Low Utilization Rate Research Articles

Production forecast, comprehensive utilization, management measures and visualization analysis of construction waste

To achieve the national policy objectives of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan, it is essential to enhance resource utilization efficiency, establish a resource recycling system, promote a green economy, and develop a green development policy framework. This thesis utilizes statistical data from the Chongqing municipality yearbook and employs the Time Series Forecasting Model (TSFM) and Gray Prediction Model (GM) to predict the generation of construction waste (CW) in Chongqing Municipality from 2021 to 2030.By 2030, engineering waste, demolition waste, renovation waste, and total CW generation are predicted to increase by 40.93%/34.30%, 37.3%/57.78%, 6.00%/9.55%, and 38.71%/57.85%, respectively, compared to 2020. This indicates significant pressure on the city's CW disposal system. The current situation of CW disposal and transfer in Chongqing City shows that the main methods are simple landfills, engineering backfills, and even private dumping. The actual resource utilization rate is still relatively low. Current CW disposal enterprises have some disposal and recycling capacity, but most are private, with insufficient distribution points and limited processing capacity. This results in a low overall comprehensive utilization rate of CW in central Chongqing. Since 2003, Chongqing Municipality has issued CW disposal-related policy documents. Although relevant policies have been introduced, they need further improvement. Recycled products are mainly bricks and aggregates, and there is a lack of local standards, which hinders effective resource utilization of CW in Chongqing. Finally, using the Citespace tool, a visual analysis of global CW research hotspots and trends over the past 14 years was conducted to accelerate CW resource utilization in Chongqing Municipality.

Problems and prospects of rural energy transformation in China

In recent years, Chinas rural energy supply security capacity has been enhanced, and the adjustment of energy structure has achieved remarkable results, but there are still some problems: The low utilization rate of waste energy in rural areas restricts the comprehensive utilization of resources and environmental protection, the level of rural energy consumption is always in the stage of development, and the lagging construction of rural energy socialized service system restricts the development of rural energy. In view of the problems and challenges faced by Chinas rural energy development, focus on rural energy consumption. This paper analyzes the basic situation of energy development in Chinas rural areas (taking Lantian County of Shaanxi Province as an example). Under the special premise of Chinas national conditions, the specific characteristics of different development in different regions are integrated, and the traditional fossil energy is gradually replaced by the storage and utilization of rural waste and new energy. The key issues such as the construction of rural energy service system and policy guidance are studied, and the measures and suggestions for promoting the scientific development of rural energy in China are put forward.

Multi-Stage Coordinated Planning for Transmission and Energy Storage Considering Large-Scale Renewable Energy Integration

Due to the large-scale integration of renewable energy and the rapid growth of peak load demand, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the construction of various resources to increase the acceptance capacity of renewable energy and meet power balance conditions. However, traditional grid planning methods can only plan transmission lines, often resulting in low utilization rates of newly constructed lines. Additionally, static planning methods can only address single-target scenarios and cannot cope with dynamic growth in load and renewable energy. To address these issues, this paper proposes a multi-stage collaborative planning method for transmission networks and energy storage. This method considers the non-line substitution effect of energy storage resources and their characterization methods. It establishes the coupling relationship between resources across different planning stages to achieve coordinated multi-stage planning for transmission networks and energy storage. Based on the IEEE-24 node system and a case study in a northern province of China, the results show that the proposed method reduces investment costs by approximately 30% compared to static planning methods and by about 7.79% compared to conventional grid planning methods. Furthermore, this method can accommodate more renewable energy.

Ohio Health Care Professionals' Pandemic-Related Help-Seeking Knowledge, Behaviors, and Concerns.

Health care professionals (HCPs) historically exhibit high rates of stress, burnout, and low rates of service utilization from Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Professional Health Programs (PHPs). New and magnified stressors that accompanied COVID-19 exacerbated HCPs' risk of burnout. During the pandemic, this study examined Ohio HCP's utilization of EAPs and PHPs, knowledge of available services, barriers to accessing services, and likelihood of future service utilization. Conditions needing to change to increase likelihood of future utilization were also explored. A one-time survey was administered in July and August of 2021 to HCPs from 13 licensing boards in Ohio. This study used a subset of data to examine the extent of convergence between quantitative results-analyzed using frequency calculations-and results from thematic analysis of corresponding open-ended survey items. Qualitative results supported and elaborated the quantitative findings. Fewer than 25% of respondents (N = 12,807) utilized EAPs or PHPs to address mental health concerns. Obstacles impeding service utilization included issues around awareness, time commitment, and confidentiality-a concern encompassing issues of stigma and fear of employment repercussions. Noting multiple obstacles to accessing EAPs and PHPs, HCPs in Ohio reported low rates of support service utilization and low likeliness to use services in the future despite their experiences of extreme stress and burnout. Addressing the time commitment and confidentiality concerns could increase the likelihood of accessing services. Employers of HCPs should explore additional support mechanisms such as comprehensive wellness programs and innovative, brief intervention strategies to combat burnout, especially during viral outbreaks and other high-stress events.

Properties of Cemented Filling Materials Prepared from Phosphogypsum-Steel Slag-Blast-Furnace Slag and Its Environmental Effect.

Phosphogypsum (PG) occupies a large amount of land due to its large annual production and low utilization rate, and at the same time causes serious environmental problems due to toxic impurities. PG is used for mine backfill, and industrial solid waste is a curing agent for PG, which can save the filling cost and reduce environmental pollution. In this paper, PG was used as a raw material, combined with steel slag (SS) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) under the action of an alkali-activated agent (NaOH) to prepare all-solid waste phosphogypsum-based backfill material (PBM). The effect of the GGBS to SS ratio on the compressive strength and toxic leaching of PBM was investigated. The chemical composition of the raw materials was obtained by XRF analysis, and the mineral composition and morphology of PBM and its stabilization/curing mechanism against heavy metals were analyzed using XRD and SEM-EDS. The results showed that the best performance of PBM was achieved when the contents of PG, GGBS, and SS were 80%, 13%, and 7%, the liquid-to-solid ratio was 0.4, and the mass concentration of NaOH was 4%, with a strength of 2.8 MPa at 28 days. The leaching concentration of fluorine at 7 days met the standard of groundwater class IV (2 mg/L), and the leaching concentration of phosphorus was detected to be less than 0.001 mg/L, and the leaching concentration of heavy metals met the environmental standard at 14 d. The hydration concentration in PBM met the environmental standard. The hydration products in PBM are mainly ettringite and C-(A)-S-H gel, which can effectively stabilize the heavy metals in PG through chemical precipitation, physical adsorption, and encapsulation.

Research Progress Related to Sorghum Biological Nitrification Inhibitors

To meet the growing population’s demand for food, humans have introduced large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers into agricultural systems, resulting in highly nitrified environments in most farmland soils. In highly nitrified environments, the application of nitrogen fertilizer easily leads to the formation of nitrate (NO3−) and subsequent leaching, resulting in very low utilization rates. Moreover, nitrogen loss can cause harm to both the environment and human health, making it necessary to inhibit the nitrification process. Nitrification inhibitors can suppress nitrification, and inhibitors derived biologically from plant roots are gaining attention due to their low cost and environmental friendliness. Sorghum, as a crop capable of growing in arid environments, holds economic value and also possesses the ability to secrete biological nitrification inhibitors. This article utilizes sorghum as a case study to review different types of BNIs (MHPP, sorgoleone, and sakuranetin), their mechanisms of inhibition, and influencing factors. This article summarizes the contributions of these inhibitors in reducing N2O emissions and increasing food production, while also providing insight into future research directions for sorghum’s biological nitrification inhibitors in terms of agricultural production efficiency. BNIs are expected to play an important role in improving agricultural production and reducing environmental pollution.

Catalase-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis based cryo-millineedle platform facilitates the photo-immunotherapy against colorectal cancer via hypoxia improvement

The synergistic anti-tumor impact of phototherapy and a cascading immune response are profoundly limited by hypoxia and a weakened immune response. Intravenous and intratumoral injection of therapeutic drugs also cause pain, rapid drug clearance and low utilization rates. Here, a novel cryo-millineedle platform for intratumoral delivery of a phototherapy system, S.epi@IR820, is developed in this work, combining the properties of Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and IR820 for photo-immunotherapy of colorectal cancer. In this cryo-millineedle platform, S. epidermidis enhances the near-infrared absorption and light stability of IR820 and catalyzes the decomposition of H2O2 into O2 via an endogenous catalase to relieve tumor hypoxia, improve phototherapy and enhance immunogenic cell death (ICD). More interestingly, the native immunogenicity of S. epidermidis and ICD elicited by phototherapy achieved a potent anti-tumor immune response. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to utilize native S. epidermidis to relieve hypoxia and facilitate phototherapy. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the millineedle based phototherapy system can efficiently catalyse the decomposition of H2O2 into O2, facilitate phototherapeutic killing of CT26 tumor cells by S.epi@IR820 and enhance ICD, thus successfully activated the immune response and achieved the photo-immunotherapy against colorectal cancer. In conclusion, this study provides a novel strategy for enhanced anti-tumor efficiency of photo-immunotherapy, and develops an effective method for orthotopic administration of tumors.

Recent Progress in Aqueous Zinc-ion Batteries at High Zinc Utilization.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems due to their low cost, high safety, and environmental friendliness. As the critical component, Zn metal with high theoretical capacity (5855 mAh cm-3), low redox potential (-0.763 V vs standard hydrogen electrode), and low cost has been widely applied in AZIBs. However, the low Zn utilization rate (ZUR) of Zn metal anode caused by the dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and passivation require excess Zn installation in current AZIBs, thus leading to increased unnecessary battery weight and decreased energy density. Herein, approaches to the historical progress toward high ZUR AZIBs through the perspective of electrolyte optimization, anode protection, and substrate construction are comprehensively summarized, and an in-depth understanding of ZUR is highlighted. Specifically, the main challenges and failure mechanisms of Zn anode are analyzed. Then, the persisting issues and promising solutions in the reaction interface, aqueous electrolyte, and Zn anode are emphasized. Finally, the design of 100% ZUR AZIBs free of Zn metal is presented in detail. This review aims to provide a better understanding and fundamental guidelines on the high ZUR AZIBs design, which can shed light on research directions for realizing high energy density AZIBs.

Utilization of Emergency Medical Services by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Patients: A Population-Based Retrospective Study

Objectives To compare emergency medical services (EMS) utilization between culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and non-CALD patients in Victoria, Australia. Methods A retrospective study of EMS attendances and transports in Victoria from January 2015 to June 2019, utilizing linked EMS, hospital emergency and admissions data. The CALD and non-CALD patients who received EMS care and transport to a Victorian public emergency department were included. The incidence of EMS use for CALD and non-CALD patients based on the 2016 Census population and expressed per 100,000 person-years. Results In 1,261,167 included patients, there were 272,100 (21.6%) CALD and 989,067 (78.4%) non-CALD patients. Before adjustment for age and sex, EMS utilization for CALD patients was 13% lower than non-CALD patients (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.87, 95% CI: 0.87–0.87). When stratified by age groups, CALD patients aged under 70 years had significantly lower rates of EMS utilization than non-CALD patients, while CALD patients aged 75 years or older were more likely than non-CALD patients to use EMS (IRR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.07–1.09). The CALD patients were less likely to utilize EMS for trauma/external injury (IRR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.66–0.68) and mental health/alcohol/drug problems (IRR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.38–0.40). After adjustment for differences in the age and sex distribution of CALD and non-CALD populations, CALD patients were 51% less likely to utilize EMS than non-CALD patients (IRR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.42–0.56). Conclusions The CALD patients used EMS less frequently than non-CALD patients with significant variation observed across age groups, countries of birth, and clinical presentation. Further research is needed to understand the factors that may be contributing to these disparities.

Disparities in glaucoma and macular degeneration healthcare utilization among persons living with dementia in the United States

PurposeDementia is common among patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). This study compares visit frequency, diagnostic test utilization, and treatment patterns for POAG and nAMD among persons with vs. without dementia.MethodsOptum’s de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database (January 1, 2000-June 30, 2022) was used for this study. Two cohorts were created from newly diagnosed POAG or nAMD patients. Within each cohort, an exposure cohort was created of newly diagnosed dementia patients. The primary outcome was the number of visits to an eye care provider. Secondary analyses for the POAG cohort assessed the number of visual field tests, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and glaucoma medication prescription coverage. The secondary analysis for the nAMD cohort included the number of injections performed. Poisson regression was used to determine the relative rates of outcomes.ResultsPOAG patients with dementia had reduced rates of eye care visits (RR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.75–0.77), lower rates of testing utilization for visual fields (RR 0.66, 95% CI: 0.63–0.68) and OCT (RR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.64–0.69), and a lower rate of glaucoma prescription medication coverage (RR 0.83, 95% CI: 0.83–0.83). nAMD patients with dementia had reduced rates of eye care visits (RR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.70–0.79) and received fewer intravitreal injections (RR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.58–0.69) than those without dementia.ConclusionsPOAG and nAMD patients with dementia obtained less eye care and less monitoring and treatment of their disease. These findings suggest that this population may be vulnerable to gaps in ophthalmic care.

Characteristics and factors influencing the expansion of urban construction land in China

As a new product of rapid urbanization, the sprawl of urban construction land can objectively reflect urban land use efficiency, which is of great significance to China's new urban construction. This study aimed to summarize the expansion patterns and utilization efficiency of urban construction land in China from the perspectives of the status, speed and trends of expansion, and to uncover the key factors that lead to the differential distribution of the expansion of construction land. It can also provide land management experience for other countries with rapid expansion of construction land. The results show the following. (1) The expansion of China's construction land presents a "point–line–plane" pattern of evolution, forming changing stages of point-like aggregation, linear series and planar spread. (2) China's construction land shows the characteristics of disorderly spread, a low utilization rate and low output efficiency. The speed of expansion presents clear characteristics of being high in the east and low in the west, mostly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration. Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have the highest intensity of construction land use. In Shandong Peninsula and eastern coastal areas, the intensity of the construction land use is generally high. In Xinjiang and Xizang, the intensity of construction land use is relatively low. (3) The urban economic level, population size, industrial structure, foreign investment and land policies have significant effects on the spatial distribution of the expansion of construction land.

Research on the Coordinated Trading Mechanism of Demand-Side Resources and Shared Energy Storage Based on a System Optimization Model

With the development of the economy and society, the importance of a secure and stable electricity supply continues to increase. However, the power grid is facing the test of excess installed capacity, the waste of renewable energy, and a low comprehensive utilization rate. This problem stems from the inconsistent peak–valley differences between power production and consumption, and the lack of clear electricity price signals, which disrupts the safe and stable operation of the power market. This paper combines the interactive transactions among clean energy power generation companies, users, and energy storage, explores how the system optimization model can be reflected in the power market through regulatory measures, and formulates the optimal output scheme of the system under the constraints of clean energy power generation forecast data, user base load forecast data, demand-side resource regulation ability, and energy storage system regulation ability to achieve the goals of comprehensive clean energy power consumption and minimum cost for users. A comprehensive analysis of the proposed model was conducted using actual data from a certain province in China, the results show that the consumption of clean energy will increase by 3% to full consumption and the total cost of users will be 32% lower than that of time-of-use (TOU) power prices, which proves the potential of the proposed joint optimization model in absorbing clean energy and the effectiveness of the market mechanism.

Energy band engineering of graphitic carbon nitride for photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

AbstractHydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the 100 most important chemicals in the world with high energy density and environmental friendliness. Compared with anthraquinone oxidation, direct synthesis of H2O2 with hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), and electrochemical methods, photocatalysis has the characteristics of low energy consumption, easy operation and less pollution, and broad application prospects in H2O2 generation. Various photocatalysts, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4), metal‐organic materials, and nonmetallic materials, have been studied for H2O2 production. Among them, g‐C3N4 materials, which are simple to synthesize and functionalize, have attracted wide attention. The electronic band structure of g‐C3N4 shows a bandgap of 2.77 eV, a valence band maximum of 1.44 V, and a conduction band minimum of −1.33 V, which theoretically meets the requirements for hydrogen peroxide production. In comparison to semiconductor materials like TiO2 (3.2 eV), this material has a smaller bandgap, which results in a more efficient response to visible light. However, the photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4 and the yield of H2O2 were severely inhibited by the electron‐hole pair with high recombination rate, low utilization rate of visible light, and poor selectivity of products. Although previous reviews also presented various strategies to improve photocatalytic H2O2 production, they did not systematically elaborate the inherent relationship between the control strategies and their energy band structure. From this point of view, this article focuses on energy band engineering and reviews the latest research progress of g‐C3N4 photocatalytic H2O2 production. On this basis, a strategy to improve the H2O2 production by g‐C3N4 photocatalysis is proposed through morphology control, crystallinity and defect, and doping, combined with other materials and other strategies. Finally, the challenges and prospects of industrialization of g‐C3N4 photocatalytic H2O2 production are discussed and envisioned.

Smoking cessation rate and predictors of successful quitting in Jordan: A cross-sectional study.

Tobacco smoking in Jordan is the highest in the Middle East, with health consequences and economic burdens. Smoking cessation improves health and grows the economy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of smoking cessation in Jordan and to identify the determinants of effective quitting. This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey directed towards the general population of Jordan. The questionnaire was formulated in Arabic and inquired about sociodemographic factors, health status, behaviors, smoking habits, previous quitting attempts, utilization of smoking cessation services, attitudes towards quitting, and barriers to quitting. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 25. A total of 463 participants were included in this study. Twenty-one percent of them were ex-smokers (n = 97), 86% were male, 63.3% were from the middle governorates, and 29.2% were 24 years old or younger. The rate of sustained quitting for at least 3 months among participants was 13.6%. The factors associated with successful quitting included age > 50 years (P = .001), practicing regular physical activity (P = .003), using more than 1 tobacco product (P = .000), smoking waterpipes or e-cigarettes (P = .000 and .015, respectively), lower levels of nicotine dependence (P = .009), duration of smoking (P = .000), higher number of smoking cessation attempts (P = .000), having 1 or more chronic diseases (P = .049), and having DM (P = .003). More than half of the ex-smokers needed 2 to 5 attempts before successfully quitting smoking. There was a low rate of utilization of smoking cessation services and medications in both groups. On the other hand, there is a high rate of use of other smoking methods, particularly waterpipes and e-cigarettes, as an aid for quitting. Current smokers reported being in a stressful situation as a barrier to quitting significantly more often than did ex-smokers (P = .013). Both groups had moderately positive attitudes toward quitting. Ex-smokers had significantly better attitudes toward their ability to manage stress, weight gain, and increased appetite after quitting (P = .004, .004, and .007, respectively). This study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of smoking behavior, cessation attempts, and attitudes. These findings can inform the development of targeted smoking cessation programmes and policies.

Closed-form solutions for FPR-to-concrete bonded joints with loaded-end anchorage: Insight into the interfacial shear transferring mechanism

Incorporation of end anchorage has not only proven to be an effective method for enhancing the low utilization rate of the expensive fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) material in the application of flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams but also improving the poor ductility and low load-bearing capacity of the FRP-to-concrete interface. The shear transfer mechanism at the interface with free-end anchorage has been understood, but for the interface with loaded-end anchorage, the shear transfer mechanism remains unclear. In this paper, a new analytical model is present to elucidate the shear transfer mechanism of the FRP-to-concrete bonded joint with loaded-end anchorage, including the U-jacket, FRP anchor, and mechanical fastener. The analytical solutions are presented and compared with the finite element analysis (FEA) results, and the good agreement between them verifies the accuracy of the proposed model. A comparison of the load-slip curves is conducted for the FRP-to-concrete bonded joint under various conditions, including scenarios without any anchorage, with free-end anchorage, and with loaded-end anchorage. Finally, design strategies are put forth for multiple anchorages to improve the load-bearing capacity and ductility of the FRP-to-concrete interface.

Experimental Study on the Preparation of High-Purity Iron Oxide Red by Acid Leaching Iron from Coal Gangue.

Aiming at the problems of the large storage, complex composition, low comprehensive utilization rate, and high environmental impact of coal gangue, this paper carried out experimental research on the preparation of iron oxide red from high-iron gangue by calcination activation, acid leaching, extraction, and the hydrothermal synthesis of coal gangue. The experimental results show that when the calcination temperature of coal gangue is 500 °C, the calcination time is 1.5 h, the optimal concentration of iron removal is 6 mol/L, the acid leaching temperature is 80 °C, the acid leaching time is 1 h, and the liquid--solid mass ratio is 4:1; the iron dissolution rate can reach 87.64%. A solvent extraction method (TBP-SK-hydrochloric acid system) was used to extract the leachate, and a solution with iron content up to 99.21% was obtained. By controlling the optimum hydrothermal conditions (pH = 9, temperature 170 °C, reaction time 5 h), high-purity iron oxide red product can be prepared; the yield is 80.07%. The red iron oxide was characterized by XRD, SEM-EDS, particle-size analysis, and ICP-OES. The results show that the red iron oxide peak has a cubic microstructure, an average particle size of 167.16 μm, and a purity of 99.16%. The quality of the prepared iron oxide red product meets the requirement of 98.5% of the "YHT4 Iron oxide Standard for ferrite". It can be used as a raw material to produce high-performance soft magnetic ferrite. In summary, this experimental study on the preparation of iron oxide red from coal gangue is of great significance for the comprehensive utilization of coal gangue to realize the sustainable development of the environment and economy.

Synthesis of 4A Zeolite Molecular Sieves by Modifying Fly Ash with Water Treatment Residue to Remove Ammonia Nitrogen from Water

The widespread presence of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+–N) pollutants poses a serious threat to water environment health. In this study, a novel zeolite (WTR–CFA zeolite) with excellent adsorption performance is synthesized using CFA as the raw material and water treatment residue (WTR) as the aluminum source through an ultrasonic–assisted alkali melt hydrothermal method. Compared with traditional CFA–zeolite, WTR–CFA zeolite only generates 4A zeolite with a single crystal phase, and the peak shape is sharp, which results in better crystallization. WTR–CFA zeolite perfectly solves the technical problems of the low utilization rate and poor controllability of the crystal form in traditional artificially synthesized zeolites. The maximum NH4+–N adsorption capacity of WTR–CFA zeolite is 29.80 mg/g, which is higher than that of most adsorbents reported in previous studies. After five cycles of adsorption regeneration, the regeneration efficiency of WTR–CFA zeolite only decreased from 98.84% to 97.12%, which demonstrates excellent environmental value. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics of NH4+–N conform to the Langmuir model and quasi–second order kinetic model, respectively, which indicates that ion–exchange–dominant chemical adsorption plays a major role in the adsorption mechanism. In summary, this study combines the use of CFA and WTR resources with the treatment of aquatic pollution to reduce material synthesis costs, control the crystal structure of WTR–CFA zeolite, and increase adsorption capacity. This approach achieves the goals of “waste treatment and turning waste into treasure”.

Clinical Outcomes of Metabolic Surgery on Diuretic Use in Patients With Heart Failure

The beneficial impacts of metabolic surgery (MS) on patients with heart failure (HF) are incompletely characterized. We aimed to describe the cardiac and metabolic effects of MS in patients with HF and hypothesized that patients with HF would experience both improved metabolic and HF profiles using glycemic control and diuretic dependency as surrogate markers. In this single-center, university-affiliated academic study in the United States, a review of 2,342 hospital records of patients who underwent MS (2017 to 2023) identified 63 patients with a medical history of HF. Preoperative characteristics, 30-day outcomes, and up to 2-year biometric and metabolic outcomes, medication usage, and emergency department utilization were collected. At 24 months, mean body mass index change was -16 kg/m2 (p <0.001) that corresponded to a mean percentage total body weight loss of 29% (p <0.001). Weight loss was accompanied by significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c (p <0.001) and a 65% decrease in diuretic use at 24 months after surgery (p <0.001). Similarly, emergency visits for cardiac conditions (p = 0.06) and intravenous diuresis (p = 0.07) trended favorably at 1 year after surgery compared with 1 year before surgery but were not statistically significant. In conclusion, in patients with HF who were carefully selected, MS appears to provide significant reduction in oral diuretic dependency, and metabolic improvements with trends toward lower rates of emergency department utilization.

Oral Hygiene Practice of Geriatric Patients Attending Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Dental Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu: A Descriptive Study

Abstract Background: Increasing disease burden will elevate public health expenditures having an impact on the economy. Literatures confirm a low utilization rate of dental services and a high oral health disease burden among elders which is regarded as a heterogeneous population in India. There is long term existence of high prevalence of oral diseases. Oral health educational intervention is the most cost effective method as it has a positive impact on the oral hygiene status to prevent oral diseases. Successful oral health educational interventions need planning which requires information regarding oral hygiene practices of the population so that appropriate information education and communication content with mention about the pros and cons of the aids which are professionally recommended and those commonly used respectively could be developed to enhance oral health promotion. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study was to learn the oral hygiene practices among geriatric dental patients in Chennai. Materials and Methods: An interview was conducted for 250 consented patients aged ≥60 years selected on a convenient sampling technique. Results: The results were analyzed using frequencies from the coded data. Conclusion: Majority of the geriatric dental patients were found to be practicing insufficient oral hygiene with aids which are usually not professionally recommended. The reported dental problems of the elders could be attributed to inadequate and improper oral hygiene practices which necessitate transition in the oral health attitude as the need of the hour strategy through urgent comprehensive oral care educational interventions.

Loyalty toward shared e-scooter: Exploring the role of service quality, satisfaction, and environmental consciousness

Shared electric scooter services (SESS) have gained popularity in many cities as an emerging mobility mode. However, SESS is attributed to low utilization rates in some cities. In this context, the significance of users’ satisfaction with the provided services, along with their loyalty, becomes particularly pronounced. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the service quality (SQ) from the users’ perspective and understand its effect on satisfaction and loyalty, which are critical factors for the long-term durability and success of service. Thus, this study examines the determinants of user satisfaction and loyalty toward SESS. For this, we conducted an online survey among the SESS users in Chicago. We analyzed the responses using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and reflexive thematic analysis (TA). Our results confirm the quality-value-satisfaction-loyalty paradigm and indicate that users’ perceptions of SQ, including safety and security, service availability, interface, and perceived affordability, significantly contribute to user loyalty enhancement toward SESS. Perceived value (hedonic value, utilitarian value, and perceived affordability) and satisfaction mediate the impact of SQ on loyalty. Additionally, the results indicate that those who perceive SESS as cost-effective report higher satisfaction levels. Furthermore, users who have pro-environmental attitudes and view SESS as environmentally friendly are more likely to derive hedonic value from the service and exhibit higher loyalty. The TA uncovers key challenges from the user perspective, including pricing, service timing, end-trip facilities (e.g., parking), street pavement condition, vendor operational zoning, and fleet quality, with a specific emphasis on GPS accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights into user behavioral mechanisms, which can be considered as a manifest for service improvement and enhancing efficiency.