°C being reached. Injury to the liver, kidney, and CNS of mice in the EHS group was revealed through pathological studies using hematoxylin and eosin staining of harvested organs at different time points and detection of biomarkers. The depressive-like behavior of EHS mice was assessed through open field tests, forced swimming tests, and tail suspension tests. The favorable environmental conditions for induction of EHS based on this presented model are 38°C, 70% RH. The EHS mice developed thermoregulatory dysfunction and experienced a significantly higher weight loss ratio compared to the SHE (sham heat exercise) group. The liver, kidney, and brain tissues of EHS mice were significantly damaged, and the pathological damage scores for each organ were significantly higher than those of the SHE group. In the open field test (OFT), compared to the SHE group, there was a significant reduction in the number and time of EHS mice entering the center of the open field. Additionally, there was a significant increase in immobile time during forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). This study presents an improved animal model that has the potential to assess for neurological and multiple organ injury caused by EHS and simultaneously, while accurately reflecting the clinical characteristics observed in EHS patients.

Experimental study of hydraulic losses in linear and nonlinear weirs: A comparative analysis

ABSTRACT With increased length of the crest in a certain width range, the labyrinth weirs increase the discharge capacity. In this study, a laboratory flume was used with a length of 8 m and a width and height of 0.6 m, in which the hydraulic loss of linear/non-linear, labyrinth, triangular, and trapezoidal weirs were investigated. Dimensional analysis using the Buckingham methodology showed that the discharge coefficient (Cd) is a function of parameters such as hydraulic head ratio (Ht/P), weir shape factor (Sf), and hydraulic loss ratio (Hf/P). The results showed that the ATRL weir has a lower discharge coefficient than the ALR by 44% and ATPL a lower discharge coefficient than ALR by 50%. The ATRL weir has a higher hydraulic loss than ALR by 2300% and a higher hydraulic loss than ATPL by 2000%. The TRL weir has a higher hydraulic loss than LR by 4900% and a higher hydraulic loss than TPL by 5700%. The TRL weir has a lower discharge coefficient than LR by 41% and TPL by 43%. The best correlation with the Cubic statistical model was obtained in the TPL weir in terms of discharge coefficient and in the ALR weir in terms of hydraulic loss.

Unlocking the secrets of intraspecific hybrids (Vitis vinifera L.) cold hardiness: A comprehensive study of genetic factors and trait correlations

Challenges arise in global viticulture due to low temperatures. To ensure the sustainable and high-quality development of the wine industry, it is essential to breed wine grape varieties that are not only of high quality but also possess cold hardiness. Intraspecific recurrent selection in Vitis vinifera can enhance cold hardiness while maintaining fruit quality. In this study, we used ‘Ecolly ’as an intermediary grape variety for crossing with ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, ‘Marselan’, and ‘Dunkelfelder’, including three reciprocal crosses and a total of 1,657 intraspecific hybrids. We characterized the cold hardiness of these intraspecific hybrids and analyzed the genetic aspects of cold hardiness, ultimately identifying excellent strains with cold hardiness. Parameters like mean high-temperature exotherm (mHTE), mean low-temperature exotherm (mLTE), bound/free water ratio, water loss ratio in vitro, frost damage grades, and overall performance displayed partially normal distributions. In intraspecific hybrids, there was a maternal advantage in traits related to bound/free water ratio and water loss ratio. Some hybrid populations exhibited values for mHTE, mLTE, and water loss ratio that were lower than the low parent's values, while bound/free water ratio showed values higher than the high parent's values. Among the 1,657 intraspecific hybrids, 52 strains could bud under stress at −18 °C, and seven of these strains excelled in three important cold hardiness measures. Our study revealed that cold hardiness in V. vinifera is influenced by multiple genes and is a quantitative trait. Intraspecific hybridization can produce a small number of superior strains with enhanced cold hardiness.

임원배상책임보험의 통지조항 - 기업보험성 및 설명의무와 관련하여

D&O insurance goes beyond covering the risk of lawsuits against directors’ personal property and has become an essential element for the sustainable management of companies. The D&O insurance subscription rate of listed companies in Korea has increased to about 75% as of 2023, but the number of claims in 2022 is 122 and the loss ratio is only 9.6%. The reason why D&O insurance is not activated in Korea is due to the problem of corporate governance in which diectors are not effectively held accountable, as well as the English terms and conditions of the United States, which are based on American corporate law, which is different from Korea’s. The terms and conditions have been written, and the Korean terms and the US English terms and conditions are used as is, resulting in unclear or unreasonable interpretations. In particular, the notice provision, which is the essence of claims-made policy, is the most confusing part in practice and rulings. The notice provision makes immediate notification of a claim a condition precedent for policy and includes the obligation to consent in advance to settlement or defense costs. Since D&O insurance is a corporate insurance, the principle of prohibition of disadvantageous changes in Article 663 of the Commercial Act does not apply, and the duty to explain should be exempted or relieved. If the obligation to notify the occurrence of an insurance accident is not complied with and prior consent for defense costs is not obtained, the insurance shall not be paid. Even if the insurer is in breach of the duty to explain, it should be solved by the interpretation of terms and conditions, and the insurer’s reponsibility for damages.

تأثير مولدات التوزيع (DG) على شبكة التوزيع الكهربائية الزهراء-ليبيا 30 كيلو فولت

Libyan electric distribution networks are suffering many problems of voltage limits violation, high system losses and low system performance. In this paper, a load flow study will be performed for a large power distribution of Alzahra area in Libya that include Alzahra power station. Considering distribution generation (DG) penetration method instead of conventional replanning methods, such as the expanding and adding methods that needs efforts and time. Alzahra 30KV electric system is taken as the case study including Alzahra power plant, different operation cases are considered includes the operation of the considering DG penetration during peak loads. The availability of high-performance software's such as NIPLAN helps in redesigning and replanning of electric power system for enhancing performance and solving system problems. The loss in the general phase was 8MW, and after increasing the loads by 8%, the loss ratio increased to 10MW. When adding the distribution generation in the right place, we note that the loss has been saved to approximately 4.5MW. KEYWORDS: DG, Penetration, Load flow, NIPLAN software, Voltage drop, Power system planning.

An Energy-Efficient improved Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm-Based Cluster Head and Shamir Secrets Sharing-Based WSNs with Secure Data Transfer

Introduction: Due to its self-configurability, ease of maintenance, and scalability capabilities, WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks) have intrigued plenty of interest in a variety of fields. To move data within the network, WSNs are set up with more nodes. The security of SNs (sensing nodes), which are vulnerable to malevolent attackers since they are network nodes, is a crucial element of an IoT (Internet of Things)-based WSN. This study's primary objective is to provide safe routing and mutual authentication with IoT-based WSNs. Methods: The basic GWO algorithm's imbalances between explorations and mining, lack of population heterogeneity, and early convergences are all issues that this paper addresses by selecting energy-efficient CHs (cluster Heads) using EECIGWO algorithm, an upgraded version of the GWO, is used. Mean distances within clusters, well-spaced residual energies, and equilibrium of CHs are all factors that influence the choices of CHs. The average intra-cluster distances, sink distances, residual energies, and CHs balances are some of the criteria used to choose CHs. Results and Discussion: The proposed EECHIGWO-based clustering protocol's average throughput, dead node counts, energy consumption, and operation round counts have all been evaluated. Additionally, mutual authentication between the nodes is provided through SSS (Shamir Secret Sharing) mechanism. PDR (Packet Delivery Ratio) analysis is used to assess how well the EECHIGWO-IOT-WSNs are performing. Conclusion: The suggested proposed approach is assessed against existing methods like HHH-SS (Hybrid Harris Hawk and Salp Swarm), ESR (Energy-efficient and Secure Routing) protocol, and LWTS (Light Weight Trust Sensing) approaches in terms of AEED (Average End-to-End Delay), network overheads, and PLR (Packet Loss Ratio).

Artificial Neural Network Modeling Techniques for Drying Kinetics of Citrus medica Fruit during the Freeze-Drying Process

The main objective of this study is to analyze the drying kinetics of Citrus medica by using the freeze-drying method at various thicknesses (3, 5, and 7 mm) and cabin pressures (0.008, 0.010, and 0.012 mbar). Additionally, the study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an artificial neural network (ANN) in estimating crucial parameters like dimensionless mass loss ratio (MR), moisture content, and drying rate. Feedforward multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network architecture was employed to model the freeze-drying process of Citrus medica. The ANN architecture was trained using a dataset covering various drying conditions and product characteristics. The training process, including hyperparameter optimization, is detailed and the performance of the ANN is evaluated using robust metrics such as RMSE and R². As a result of comparing the experimental MR with the predicted MR of the ANN modeling created by considering various product thicknesses and cabin pressures, the R² was found to be 0.998 and the RMSE was 0.010574. Additionally, color change, water activity, and effective moisture diffusivity were examined in this study. As a result of the experiments, the color change in freeze-dried Citrus medica fruits was between 6.9 ± 0.2 and 21.0 ± 0.6, water activity was between 0.4086 ± 0.0104 and 0.5925 ± 0.0064, effective moisture diffusivity was between 4.19 × and 21.4 × , respectively. In freeze-drying experiments conducted at various cabin pressures, it was observed that increasing the slice thickness of Citrus medica fruit resulted in longer drying times, higher water activity, greater color changes, and increased effective moisture diffusivity. By applying the experimental data to mathematical models and an ANN, the optimal process conditions were determined. The results of this study indicate that ANNs can potentially be applied to characterize the freeze-drying process of Citrus medica.

Highly birefringent anti-resonant hollow-core fiber with meniscoid nested structure.

We propose a meniscoid nested anti-resonant hollow-core fiber (MAF), wherein the fourfold rotational symmetry structure enables high birefringence and low loss in dual-wavelength range. Numerical investigation and simulation for variations in wall thickness along orthogonal directions are conducted, through which a formulated optimization criterion revealing the relationship between minimum difference in wall thickness and birefringence of 10-5 is obtained. A parameter of beat length to loss ratio η is defined to evaluate MAF performance with respect to birefringence and confinement loss (CL). With optimized MAF structure, the birefringence and CL are improved to 3.62 × 10-5 and 8.5 dB/km at 1.06 µm, 9.83 × 10-5 and 204.1 dB/km at 1.55 µm, respectively. Meanwhile, the bandwidths extend to 172 nm at 1.06 µm and 216 nm at 1.55 µm, and the superior bending resistance characteristics are validated. Our work offers valuable guidance for designing and optimizing highly birefringent anti-resonant hollow-core fiber (ARF), and the proposed MAF has great potential in polarization-dependent transmission and interferometric fiber gyroscopes.

New approaches in pear preservation: Putrescine and modified atmosphere packaging applications to maintain fruit quality during cold storage

AbstractPear (P. communis L.), which is a climacteric fruit species, has a very short storage and shelf life, and significant losses occur due to high metabolic activity and the fruit's respiration rate after harvest. Therefore, preventing or reducing post‐harvest quality losses in pear is one of the most basic problems awaiting solution. In this study, we planned for this purpose; the fruits of the Ankara pear cultivar treated with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), putrescine (1 mM), and MAP + putrescine were stored for 120 days at 1°C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity. The quality analyses and measurements, such as weight loss, decay rate, fruit firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, organic acids, and specific phenolic compounds, were performed on the 30th, 60th, 90th, and 120th days. Weight loss and decay ratios were lower for putrescine and putrescine + MAP‐applied fruit. With these applications, the softening of the fruit was slowed down, and the increasing SSC in the fruit and the decreasing TA rates were lower, and thus the ripening of the fruit was delayed. Changes in individual phenolic content and organic acids were lower in MAP and putrescine‐applied fruit. The study revealed that MAP and putrescine applications in pear can be used effectively to maintain fruit quality after harvest.

Determination of C-factor for conventional cultivation and soil conservation technique used in hop gardens

Abstract The research presented in the article was focused on determining the C-factor for hops for conventional cultivation (CT) and soil conservation technique, which is based on the presence of cover crops (CC) in the inter-rows. The values of the soil loss ratio, which are the basis for the calculation of the C-factor, are also presented. The research activities were carried out between 2016 and 2023 and a field rainfall simulator was used for the measurements. Rainfall simulations were conducted at three developmental stages of CC. The results show a high C-factor value for CT (0.73), which indicates insufficient erosion control efficiency. In contrast, a C-factor of 0.16 was determined for the cover crop technique. This means that cover crops in the inter-rows of hop gardens can effectively reduce the risk of water erosion. The values reported in the article can be used as input parameters in various erosion models and equations to refine the subsequent calculation.

Theoretical study on the water-induced weakening of rock based on microstructural mechanics approach

For rock structures exposed in the natural condition, water-induced weakening (including water softening and chemical weathering) is thought to be the main reason for its’ stiffness and strength degradation, thus it is of great significance to study the mechanical properties of rocks under the influence of water. In this study, a hexagonal close-packed particle assembly (2D) composed of bonded circular particles with same diameter is considered to approximate a typical soft rock, where the composite contact model for rock materials considering the water-induced wakening is adopted to define the microscopic mechanical reactions between particles. Based on homogenisation theory and lattice model, the stress-strain relationship and strength criteria for rock considering water-induced weakening, as well as the quantitative correlation between macroscopic elastic and strength parameters with microscopic parameters are obtained. The effects of water softening and chemical weathering respectively characterised by saturation and mass loss ratio on macroscopic mechanical behaviours of rock are analysed in detail. The long-term ageing effects of water-induced weakening are also analysed. All results are in good agreement with the laboratory test results, verifying the applicability of the theoretical solution for analysing the effect of water-induced weakening on mechanical behaviours of rock.

Long-term Outcomes After Kidney Transplantation From DBD Donors Aged 70 y and Older.

Transplantation of kidneys from elderly donations after brain death (DBD) donors has increased owing to organ shortages. We aimed to assess the impact on long-term kidney transplant outcomes from DBD donors aged 70 y and older compared with kidneys from younger donors. From 2007 to 2022, 2274 first single kidney transplantations from DBD donors were performed at our center. Data from 1417 kidney transplant recipients receiving a DBD organ were included and categorized into 3 groups according to donor age: 70 y and older (n = 444, median age 74 y), 60-69 y (n = 527, median age 64 y), and a reference group consisting of donors aged 45-54 y (n = 446, median age 50 y). Kaplan-Meier plots and multivariate Cox regression with correction for recipient, donor, and transplant characteristics were used to investigate patient and kidney graft survival outcomes. The median patient follow-up time was 9.3 y (interquartile range, 5.3-13.1). The adjusted hazard ratios for patient death in recipients of kidneys from DBD donors aged 70 y and older compared with 60-69 y and 45-54 y were 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.36; P = 0.26) and 1.62 (95% CI, 1.26-2.07; P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with recipients of donors aged 60-69 y and 45-54 y, the adjusted hazard ratios for kidney graft loss in recipients of donors aged 70 y and older were 1.23 (95% CI, 1.02-1.48; P = 0.029) and 1.94 (95% CI, 1.54-2.45; P < 0.001), respectively. Transplantation of kidneys from DBD donors aged 70 y and older resulted in acceptable long-term outcomes and is encouraging.

Investigation on Anti-Fuel Erosion Performance of Sasobit/SBS-Modified Asphalt and Its Mixtures.

The fuel leakage of fuel vehicles will exacerbate the occurrence of distresses on asphalt pavements, including peeling, chipping and potholes, especially under the synergistic effect of traffic load and environment. In this research, Sasobit, which is commonly used as a warm agent in asphalt, is selected as the anti-fuel erosion agent and incorporated into SBS-modified asphalt and its mixtures. Diesel and gasoline are selected as the fuel erosion media. Sasobit/SBS-modified asphalt binder and its mixtures are investigated for fuel erosion. The rheological properties of bitumen and the mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures are assessed. The experimental findings show that the dissolution velocity of SBS-modified asphalt with 3% Sasobit is 0.2%/min for diesel erosion, while it is 1.7%/min for gasoline erosion, lower than the control sample without Sasobit. Meanwhile, the rutting factor of Sasobit/SBS-modified asphalt decreases less than that of the control sample without Sasobit. Furthermore, the mass loss ratio after the Cantabro test of Sasobit/SBS-modified asphalt mixtures is 1.2% for diesel erosion, while it is 6.8% for gasoline erosion, lower than that of the control sample without Sasobit. The results of the mechanical properties for asphalt mixtures demonstrate that Sasobit can enhance the anti-fuel erosion performance. Moreover, the research results of the Sasobit modification mechanism show that Sasobit can form a microcrystalline structure in SBS-modified asphalt, which subsequently improves the anti-fuel of asphalt and its mixtures. This research provides a reference for anti-fuel erosion assessment methods and solutions to improve the anti-fuel erosion of asphalt pavement.

Ocular surface changes in moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris.

To investigate ocular surface disorders and tear function changes in patients with acne vulgaris and explore the potential relationship between acne vulgaris and dry eye. This cross-sectional study included right eyes of 53 patients with acne vulgaris and 54 healthy controls. The participants completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. The following ocular surface-related parameters were measured: tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive tear breakup time (NIBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), lipid layer thickness (LLT) score of the tear film, meibum score, meibomian gland orifice obstruction score, the ratio of meibomian gland loss, conjunctival hyperemia score, and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score. The stability of the tear film decreased in acne vulgaris patients. In the acne group, the TMH and NIBUT were lower, whereas the OSDI, meibum score, meibomian gland orifice obstruction score, ratio of meibomian gland loss, and conjunctival hyperemia score were higher compared with controls (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the CFS score, SIT, or LLT score between the groups (P>0.05). In two dry eye groups, the TMH, NIBUT, and LLT score were lower in the acne with dry eye (acne-DE) group, and the meibum score, meibomian gland orifice obstruction score, ratio of meibomian gland loss and conjunctival hyperemia score in the acne-DE group were higher (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between OSDI, SIT, and CFS score (P>0.05). Patients with moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris are more likely to experience dry eye than those without acne vulgaris. Reduced tear film stability and meibomian gland structure dysfunction are more pronounced in patients with moderate-to-severe acne and dry eye.

Functional analysis of multi-scale fractures within a single fracture cluster in multi-horizontal wells

Defining the fracture function at each scale in the reservoir helps to analyze and optimize the thermal recovery properties of the reservoir. This study aims to reveal the functionalities of fractures at different scales by simulating one single fracture cluster coupled in multi-scale fractures. The geometric layout and parameter characteristics of the main fractures, branch fractures, and micro-fracture domain are investigated to speculate on their functions and influence on heat extraction performance. The results display that the main fractures and micro-fracture domain serve as the predominant channel for fluid flow. The branch fractures exert control over the flow transition from the main fractures to the micro-fracture domain, thereby influencing the generation of preferential flow. Micro-fracture domain is the primary way of fluid filtration loss. When the thickness of micro-fracture domain increased from 0 m to 20 m, the production flow rate increased from 2 kg/s to 4.2 kg/s, and the water loss ratio increased from 1 % to 4.9 %. However, expanding the micro-fracture domain can significantly enhance production flow rate and heat recovery rate at the expense of increased water loss ratio. Notably, preferential-flow-induced thermal breakthrough will not occur prematurely in this process. The permeability of branch fractures exerts the most substantial influence on the overall heat extraction, owing to its greatest impact on reservoir lifespan. These findings would provide valuable insights for optimizing fracturing morphology in multi-horizontal wells.

An Effective Investigation for Quality of Service Enhancement of Content Delivery Network for HTTP Live Streaming Using H.265

In the contemporary era, the prevailing trend among individuals is the widespread utilization of streaming technology to indulge in audio or video content emanating from a server. This innovative approach negates the necessity for downloading the content beforehand, allowing users to seamlessly revel in the material through the streaming mechanism. However, this cutting-edge technology mandates a substantial bandwidth to uphold its Quality of Service (QoS) at an optimal level. Challenges may arise, such as packet loss, attributed to the restricted bandwidth provided by the network service provider, thereby compromising the delivered content’s quality. To address this issue, one viable solution is the integration of CDN (Content Delivery Network), a technology proven to enhance the quality of content delivered through streaming services. This research endeavors to elevate the quality of live video streaming by leveraging CDN. The HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format for content streaming, the study empirically demonstrates that CDN significantly improves the Quality of Service. As a result, the proposed method Content Delivery Network (CDN) using H.265 plays vital role in live video streaming. The result shows that live video streaming with CDN outperforms without CDN. Specifically, the live video streaming experience with CDN showcases a remarkable throughput average of 5899.7 kbps, coupled with a minimal packet loss ratio average of 0.05%. This stands in stark contrast to the version without CDN, which exhibits a comparatively diminished throughput average of 5287.3 kbps and a higher packet loss ratio average of 0.22%. These empirical findings strongly emphasize the effectiveness of CDN in elevating the Quality of Service for live video streaming. The tangible enhancements in throughput and the reduction of packet loss achieved through CDN implementationcontribute significantly to an enriched user experience. The evidence supports the notion that integrating CDN technology not only optimizes the technical performance of live video streaming but also plays a pivotal role in enhancing the overall satisfaction and engagement of users with the content delivery system.

Survival analysis of teeth following clinical crown lengthening and crown insertion procedures up to 14 years: A retrospective cohort study.

The purpose of this study was to conduct survival analysis of teeth following clinical crown lengthening procedures (CLPs) and crown insertions via a retrospective cohort study. Patient- and tooth-related data were collected from 268 participants who received CLPs from 2009 to 2015. The Kaplan-Meier curve and the log-rank tests were used to estimate the probability of survival and compare the survival probabilities among different variables. A Cox multivariate proportional hazard regression model was used to investigate the collective effects of root canal treatment (RCT) and the types of opposing dentition. The rate of tooth loss was 21.6% during the observation period from 1 to 14 years, with 58 teeth extracted. The most attributable reason for tooth extraction was coronal tooth fracture, followed by endodontic failure such as root fracture. The survival probability was 0.87 at 5 years and 0.7 at 10 years. No significant differences in the survival probabilities were found among different providers and locations, the presence of a post, and the types of crowns. The hazard ratio for tooth loss was 6.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.6 to 20.9] in the teeth with RCT (p<0.001) and 2.4, 95% CI [1.1 to 4.8] in the teeth occluding implant-retained prostheses (p=0.016). Tooth loss following CLPs and crown insertions appeared least among the teeth without RCT when occluding natural teeth, while tooth loss was most among the teeth with RCT when occluding implants.

Ion velocity effect governs damage annealing process in defective KTaO3

Effects of electronic to nuclear energy losses (S e/S n) ratio on damage evolution in defective KTaO3 have been investigated by irradiating pre-damaged single crystal KTaO3 with intermediate energy O ions (6 MeV, 8 MeV and 12 MeV) at 300 K. By exploring these processes in pre-damaged KTaO3 containing a fractional disorder level of 0.35, the results demonstrate the occurrence of a precursory stage of damage production before the onset of damage annealing process in defective KTaO3 that decreases with O ion energy. The observed ionization-induced annealing process by ion channeling analysis has been further mirrored by high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis. In addition, the reduction of disorder level is accompanied by the broadening of the disorder profiles to greater depth with increasing ion fluence, and enhanced migration is observed with decreasing O ion energy. Since S e (∼3.0 keV nm−1) is nearly constant for all 3 ion energies across the pre-damaged depth, the difference in behavior is due to the so-called ‘velocity effect’: the lower ion velocity below the Bragg peak yields a confined spread of the electron cascade and hence an increased energy deposition density. The inelastic thermal spike calculation has further confirmed the existence of a velocity effect, not previously reported in KTaO3 or very scarcely reported in other materials for which the existence of ionization-induced annealing has been reported. In other words, understanding of ionization-induced annealing has been advanced by pointing out that ion velocity effect governs the healing of pre-existing defects, which may have significant implication for the creation of new functionalities in KTaO3 through atomic-level control of microstructural modifications, but may not be limited to KTaO3.

Correlation between hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment in the elderly population: Mendelian randomization and cross-sectional study.

Hearing loss and tinnitus have been linked to mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the evidence is constrained by ethical and temporal constraints, and few prospective studies have definitively established causation. This study aims to utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) and cross-sectional studies to validate and analyze this association. This study employs a two-step approach. Initially, the genetic data of the European population from the Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database is utilized to establish the causal relationship between hearing loss and cognitive impairment through Mendelian randomization using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method. This is achieved by identifying strongly correlated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), eliminating linkage disequilibrium, and excluding weak instrumental variables. In the second step, 363 elderly individuals from 10 communities in Qingdao, China are assessed and examined using methods questionnaire survey and pure tone audiology (PTA). Logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the risk factors of MCI in the elderly and to calculate the cutoff values. Mendelian randomization studies have shown that hearing loss is a risk factor for MCI in European populations, with a risk ratio of hearing loss to MCI loss of 1. 23. The findings of this cross-sectional study indicate that age, tinnitus, and hearing loss emerged as significant risk factors for MCI in univariate logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis identified hearing loss and tinnitus as potential risk factors for MCI. Consistent results were observed in multiple linear regression analysis, revealing that hearing loss and age significantly influenced the development of MCI. Additionally, a notable finding was that the likelihood of MCI occurrence increased by 9% when the hearing threshold exceeded 20 decibels. This study provides evidence from genomic and epidemiological investigations indicating that hearing loss may serve as a risk factor for cognitive impairment. While our epidemiological study has found both hearing loss and tinnitus as potential risk factors for cognitive decline, additional research is required to establish a causal relationship, particularly given that tinnitus can manifest as a symptom of various underlying medical conditions.

HT-WSO: A hybrid meta-heuristic approach-aided multi-objective constraints for energy efficient routing in WBANs

Generally, Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are regarded as the collection of small sensor devices that are effectively implanted or embedded into the human body. Moreover, the nodes included in the WBAN have large resource constraints. Hence, reliable and energy-efficient data transmission plays a significant role in the implementation and in constructing of most of the merging applications. Regarded to complicated channel environment, limited power supply, as well as varying link connectivity has made the construction of WBANs routing protocol become difficult. In order to provide the routing protocol in a high energy-efficient manner, a new approach is suggested using hybrid meta-heuristic development. Initially, all the sensor nodes in WBAN are considered for experimentation. In general, the WBAN is comprised of mobile nodes as well as fixed sensor nodes. Since the existing models are ineffective to achieve high energy efficiency, the new routing protocol is developed by proposing the Hybrid Tunicate-Whale Swarm Optimization (HT-WSO) algorithm. Subsequently, the proposed work considers the multiple constraints for deriving the objective function. The network efficiency is analyzed using the objective function that is formulated by distance, hop count, energy, path loss, and load and packet loss ratio. To attain the optimum value, the HT-WSO derived from Tunicate Swarm Algorithm (TSA) and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is employed. In the end, the ability of the working model is estimated by diverse parameters and compared with existing traditional approaches. The simulation outcome of the designed method achieves 13.3%, 23.5%, 25.7%, and 27.7% improved performance than DHOA, Jaya, TSA, and WOA. Thus, the results illustrate that the recommended protocol attains better energy efficiency over WBANs.